To the Editor:
The “Little White Cross” debate is more than just a petty dispute between the Andersons and Community Development District 8. The outcome of this case could be far-reaching and may need to be decided by the highest court in the land.
At issue is whether a person can be forced to “voluntarily” sign away their constitutional rights to get something they want. The Andersons were required to agree to the covenants to buy their property in The Villages. In doing so, they may have given up the freedom to express their religion as well as their right to free speech.
But there are many other situations in which we are forced to “voluntarily” give up our constitutional rights to get something we want. The best example is employment. When one accepts a job, one becomes subject to the policies of their employer. In many situations, employees cannot express their opinions at work because they might be offensive to other employees or customers. This includes extreme views as well as mainstream beliefs such as Christianity. Some employers do not allow employees to show tattoos.
The argument is not about whether the little white cross is a lawn ornament, whether it is offensive, if it should be placed elsewhere, or even if it opens the door to the expression of other beliefs. It is not even about freedom of speech or freedom of religion. It is about trading away our constitutional rights, which will apply to almost everything we do.
Vicki Hoffmann
Village of Tamarind Grove
