Viral Wreath

A follow up on a post from yesterday. The story went viral on the interwebs. I got hits from all over the globe as well.

HOA allowing peace sign wreath

PAGOSA SPRINGS - After a firestorm of controversy, an area homeowners association is allowing a resident to hang a peace sign wreath.

Bill Trimarco told 9NEWS that late Monday night they found a letter on the front door of the home. In the letter, the homeowners association apologized for the misunderstanding and told the residents they did not have to take down the wreath.

Trimarco said he is grateful for the amount of support they have received from around the World. He told 9NEWS support has come from South America, troops in Baghdad and the Netherlands.

The homeowners association had originally said they would charge Lisa Jensen, the homeowner, $25 a day until she removed the peace sign shaped Christmas wreath after reported complaints from other residents.

Some had said the wreath is an Iraq war protest or a symbol of Satan.

Some residents who had complained have children serving in Iraq, Bob Kearns, president of the Loma Linda Homeowners Association in Pagosa Springs, told the Durango Herald. He said some residents have also believed it was a symbol of Satan. Three or four residents complained, he said.

"The peace sign has a lot of negativity associated with it," said Kearns. "It's also an anti-Christ sign. That's how it started."

Most researchers believe the symbol originated as the logo of the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament.

Kearns asked for the resignation of a five-member neighborhood panel that refused to cite Jensen. All five members resigned.

"Somebody could put up signs that say, 'Drop bombs on Iraq.' If you let one go up, you have to let them all go up," Kearns said.

Lisa Jensen said she wasn't thinking of the war when she hung the wreath. Jensen said, "Peace is way bigger than not being at war. This is a spiritual thing."

"It was just a Christmas message for peace on Earth," she told 9NEWS Monday. "We didn't put it up as any kind of statement against the war at all."

Jensen, a past association president, calculates the fines would have cost her about $1,000 and doubted she will be forced to pay them. Nevertheless, Jensen had said she would not take it down until after Christmas.

"Now that it has come to this, I feel I can't get bullied," she said. "What if they don't like my Santa Claus?"

"This (wreath) is such a small little thing. We weren't out to fight a battle or anything, but they're (HOA) not going to take that away just at somebody's whim," she said.

The association in this 200-home subdivision 270 miles southwest of Denver had sent a letter to her saying that residents were offended by the sign and that the board "will not allow signs, flags etc. that can be considered divisive."

On Monday, the KYGO morning show told 9NEWS it got several calls from people who would be willing to pay the fine for Jensen.

She also said she had gotten many calls directly from people willing to pay any fines her.

"It's really overwhelming. I'm just so moved by people who reach out like that," said Jensen.

Kearns did not comment on the story directly to 9NEWS.