Condo association tries to make cancer survivor remove pink ribbon
16 years ago, Naples, Florida resident Linda Karp successfully overcame her breast cancer diagnosis. Since then, the pink ribbon has been a symbol of great importance and meaning to her, so she displays it in the window of her home. Apparently, the homeowners association of Regent Park does not care for that, according to WFTX FOX 4 News .
Linda, who has been renting the home she lives in for the last three years, says she was told the pink ribbon violates the rules. Those rules don’t make sense to her. She told WFTX, “I'm not offending anyone. My neighbors are all supportive of breast cancer [sic]. I don't know why they’re not." On top of that, the ribbon is actually inside Ms. Karp’s home, affixed to the, “inside of [Linda’s] entryway.”
WFTX tried reaching out to Ms. Karp’s HOA for comment, but were not provided one. Instead they got a copy of their guidelines. Those guidelines read, in part, “In order to maintain an attractive community no sign advertisement, or poster shall be exhibited, displayed, inscribed, painted or affixed in, on or upon any part of the properties by an owner or occupant.” Additionally, according to a letter received by WFTX, Regent Park said they could take legal action against Linda if she doesn’t take it down. Whether it would be a savvy move for an HOA to take a cancer survivor to court over a pink ribbon is another question.
Linda doesn’t plan on backing down. She told the station, “I want them to leave me alone. It's a pink ribbon... I'm not removing it." Ms. Karp said she has reached out to Susan G. Komen, a breast cancer organization, for help.
More info: WFTX
