Jan 15, 2009: Fighting City Hall

[xoxoxoBruce]

Anthony Herman is fighting city hall in Polk City, Iowa. As a matter of fact he's been fighting city hall for three years, with no end in sight.

He realizes that some people tend to look askance when they see 8-inch-tall letters calling city leaders names not generally popular with the chamber of commerce.

But Herman, a car salesman now embroiled in a three-year legal battle with Polk City officials, insists he doesn't have any choice.

"This isn't what I want to be," said the owner of Mighty Good Used Cars, as well as an adjoining lube shop and a car wash. "I don't want to be the crazy person with the crazy sign out front. ... What else am I supposed to do?"

City leaders say Herman's messages have drawn complaints from some residents - mostly parents who came across them while transporting small, reading-age children - but insist that the city has no plans to try to interfere with his right to free speech.

"A lot of people are coming out of the woodwork to look at it," Heuertz said of the sign. "So tourism's not a problem ... .

I guess in Iowa, freedom is alive and well.

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