This makes me ANGRY!!!!!!!

Understand where you're coming from. Not much is sacred anymore...anywho...

However, can't/won't sign on to your sentiment about a person flying the flag of whatever country he/she fought for 'cuz I can definitely picture some chucklehead flyin' a Nazi Germany flag if they thought they had license to do it. I'd have immediate issues with that and I'm not Jewish. Personally, the confederate flag chafes my hide, but that's a whole other topic for a whole other forum...

Now that you're down off your soapbox, there's a designated place for these threads. Check out "Your bloody soapbox" down at the bottom of the list...carry on...

tonyzackery said:

Understand where you're coming from. Not much is sacred anymore...anywho...

However, can't/won't sign on to your sentiment about a person flying the flag of whatever country he/she fought for 'cuz I can definitely picture some chucklehead flyin' a Nazi Germany flag if they thought they had license to do it. I'd have immediate issues with that and I'm not Jewish. Personally, the confederate flag chafes my hide, but that's a whole other topic for a whole other forum...

Now that you're down off your soapbox, there's a designated place for these threads. Check out "Your bloody soapbox" down at the bottom of the list...carry on...

thats a great point, I never thought of the Nazi flag or something similar. I didnt realize there was a specific place for threads such as this. I will need to edit my original post.

ATTN MODS-ANY CHANCE OF MOVING THIS TO THE "YOUR BLOODY SOAPBOX" THREAD?

The HOA doesn't have an issue with the flag. As they say, others in the community fly flags, but with aesthetics approved by the HOA. I don't see anything wrong with their position. He should have read the HOA rules before moving into said HOA. The typical process with a thing like this is to go to the board and ask for approval. There's a process outlined for each HOA. He made the choice to live there.

If the veteran wins, then by all rights he should have no complaint about a neighbor erecting a 100 foot aerial and flying a 20 foot long Nazi flag (given his veteran status, I guess a Nazi flag would be the polar opposite of an American flag.). I know my HOA won't allow me to erect a flagpole, so I'm not going to raise stink about not being able to fly a flag on a flagpole.

Again, it's a flagpole issue, not a flag issue, and not a patriotism issue.

hmm that is an interesting point towards this situation. I never looked at it that way, but your point does make sense.

bianchi10 said:

ATTN MODS-ANY CHANCE OF MOVING THIS TO THE "YOUR BLOODY SOAPBOX" THREAD?

Done.

I couldn't care less what anyone thinks of the positives of HOA's -- they need to be outlawed. NO ONE has the right, or should DELEGATED the right, to tell you what you can and cannot do on your own property -- safety and health issues, and crime, excepted.

Where I live, they purport to have an HOA within my neighborhood; never been to a meeting, not about to. If they want to try to lay down a bunch of rules about how houses are 'allowed' to look, I will carve a giant middle finger in the half-dead tree by my driveway, just for them.

Well, heck, if the idea of an HOA makes you so angry, don't live in one. What? You do? Oh well. I guess you should have looked harder for a home elsewhere or got a better understanding of what an HOA entails.

If you think they should be illegal, then start a campaign for legislation to do that. Again, simple.

alienator said:

The HOA doesn't have an issue with the flag. As they say, others in the community fly flags, but with aesthetics approved by the HOA. I don't see anything wrong with their position. He should have read the HOA rules before moving into said HOA. The typical process with a thing like this is to go to the board and ask for approval. There's a process outlined for each HOA. He made the choice to live there.

If the veteran wins, then by all rights he should have no complaint about a neighbor erecting a 100 foot aerial and flying a 20 foot long Nazi flag (given his veteran status, I guess a Nazi flag would be the polar opposite of an American flag.). I know my HOA won't allow me to erect a flagpole, so I'm not going to raise stink about not being able to fly a flag on a flagpole.

Again, it's a flagpole issue, not a flag issue, and not a patriotism issue.

It's a flag issue, pretty simple. He lives in The United States of America, and that's the flag he wants to fly, not the Mexican flag, or German flag, or even the flag of treason (confederate flag). It's pretty obvious that the homeowner's association feels threatened by him wanting to put up the flag of our country, which they no doubt have not served, as it is possibly a reminder to them of what they take for granted without supporting. HOA rules ? Do I expect an 80 year old man to read that tripe and then think for one second that they are saying he can't fly the American flag properly ? NO.
What should happen? The homeowner's association should erect a 90' flagpole in a prominent area, purchase a garrison flag, and require the president of the HOA to raise and lower the flag every day while the old gentleman salutes as is fitting. Or maybe they could just get out of my country.

lostinsk said:

It's a flag issue, pretty simple. He lives in The United States of America, and that's the flag he wants to fly, not the Mexican flag, or German flag, or even the flag of treason (confederate flag). It's pretty obvious that the homeowner's association feels threatened by him wanting to put up the flag of our country, which they no doubt have not served, as it is possibly a reminder to them of what they take for granted without supporting. HOA rules ? Do I expect an 80 year old man to read that tripe and then think for one second that they are saying he can't fly the American flag properly ? NO.
What should happen? The homeowner's association should erect a 90' flagpole in a prominent area, purchase a garrison flag, and require the president of the HOA to raise and lower the flag every day while the old gentleman salutes as is fitting. Or maybe they could just get out of my country.

No it's not. You apparently didn't read the article. He's allowed to fly a flag, just not on a flagpole.

You show little respect for 80 year old people, and obviously know nothing of their abilities. They're a lot more intelligent and capable than you give them credit for. Your slight of them is noted.

You're turning this into some bull$h1t patriotic statement, which the issue is not. Moreover, the idea that the HOA and/or his neighbors feel threatened by a flag is stupid on its face, especially since the story noted there are others who display their flags.

Besides, the man could have chosen to live elsewhere. No one is forced to live in an HOA. Ignorance or rules is no excuse.

Do you think the tough guy attitude really works for you?

Once again and still, the HOA is threatened by this "Veteran" and his insistance upon flying the flag properly (not hanging on the side of an apartment).
Do I propose that someone who is 80 cannot understand the rules ? NO. But, most people of that generation would not understand that there isn't an automatic exception to the flag of our country.
Yes, I read the article , and it is shameful that the homeowners association considers a flag pole an eyesore when it is displaying our flag.
I could actually understand thier objections if he was flying the MIA flag/USMC flag/Army flag/Navy flag etc.... as these denote particular preferences and affiliations that not all Americans have.
I am also a strong believer in not living in HOA nieghborhoods, that's why I don't live in one. It does seem as though he lost that choice recently with his move to the 'burbs.
Tough guy stance ? I've got my DD214 and I don't need to justify my patriotism.

Oh my gosh! You've got your DD214. That's awesome! I could only dream of that, but I do have HepC strain 342 after having non-consensual sex with a soldier who didn't have a DD214 but instead had a DD203 and a DD11. I figured those together were just as good. That soldier liked to display the flag around his waist in the fashion of Speedo swim trunks, but his HOA wouldn't let him take walks in the neighborhood wearing the flag as such, but they compromised and allowed him to instead fashion the flag into a smart looking vest and a pair of coulottes. Now he gets to lead the HOA's July 4 parade, wearing his vest and gauchos, accessorized with pink leg warmers, his army boots, and big hoop earrings.

alienator said:

The HOA doesn't have an issue with the flag. As they say, others in the community fly flags, but with aesthetics approved by the HOA. I don't see anything wrong with their position. He should have read the HOA rules before moving into said HOA. The typical process with a thing like this is to go to the board and ask for approval. There's a process outlined for each HOA. He made the choice to live there.

If the veteran wins, then by all rights he should have no complaint about a neighbor erecting a 100 foot aerial and flying a 20 foot long Nazi flag (given his veteran status, I guess a Nazi flag would be the polar opposite of an American flag.). I know my HOA won't allow me to erect a flagpole, so I'm not going to raise stink about not being able to fly a flag on a flagpole.

Again, it's a flagpole issue, not a flag issue, and not a patriotism issue.

Exactly, it was the flag pole the HOA said must be removed.

And, he did submit a request to the HOA for approval to have the 21 foot tall flag pole......and it was denied by the HOA.

He put it in anyway.....

I don't feel bad for him, HOAs are there to make neighborhoods look nice, among other things. The same HOA that denied the request for the 21' flag pole would be the same HOA that would deny someone who wanted to paint their house orange, or someone who wanted to use the street as permanent parking for a large RV, or put up a tall mast for CB or HAM radio.

64Paramount said:

Exactly, it was the flag pole the HOA said must be removed.

And, he did submit a request to the HOA for approval to have the 21 foot tall flag pole......and it was denied by the HOA.

He put it in anyway.....

I don't feel bad for him, HOAs are there to make neighborhoods look nice, among other things. The same HOA that denied the request for the 21' flag pole would be the same HOA that would deny someone who wanted to paint their house orange, or someone who wanted to use the street as permanent parking for a large RV, or put up a tall mast for CB or HAM radio.

I'm glad that I don't live in a neighborhood that has a HOA. This neighborhood came into existence before HOA's became popular. And no, we don't have any houses that are painted orange or any other odd color, there are no RV's parked long term on the street (Municipal Ordinance), there is a HAM Radio mast but it is not an eyesore. And there are plenty of flag poles that proudly display the flag of the USA. No Confederate flags, no Nazi flags. Sometimes an MIA Flag with the Stars & Stripes. Oh, and for Alienator....no old cars on blocks in the yard....Municipal Ordinance again. Sometimes chickens though.

kdelong said:

I'm glad that I don't live in a neighborhood that has a HOA. This neighborhood came into existence before HOA's became popular. And no, we don't have any houses that are painted orange or any other odd color, there are no RV's parked long term on the street (Municipal Ordinance), there is a HAM Radio mast but it is not an eyesore. And there are plenty of flag poles that proudly display the flag of the USA. No Confederate flags, no Nazi flags. Sometimes an MIA Flag with the Stars & Stripes. Oh, and for Alienator....no old cars on blocks in the yard....Municipal Ordinance again. Sometimes chickens though.

Old cars on cement blocks.....one of the things I don't miss about Ohio. It's really easy to avoid living in an HOA: don't buy a house in one.

Maybe if the flagpole isn't that tall they might have let him.

The flagpole is not forbidden because of what it is, it's because of where it is, on community property. And tt's not in his own yard because he doesn't have one. This is a condominium development.

As much as I like seeing American flags floating in the breeze, and flying the flag in front of my own house on patriotic holidays, I can accept the HOA's position against private erections on community property.

Just noticed the source of the story. Leave it to Fox News to misconstrue facts to get people all pissy for their political agenda.

oldbobcat said:

...private erections...

Whooooa! The HOA has no business trying to restrict what a man does with his tackle. That's why they're called "private erections." Now, if he'd been publicly displaying erections, then they would have something actionable, as would the police.

alienator said:

Whooooa!

Was waiting for that. It was just a matter of how long.

He can keep can keep his 21-foot flagpole in his front yard after a homeowner's association dropped its request to remove it..
Senator: Va. medal winner can keep his flagpole - Yahoo! News