As the wife of an American Soldier, I try to refrain from making political statements or express my views among the public because I have seen how people take the view of one person and make it that of the collective. My job is to stand by my husband, despite what othrs may say or think, but sometimes it really goes too far. I found this on foxnews.com when scrolling through my daily reading. What do you think?
EAST WINDSOR, Conn. — Her son is fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan, but one Connecticut mother is waging a war of her own over her right to fly Old Glory on her front lawn.
Teresa Richard's condo association in this community north of Hartford wants an American flag and a Blue Star Mothers of America flag removed from her front lawn, along with the flagpole upon which they hang.
Richard raised the flags last year to honor her son, Cpl. Tony Donihee, now serving in Afghanistan with the Connecticut National Guard.
"If you want to fly the American flag, you should be able to fly it almost any place, any time," Warren Wenz, the chairman of the East Windsor Veterans Commission, told FOXNews.com. "If your son is in the service, what is the problem with flying an American flag and a mother's flag? I don't see why that should be a problem with anyone."
Wenz wrote a letter to the Stoughton Ridge Condominium Association last week on Richard's behalf.
Last summer, Richard received a letter from the condo manager asking her to "kindly remove" her American flag, that of the Blue Star Mothers of America and the flagpole, or face a fine, according to the Manchester Journal Inquirer.
"I don't feel like I should be subject to a fine or anything else," Richard told the Journal Inquirer last year. "It's not hurting anyone."
The condo board told her the flags would be tolerated for until Labor Day, after which she would be fined $25 a day, Richard said.
Another resident, Gene Doering, has been flying his flag on a 13-foot pole in the condominium complex for five years.
"They wrote me a letter and said they wanted me to take the flag down," Doering told FOXNews.com. "Well, I refused to take the flag down."
The former National Guardsman hired a lawyer instead and after three months of pestering, the association let him be, Doering said.
"It's kind of small for the association to waste so much time doing something like that," Doering said. "There's only 60 condominiums here; it's not like it's a huge group.
"You would think people could get along a little better," he continued. "I always say the association should have better things to do than pick on somebody that's put a flag up."
Calls to the condominium manager and the association president were not returned Tuesday.
February 6, 2007
You have got to be kidding me ...
Posted by The Teacup Cottage at 2/06/2007
Labels: Life in the Fast Lane, Military Life
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4 Tea Party Guest:
I live in South Florida and am familiar with HOA restrictions. We have a lot of bizarre ones from not being able to park your own truck on your own driveway (must be garaged) to what colors you are allowed to paint your house, how many holiday decorations you can have and on and on. We are notorious for being really strict, especially when you get into a "mature" community. One grandmother had to take in her grandchildren because their parents died in an accident and she was forced to sell her house and leave because the kids were (obviously) not over 55, so they were not allowed to live there.
The aim with the flag rule is to not have 60 people all flying different flags and have the place look like a car dealership. What if someone decided to fly the rebel flag and it offended some residents? They would have to allow it or bring all flags down.
What I have to say to all this is that those who voluntarily agree to abide by HOA rules when they purchase their home, should do so. No one put a gun to their heads and forced them to sign.
BTW, my twin sons are Marines.
Valid point, Trish. I agree that if you let one do their thing you have to let everyone and I completely agree that if you say you will abide by the rules then you should. I live on a military installation and you are greeted at the gate with a book of rules, but I didn't agree with one guy being allowed to fly the flag because he hired a lawyer, but when she put her flag up they decided to enforce the rules again. If they are going to enfore the rules, they have to enforce for everyone.
I also think that it is sad that sometimes it seems that people are given a harder time for supporting the troops than those who oppose the actions.
I commend your sons for stepping up to the task of defend America and her freedoms. It takes strong men and women to fight to protect those who oppose them.
I am glad that we live in a place where we can express our opinions freely and my husband, your sons and countless others are willing to lay down their lives to protect that.
May God keep a watchful eyes over those your love and bring them home safe from wherever their country sends them.
ok, i understand the opintsd about not moving to a community when youknwo the rules and don't liek them. but i really don't think any community should be allowed to say you can't fly the flag. we're not talking tacky pink plastic falmingoes and gigantic airfilled frosty the snowmen. we are talking abotu the friggin american flag. the whole story galls me.
I think that is sad. While there may be rules, they don't seem to be enforcing time equally. Also, sometimes you need to look a little farther than just what is written. I could see them objecting if it was a strange decorative flag (or like the pink flamingos mentioned earlier), however, the US Flag? Come on, we need to be able to support the members of our military who are giving up so much for us. Especially with everything that is going on right now. I think I saw where Donald Trump is having a similar issue with the US Flag he is flying.
Sue
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