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That any single person would spend all that time and money to make so many people happy!
Though the public can see the display for free, the Apruzzis have used the opportunity to raise more than $20,000 in donations for such good causes as Home for Our Troops and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
HOW SELFISH!
BTW, there's legal precedent for this. There was a similar lawsuit and the homeowner won.
Thanks for bringing some more facts into the case -- and good for the Apruzzis if that is true!!
(Btw, the only reason I wrote "if" is because I have been 'burned' before when I just took a poster's word for something. I do tend to be gullible, unfortunately.)
You grew up in Chicago. Do you remember Candy Cane Lane?
I believe anyone buying into that neighborhood was warned about the Christmas tradition of entire blocks decorating for the holiday and of the traffic and congestion that came with it, so they would know in advance and decide if they wanted to join in, or even if they didn't, at least they couldn't say they didn't know it was coming.
The people around this guy were never given any such choice.
I grew up in Chicago and remember it. We went a couple of times.
The only house I really remember of all the times I've looked at holiday lights was a home in Sauganash where the tree was in the living room, the second floor and right through the roof of the home.
Libertyville has a few blocks that are nicely lit where every home puts a lot of lights out. I prefer that to the carnivals that are out there.
That any single person would spend all that time and money to make so many people happy!
Though the public can see the display for free, the Apruzzis have used the opportunity to raise more than $20,000 in donations for such good causes as Home for Our Troops and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
HOW SELFISH!
BTW, there's legal precedent for this. There was a similar lawsuit and the homeowner won.
As long as the Apruzzi's do not disturb the peace and turn off the display by 9 pm they should be safe, legally.
They do not turn off by 9, and clearly the neighbors feel that their peace is being disturbed. I bet you would, too, in a similar situation.
I love Christmas. I love Christmas decorations. I do not love strobe lights, loud music late into the night, or the traffic of a small amusement park in a residential neighborhood.
As for the $20,000, bully for them. They have spent over $100,000 on their display. For a fraction of that cost, they could have put up a pretty, tasteful display that the neighbors could enjoy, rather than dread, and donated the rest to charity.
As long as the Apruzzi's do not disturb the peace and turn off the display by 9 pm they should be safe, legally.
Some of the best memories I have is going with my mom for drives through the foothill areas of the city where those people really did Christmas in a big way. There were areas that would have entire streets competing, beat the Jones, for the most garish light shows - and it was wonderful!
This display is on 6-10. The synchonisedd music is audible inside neighbors’ homes for the entire month. Spectators clog the streets, park on both sides of the street, park in people’s driveways, block driveways, leave garbage and so on. The municipality deploys officers to enforce parking and manage the crowds.
It’s one thing when neighbors get into the competition. This is a one off display.
A New Jersey resident has been threatened by the town of Old Bridge with $2000 fine per night for “public safety” over his famous massive Christmas light display in his own private house he had been doing for 15 years bringing joy and happiness for people coming from near and far. He never had any issues before until recently this year after a new Jewish neighbor moved in and complained. Of course this resident already paying enormous property taxes in NJ, now the mayor and town officials are asking him to pay to display this. Say goodbye to First Amendment right where people cannot express their freedom of belief unless they pay the town for it. Thankfully he hired a lawyer and I truly hope town officials will now pay him fine for this ridiculous thing!
OP, nowhere in the article or the video does it mention that it was a Jewish neighbor that complained. What gave you that idea?
Quote:
Originally Posted by ipaper
I'm thinking the same thing, I don't see how this is a war on Christmas. Look like town officials is just using the situation to squeeze more money out of these people. More to do with greed than anything else.
Quote:
Originally Posted by AnesthesiaMD
The OP made it up. That’s his typical MO.
Then when called on it, he will say something like “I know someone in the town who knows the complainer.” Or some other unverifiable source.
He just likes creating religious controversy. It doesn’t matter to him if it is real or not.
As long as he gets to play the Christian victim, oppressed by the Jews, or muslims, or atheists, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Catgirl64
Read the OP's other posts. Any time someone does something he doesn't like, it's because they're Jewish, Muslim, atheist, or some other variety of non-Christian.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ringo1
Absolutely. There is NOTHING about that display that screams 'birth of Jesus".
Quote:
Originally Posted by EveryLady
This appears to be a bit of creative story telling by the OP. For the heck of it I googled but did not find any cite that mentioned a "Jewish neighbor" who moved in. Instead, Abruzzi says "The neighbors that have been complaining are the same neighbors that have been complaining the past four years."
We live close to a massive display that is far larger than Apruzzi's and I must say more tastefully done. It's run by some sort of religious group on the grounds (largish but still set in the middle of a neighborhood) of the home owned by the religious leader. Church members begin in October to build the display; they also provide security, who I assume are also church members. Without security, cars double and triple park out into the road with pedestrians interweaving among them. Some try to view the show from their cars as they drive slowly along the property - another clear danger to pedestrians.
The Apruzzi situation? Apruzzi doesn't just set up the lights but runs light shows that attract up to 1,000 people a night for which he collects donations that he later uses to help support a couple of charities. Clearly, he needs to do something.
In the past, auxiliary police officers patrolled for free but crowds continue to grow. There's only a narrow 24-foot road. "Attendees parked on both sides of the road and walked in the middle, creating unsafe conditions, Township Administrator Himanshu Shah said." It is dark. Last year, the city only allowed parking on one side of the road but that "met with limited success" with complaints from the neighborhood continuing.
This really is about who pays for crowd management. Apruzzi could arrange to lease a nearby parking lot then bus viewers in but that will lead to added costs that the City suggest Apruzzi is inflating. The City will protect the public as needed but this leads to overtime costs. The fee for these costs which it would pass on to Apuzzi include moveable light posts to light the street and the fuel to power them.
What's Apruzzi have to say about all this? "We're not gonna listen to what the police have to say," he said. "It is my First Amendment rights, it has to do with my religion." https://www.nj.com/middlesex/index.s...t_down_ol.html
I grew up in Chicago and remember it. We went a couple of times.
The only house I really remember of all the times I've looked at holiday lights was a home in Sauganash where the tree was in the living room, the second floor and right through the roof of the home.
Libertyville has a few blocks that are nicely lit where every home puts a lot of lights out. I prefer that to the carnivals that are out there.
One of my neighbors has a “ through the roof” Christmas tree display. Love it. No LEDs. No synchronized music blaring from outdoor speakers blasting Mariah Cary for 4-6 hours a night. Timeless and tasteful.
Wow many people picking on me and harrasing... not surprised because Christians have been harassed and persecuted for the past 2000 years and Jesus Christ mentioned it that we will be hated and persecuted because of our faith.
I’ve heard on the TV news it was a Jewish neighbor who complained and I also know some people in the town who said the same and I’m not surprised at all. It’s very typical that Jewish and atheist individuals or organizations who always sue and are against anything Christian not only in the public square but now also in people’s own private lot. Very saddening.
I just wouldnt pay a dime towards this. I would explain that I already pay taxes for police services, if that amount is not enough, they cannot just charge the people more money, that needs to go thru the state, and they need to request more money for police.
You think it appropriate the state give this municipality more funds for police OT so this one guy can create a spectacle that obviously annoys his close bye neighbors. Perhaps you might feel differently if the quiet enjoyment of your own residence was disturbed by your neighbor’s outdoor PA System blaring Mariah Carey 4-5 hours a night. How might you react to spectators parking in or blocking your driveway?
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