While I always suspected that someday, the Supreme Court would be hearing a case called “Somebody vs. Vernon,” I always sort of expected I’d be the one in front of the bench, not Dad.

My father, who is an Arizona old-school Republican,* is goin’ to court. For environmentalism. I’m so proud.

He has solar panels on his house, on the principle that if you live in Arizona, it’s a waste not to. They’re not huge–basically, they heat his pool. His homeowner’s association told him to take them down. He pointed to the law on the books saying that no homeowner’s association can prevent the putting up of solar panels. They got an attorney.

One of the many hereditary traits Dad and I share is that we are mellow, almost catatonically laid back people, but if you manage to piss us off, we have been known to get just a wee bit stubborn. Which is why Dad located the attorney who took the last case of this sort all the way to the Supreme Court, and who is willing to do it again.

So now, Dad’s in the newspaper (he was on the front page!) and his phone is ringing off the hook with other people suffering from HOAs, and he’s writing letters to the editor in wounded tones saying things like “If we’re supposed to reduce our dependance on foreign oil, what’s better than free sunshine?” and generally enjoying the heck out rousing the rabble.

It’s unlikely, of course, that this second case would actually go clear to the Supreme Court, but Dad’d do it if need be, being a believer in the principle of the thing. (The thought of 200K legal fees if he lost gave him pause, but Mavis, who’s intestinal fortitude I have praised before, said “No. They Have Annoyed Me.” This is the sort of ground where angels fear to tread.)

So I’m very proud of Dad for standin’ up for solar power. Woo!

http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/index.php?sty=61646

*This is, to my mind, the more palatable sort of Republican. Their motto is “Leave me alone. I have a gun.” I do not agree with him on many things, but I can at least respect many of the positions, unlike the neo-cons, and we meet on a few key factors, like Abu Ghraib.

Leave a Reply