The "ban" on "for sale" signs shouldn't be lifted because the real estate market is soft. [It's time to start rethinking For Sale signs, Viewpoints, March 19]
Rather, it should be lifted because such a ban is clearly unconstitutional. The U.S. Supreme Court decided that over 30 years ago, in the 1977 case of Linmark Associates, Inc. v. Willingboro (Thurgood Marshall wrote the opinion).
There is no "smug liberal" exception to the First Amendment, so it's time for the ban to go. It can either go peacefully, or it can go when a homeseller sues the village (and the local Realtors who have conspired with the village to make sure the ban stays in effect). When that happens, and the village loses, Oak Park is going to have even more problems than it already does.
Joel Schoenmeyer
Submitted to WednesdayJournalOnline.com
Editor's note: See Ken Trainor's column today for a clarification on the village's For Sale sign ban.
