WWII Vet in Virginia battles homeowners group over flag issue

[Modbert]

He was stupid enough to live in an HOA run neighborhood. He can pay the price of his liberty to make that decision?
Or is ne not responsible for his decisions?

He's 90 years old, you think it's easy for him to move to a new home? Never mind have to deal with a bunch of assholes who are being a bunch of Nazis. He already fought them once, he doesn't need to fight them again.

This is the United States of America, not the HOA of America. He is responsible for his decisions as he has shown throughout his life.

The HOA should at least grant him a exception considering what he is asking for isn't much. He takes care of the flag on a daily basis. What they're pissed off about is somebody's not going lock and step with them.

This is a case of a group trying to take a man's civil liberties away. And in this case, he doesn't have to fight. Because many others will stand up and defend him. I know I will here.

 

[Gatekeeper]

This incident, and those like this, cannot be allowed to continue in the USA.
This is OUR country, belongs to all citizens, and one would think that most of the citizens here that consider it THEIR country would have enough pride in it to display it's flag.

Part of this 'crap' is a result of Political Correctness 'Bullchit' combined with others who just plain hate the USA and it's people.

The Political Correct crap that screams "We cannot OFFEND anyone" has gone too far and is total Bull! If you don't like the American Flag, move the hell to another country!

We, the patriotic citizens of this country, must fight to preserve our basic freedoms and stop these anti-American 'bastads from telling the rest of us how to show pride in our land.

If we as CITIZENS cannot display OUR flag, the symbol of the United States of America, anywhere, anytime, then we have lost the country to our enemies, and those who are here to divide and destroy the nation.

 

[JakeStarkey]

gatekeeper, your immorality of stubborness is wearying.

We are talking not about a conspiracy in the HOA executive committee, but rather a type of mean-spiritedness that we find in any community worldwide. Someone wants something done or not done, and has the power to impose on someone else.

That type of mean-spiritedness fills your comment.

 

[namvet]

gatekeeper, your immorality of stubborness is wearying.

We are talking not about a conspiracy in the HOA executive committee, but rather a type of mean-spiritedness that we find in any community worldwide. Someone wants something done or not done, and has the power to impose on someone else.

That type of mean-spiritedness fills your comment.

why do I always get PM's claiming your the board clown huh ???

 

[Navy1960]

Here is a different approach on this, here you have a man who served his nation above and beyond the call of duty in World War 2 and as a partcipant in the War and a direct contributor to its outcome had it not been successful the HOA would never exist. As a Medal of Honor of winner he should be accored all the privledges and and honor that go along with that, and as such the HOA in this situation bring dishonor upon themselves and this hero that served his nation so honorably by the mere suggestion that he remove the flag. In fact every member of that HOA should be knocking on that mans door thanking him daily. The reason for this I suspect is a complete lack of understanding on the part of some HOA member who has little knowledge or understanding of the very nation in which they have been given the privledge in the first place by this man sacrifice to make the moronic suggestion he remove his flag.

 

[uscitizen]

This is a case of a group trying to take a man's civil liberties away.
//

HUH? He lives in a deed restricted HOA community. I am assuming he chose to live there with all the restrictions. Am I wrong? Did someone force him to live there?

By choosing to live there he voluntarially gave up some of his liberties for security and increased property values, etc....

I will never live in a deed restricted community.
I choose to keep all the liberties that I possibly can.

The guy is a vet and fought for our liberties and then voluntarially gave up some of his to live in a certain community?

 

[Claudette]

YOu bet your ass this guy should be able to put anything he wants on his lawn and fuck anyone who disagrees!!! He's served in three wars. Numerous medals, one of which is The Medal of Honor. Guys a national treasure. The Homewoners association are a bunch of assholes. Nough said.

 

[uscitizen]

What happened to personal responsibility for ones actions?

 

[bodecea]

WWII vet in Virginia battles homeowners group over flag issue | delmarvanow.com | The Daily Times

RICHMOND — A 90-year-old Army veteran who won the Medal of Honor during World War II is battling his neighborhood association for what he says is his right to fly the American flag from a pole in his front yard.

Col. Van T. Barfoot says he erected the 21-foot flagpole in September, raising the flag daily at sunrise and retiring it at sunset.

The Sussex Square homeowners’ association told him recently that the free-standing pole violates the townhouse neighborhood’s aesthetic guidelines and ordered him to remove it by 5 p.m. Friday or face a lawsuit.

“I don’t have any qualms with their authority, but the thing about it is that I cannot get enough conversation out of them where we can try to work out a solution,” Barfoot said Wednesday in a telephone interview.

Barfoot, who moved into his townhouse in June, won his medal for actions near Carano, Italy, in 1944 and is one of about 90 surviving Medal of Honor winners. He also won the Purple Heart and other decorations, and served in Korea and Vietnam before retiring from the service in 1974.

“I’ve flown the flag at my home as long as I can remember,” said Barfoot, who lived in rural Amelia County before moving to suburban Richmond. “This is the first time in the last 36 years that I’ve been unable to put my flag up on the same pole, the same staff and take it down when it’s time to come down.”

Fuck the Sussex Square homeowners’ association. The guy served in WWII, Korea, and Vietnam with over thirty years of service. Plus, winning several awards including the Purple Heart AND The Medal of Honor.

As far as I'm concerned, he can put whatever he wants on his lawn and I hope the Judge fines these people for coming to court for wasting his time with such a lawsuit.

Thoughts?

Everyone is giving a copy of the CC & R's when they move into a complex/ development. Is there a reason he cannot a) read them? b) abide by them, c) work within the system to change them?

I honor him beyond words over being a CMoH recipient.....but that doesn't allow a person to break rules just because they are a Medal of Honor awardee.

 

[bodecea]

I feel for him but HOA's have rules. and it was probably in rules and regs

HOA's rules go far often.

That's when you get on the Board and work to change them.

 

[bodecea]

HOAs have rules and etc in the leases, yes. However, why will the HOA not make an exception? The executive committe probably has the administrative authority to do so, and yet has not. There must be more to the story than what is being told.

If an HOA makes one exception, the next person will point fingers at it and cry favoritism if they don't get an exception too.

 

[Navy1960]

If the man had time and in plain view to install, and put in place a flag pole, and then on a daily basis raise and lower the flag, first there is no favoritism involved here and second after having it in place the HOA is just now getting around to noticing? Perhaps its more likely that a neighbor of this man does not like the specter of an American flag flying near their home and likely complained to the HOA. Regardless, I urge you all to go out and try to find as many people in your area as you can that are Medal of Honor winners , you may find it's a very rare person, so yes, give them the favoritism.

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed on a member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself "conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while engaged in an action against an enemy of the United States."[1] Because of the nature of its criteria, the medal is often awarded posthumously.
Medal of Honor - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Most of the mans peers that have this medal as you can see never recieved it in person. So the HOA I suspect won't win any legal action against this man, so it's perhaps best they continue to let him fly the flag as he should rightly be allowed to do.

 

[JakeStarkey]

HOAs have rules and etc in the leases, yes. However, why will the HOA not make an exception? The executive committe probably has the administrative authority to do so, and yet has not. There must be more to the story than what is being told.

If an HOA makes one exception, the next person will point fingers at it and cry favoritism if they don't get an exception too.

So what?

 

[bodecea]

HOAs have rules and etc in the leases, yes. However, why will the HOA not make an exception? The executive committe probably has the administrative authority to do so, and yet has not. There must be more to the story than what is being told.

If an HOA makes one exception, the next person will point fingers at it and cry favoritism if they don't get an exception too.

So what?

Lawsuits. Again, is a person allowed to not follow laws/rules they themselves agreed to by moving to that neighborhood just because they are a CMoH recipient? What else are they allowed to do that others are not allowed to? Is that one of the perks for being a MoH recipient? Tell me, because I've not heard of that one.

 

[uscitizen]

Ahh the party of personal responsibility. How refreshing.

 

[Xenophon]

Can't have a flag, that will certainly drive down home values...

Morons.

 

[uscitizen]

Can't have a flag, that will certainly drive down home values...

Morons.

I agree the HOA lovers are morons. But that is beside the point in this case.
The vet bought the house there and I am sure was presented with the restrictions.
He should abide by the results of his decisions.

 

[Sunni Man]

Any soldier who has been awarded the CMH should be able to paint his home red with blue and white trim with no questions asked..

And anyone who doesn't like it can just STFU

 

[bodecea]

Can't have a flag, that will certainly drive down home values...

Morons.

Actually, if you read, it's not the flag, it's the flag pole.

 

[bodecea]

Any soldier who has been awarded the CMH should be able to paint his home red with blue and white trim with no questions asked..

And anyone who doesn't like it can just STFU

See? Now, if someone can just show us that that applies, we won't have a problem.