“The American Family Association of Michigan condemned the Tollgate Woods subdivision for ordering the Novi homeowners to remove the figures of the Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the Three Wise Men from their lawn. The organization even offered to provide the Samonas free legal representation and to pay up to $100 a week in fines the neighborhood association was threatening to levy against the family until the Christian nativity scene was removed.”

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NOVI NEWS
Novi, Michigan
December 8, 2005

Samonas savor victory Novi family celebrates with a live nativity scene, caroling

by Ramez Khuri

It was 9 a.m. last Thursday and the Samona household was hopping with glee.
The house was packed with close relatives who just witnessed a live nativity scene in their front yard — an event that Joseph Samona called a celebration of victory.

As he sat at the kitchen table with his father, Frank, eating a hearty bowl of soup, the 16-year-old described the morning.

“We had 95.5 FM come over here, and they actually did the live nativity scene,” Samona said. “We had a lot of people come by, who we didn’t even know. My middle school principal even came by. It was an exciting day for all of us.”

It was a beautiful scene, complete with singing, Samona said.

“The police rolled by and said they did not receive any complaints,” said Samona.
“It was just a great day, and it was taken very seriously. I made sure before they came that it would not be a mockery.”

To further celebrate, a group of people organized a Christmas carol sing-a-long last Sunday evening on the Samonas front lawn.

The Samonas were celebrating a letter they received from the homeowners association that previously ordered the family to remove a nativity scene display on their front lawn. It was a letter of retraction and an apology.

The Novi family says the nativity display is something they’ve been putting up for the last three years, without hearing any complaints.

The American Family Association of Michigan condemned the Tollgate Woods subdivision for ordering the Novi homeowners to remove the figures of the Baby Jesus, Mary, Joseph and the Three Wise Men from their lawn.

The organization even offered to provide the Samonas free legal representation and to pay up to $100 a week in fines the neighborhood association was threatening to levy against the family until the Christian nativity scene was removed.

http://hometownlife.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20051208/NEWS13/512080355/1030