Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Idaho Couple Battles HOA for Right to Fly American Flag‏

We read:
"Steve and Robin’s last name may be Perfect, but their situation is anything but.

After seeing their son Sgt. Edward Nadler off to war this fall, the Hailey, Idaho couple bought an American flag to fly in support of “Eddie.” But when they got home to Copper Ranch Condominiums and placed the flag on a post they thought was their property, neighbors and condominium management told the Perfects they had remove their flag. The demands have sparked a debate over rules that directly or indirectly prevent tenants from flying flags, and now the Perfects are having to defend their right to fly an American flag on American soil.

But despite requests from the HOA, corporate management, and neighbors, the Perfects refused to move the flag. That prompted another call from the condominium’s national office on November 1.

“They said, ‘you have to take down the flag,’” Robin recalled, a command she said came with an ultimatum: either the flag moves or the Perfects will be forced out.

Robin responded to the request by quoting an e-mail she received from Idaho U.S. Senator Mike Crapo, which outlined the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005. That law says “a condominium association … may not adopt or enforce any policy … that would restrict or prevent a member of the association from displaying the flag of the United States on residential property within the association with respect to which such member has a separate ownership interest or a right to exclusive possession or use.”

“She told me she didn’t care about the letter, we had to take our flag down,” Robin said of her conversation with the representative.

That doesn’t matter to the Perfects: they say they don’t plan on taking it down any time soon. “I believe in what I’m doing,” Robin said, “and I don‘t think it’s right that anybody make anybody take down an American flag.”

Source

There's a lot of anti-Americanism in America -- and we know what side of politics it comes from. When Democrats huff and puff and say: "Are you questioning my patriotism?", the answer should be: "Sure am".

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Seems simple enough. If there is state law that permits them to display the flag, then they are within their rights and the HOA must back down. If there is a law that permits the HOA to override the state law, then the HOA is within its rights, and the Perfects must back down. I guess it will be up to the courts to decide.

-sig

Anonymous said...

Seems simple enough. They do not own the land on which they planted their flag. In most instances, condo owners only on the structure, and the grounds are either commonly owned by an association, or it is someone else's private property. Take the flag down and display it on their property, like in a window, from a balcony, or on the their door.

Stop whining and respect other's rights.

-L

Anonymous said...

It's clearly not about "anti-Americanism" - that's just paranoid!

stinky said...

"Anonymous" sure offers a lot of contradictory opinions 'round here. Must not know what he/she is talking about.

/the crusade continues. Use a handle, people!

Spurwing Plover said...

Any housing athority wanks who bar their tenants from displaying the flag deserve to be run clean out of america to a place where their ilk are appreciated like SAN FRANSTIBKHOLE

Anonymous said...

Forget the letter from the senator. Displaying the flag is a political statement, and as such, ordering them to remove it is a clear-cut violation of their First Amendment rights.

I wonder. Is this condo board, like so many others, controlled by old socialist jews from NYC?

Anonymous said...

This isn't a HOA and these people don't own the land where they planted their flag pole. How would you like it if a neighbor or some stranger started doing things on your land? These people have no right to use another's private property w/o permission. They should be free to fly the flag from their balcony, or from a window, or on the door, but they don't have any right to userp another's private property rights.

It's simple people, either you believe in your rights, or you don't. And if you don't believe in your rights, welcome to the world of tyranny and the police state.

-L