Honoring War dead violates city ordinance

See link below for full story... not sure this has been posted here yet...found this on Michael Moore's site. You can see a picture of the sign at Mike's site.
http://www.michaelmoore.com/

Original Salt Lake City Tribune article
http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_2812530

Rolly: Honoring war dead now a crime
By Paul Rolly
Tribune Columnist

Since Mike Norton, of Layton, began displaying the pictures of American soldiers killed in Iraq on an illuminated sign in his front yard, his home has been vandalized, cars have stopped in front of his home and honked horns in the early morning hours and he has received anonymous harassing phone calls.
Now the city of Layton has gotten into the act.
Norton, who was told by a city official last winter that the sign in his yard did not violate zoning ordinances, received a letter from the Layton City Attorney's Office recently informing him that, upon further review, the sign does violate the ordinance and he would have 10 days to take it down.
The sign currently contains 1,715 postage-stamp-sized pictures of each dead soldier that Norton downloads from CNN's Web site. The number is updated whenever there is a new casualty. Above the pictures is a large bold-faced headline denoting the latest number of Americans killed in Iraq. Next to the sign is an American flag.

see http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_2812530 for more.

Until they're dead.

And good for Utah resident, and I am surprised it is a resident in Utah doing the honoring memoriam. I wanted to do something not unlike this in my own front yard, using the tiny photos from the CNN website. I'm proud to see someone else doing it, taking the time and keeping it current. I think I'll send a letter to the SLT acknowledging this citizen's efforts.

I was surprised too when I read it, in UTAH! But it really isn't a "liberal thing" but a sincere message regarding the war. Honestly I would be afraid to do it here in Texas.

Guess I'll be checking Michael Moore's website more often. Lots of intersting and disturbing things there.

which is what struck me about it and more so that it was Utah. To me that signifies hope that sincerity has a chance of overcoming this fog that has encased our country where partisan politics seems to have become more relevant, elevated than human life and dignity.

and I did send at letter to SLT. next post.

Dear Paul Rolly,

I appreciated the article 'Honoring War Dead Now a Crime' ( http://www.sltrib.com/utah/ci_2812530) about the Layton, Utah resident, Mike Norton, who has maintained an honoring memoriam for the American troops war dead in Iraq. I would like for Mike Norton to know that his efforts are understood and appreciated by a military family with 2 combat Iraq veterans facing 2nd deployments to Iraq in upcoming months.

I would like to offer encouragement to Mike Norton in his efforts to challenge the city of Layton in their decision that his memoriam violates city code. If more citizens would take the time to realize the war means death and maiming to our loved ones, perhaps the fact of that would transcend partisan politics and shift the dialogue from the simplistic support the war vs anti-war mentality. The matter is far more complex than the simplistic terms that have come to define it and the public dialogue needs to grow beyond simplistic jingoisms. I think and believe it is entirely possible to honor our troops and appreciate those who do without it becoming a partisan-related issue. Such is the respect the troops and their families deserve, and such is the sacrifices already made, being made and which will continue to be made as the troops face the incredible barriers they are charged with in carrying out their orders.

For myself, my beliefs may differ from Mike Norton's as I do not know his views, nor he mine, yet his action to remember and remind that our soldiers are at risk every day this war continues and holding in memory those we have lost in death already is the focus I'd like to see of more citizens on the homefront.

Thank you for printing the article.

(signature)

Its important for people to support this guy, especially "locals" like you in a state like Utah ... and someone whose family members who are serving the country.

Thanking them was a very nice touch.

Thank you for your sincere letter and a special "thank you" goes to your family members in the service... Honestly I hope that they won't have to go back, but if they do, I hope they return safely.


See the UTAH forum post on this subject for ways to act on this:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=181x299