Free speech limits tested in dispute between neighbors | www.ajc.com

Spotted Jason Getz taking pictures of my yard, first, sometime before noon.  Because of all the equipment he was carrying, exited my house just to confront him.  Told me he had been sent by AJC to take these pictures because of all the complaints. Asked him why anyone complaining would call AJC?  Well, maybe these weren't exactly complaints he answers back.  

Tried explaining my signs some to him; then he leaves. 

Later in the afternoon, Christian Boone just shows up; unannounced also.  It would have been nice someone letting me know to be expecting this interest shown my AJC. This particular day I was busy rushing around trying to get my house ready before my mother and sister arrived their visit, driving all the way from Arkansas. 

Same thing happens the next day with FoxNews Channel 5.  My sister and I arrived home late afternoon from an excursion checking out estate sales, finding Jason Gray and his camera woman waiting for us.  

These signs had already been up two through three weeks.  Find it curious, this interest suddenly shown by two different media franchise back to back...

and none since.

Then find out couple of weeks later, made it into Project Q, a gay forum.  And they didn't even offer me the courtesy/chance telling my side of the story. 

Free speech limits tested in dispute between neighbors | www.ajc.com: “We as a neighborhood need your assistance in protecting our property values, integrity of our personal beliefs and safety of the families in the neighborhood,” Rasulina said in his letter urging Ellis to intervene.

***

I love it!  I love it! I love it!

Charles Bliss's Iranian Uranium Enrichment Concubine, Bobby Rasulina just doesn't know when to quit.

Although extremely disappointed with the interview and the way the article was written, told my mother and sister as we read the comments together...
not be be upset by them.

Pointed out to them,
the article starts off with me claiming to be a Progressive.  Right there we have half of America automatically turned off to anything I have to say and automatically saying the same things we are reading here now.

At least I'm able,
also,
 using the comments section correcting any shortcoming.

Not a total loss.

Posted by SimplyJim
at 11:41 p.m. Oct. 24, 2012

I'm the guy the article's about. I want to point out that Bobby Rasulina does not even own the property next to mine. He is Charles Bliss's (the guy with all the money) "Iranian Uranium Enrichment Concubine". Bobby is what we in he gay community refer to as "kept". About 6-8 years ago, Charles Bliss purchased the lot which is located in unincorporated Dekalb County, never been cultivated until they moved next door planting an ultra green high maintenance lawn. Before even moving in, they cut down 24 trees violating county green laws (which allow only 5 trees per year) much to the dismay and many complaints of current residents of the neighborhood. Charles Bliss, 20 years older than his partner Bobby, is afraid of trees. Claims he almost died because of one.The reason the county most likely looked the other way, despite all the complaints, probably has to do with the fact they did raise our property values which translate into increase revenue for the county. This article is way too brief to really get to the heart/meaning of my signs. All signs tie directly to the center sign which is about TRAGIC VISION OF HUMANKIND. As Bobby made himself spoke-sissy for their property, will speak for that sign directed at them. Bobby thinks his old man has the right to do what he wants with his lot because:

"IT"S CHARLIE'S MONEY AND HE CAN SPEND IT ANYWAY HE WANTS," 
said Bobby the first day I met him.

Well, I suppose the Iranians can say the same thing about their Uranium Enrichment Program:

"IT'S THEIR MONEY AND THEY CAN SPEND IT HOWEVER THEY WANT."

My question to all the dumb CONSERVATIVES who read this article:

"HOW DOES ONE BE A GOOD LITTLE PROGRESSIVE WITHOUT BEING CONFRONTATIONAL?"

"CONFRONT". "CONFRONTATIONAL." "CONFRONT." "CONFRONTATIONAL." That's not a dirty word either...and I take pride in that.

***

My point....
if green laws always lose out to property value; where does that leave us in the long run?

The purpose of all those signs nailed to all those trees of mine was primarily an attempt embarrassing DeKalb County into admitting willful accessory to Mr. Charles W. Bliss crime of violating DeKalb County's own GREEN LAWS.

How DeKalb County had no right being completely dismissive not just my two complaints called in to the county, but the complaints of many other residents of this neighborhood, over Mr. Bliss's intention removing just about every trees from his newly acquired property in our neighborhood.  We're not talking about a yard with a lot of trees here.  We're talking about a yard who's tree were part of this neighborhood's forest/wildlife appeal.

Media attention was exactly what I was aiming for with my attempt trying to make these sign as inflammatory and unsightly as possible just to provoke people into calling in these complaints; yet not inflammatory at the same time.

Not a single one of those signs came anywhere near being as inflammatory as the signs used by Rev. Phelps and members of his Westboro Kansas Church during their protest of funeral gay men who have died of A.I.D.S. and the funerals of soldiers who have died fighting our wars halfway around the world; so far removed from the daily concerns of your average American citizen, you almost wouldn't know we were still at war.  And let's not forget, eight out of our nine Supreme Court justices upheld  Rev. Phelps and his church rights protesting with these signs; even their use of the word "FAG."

Well I got the media attention I was wanting and it was a disaster. 

Then again, it wasn't.

Being the progressive I am who is learning what works and what doesn't work by being confrontational, I am able finding a way learning from this experience and prepared doing better next time.

First disaster:
"The self-described "gay, progressive Razorback".  Do not remember why I even mentioned my first three years at University of Arkansas.  As a veterinarian, I'm actually an LSU-SVM alumni.  This would actually make me a Tiger.

What this should have been, "I'm a progressive who just happens to be gay.  I'm a progressive who just happens to be an atheist.  I'm a progressive who just happens to be a handicap with a hearing impairment.  I a progressive who just happens to be many things.  But, it's not my progressive activism on these issues I'm wanting to believes defines me as a progressive.  It's my progressive activism on issues I personally have nothing to gain from I wanting to believe defines me a progressive.  Women's Rights.  Minority's Rights.  Environmental Issues.  Universal Health Care Insurance.  etc." 

I even told this reporter about the crystal meths addiction I was trying to get myself off.

Second disaster:
"And Avery, who accuses the county of selectively enforcing codes, said he's eager to fight."
Not realizing until cutting me short, Mr. Boone was in a hurry getting back needing to write this article in time meeting this very same afternoon's deadline.  Nor did he inform me of the nature of any of the complaints he was already planning on including in this article; enabling me a chance presenting a more precise counterpoint.
  
Had I known up front just how limited the allotted time I had telling my side of the story, would have made a big difference how and what I chose to talk about. In the future, these reporters really should let us know/volunteer this information up front without us having to ask.  Just make sense for a balance journalism.

But I did stress the excessive removal of trees from this property next to mine being my number one priority. Had I known Bobby Rasulnia was going to feature prominently in this article, could have argued, "What happened to my rights, this being my property and I can spend my money however I want, too?"

Third disaster:
Outright sloppy journalism.  "Stuffed reindeer" instead of sock monkeys hanging from a "black cross."  NO mention of the words TRAGIC VISION OF HUMANKIND. " Accusatory signs targeting Vice President Dick Cheney  to "Hitlery" Clinton to the retired couple who once lived across the street."  First of all, we didn't even talk about these other signs.  And it was Mary Cheney's name on one of these signs, not Dick Cheney's name.  Also, "Hitlery" Clinton was me making fun of the Republican perspective.  My association of Hilliary Clinton was with John the Baptist. 

 Forth disaster:
Not realizing the extent "TRAGIC (as apposed to balanced) VISION OF HUMANKIND" turning out to be case. 

From everything I've seen, it's guaranteed.

And it going to happen far sooner than people are wanting to believe; and finding it reasonable this could happen even within my generation's lifetime.