Florida Veteran May Lose Home For Displaying American Flag

If there's a state law that says he can display the flag - aside from it being his right to display it - then he can't lose his house.

If this neighborhood association continues with their complaint, surely court action would be small fries in the shadow of public anger and action against them...

All the local supporters would have to do is remind them in no uncertain terms which country they live in and remind them the force of people exercising their rights can sometimes appear to be...threatening...

What I want to know is who in the hell would have the balls to even make a rule that says you can't display an American flag on American soil? They should be stripped of their citizenship for even suggesting it.

originally posted by: Bone75
What I want to know is who in the hell would have the balls to even make a rule that says you can't display an American flag on American soil? They should be stripped of their citizenship for even suggesting it.

There is exactly the reason 'consortiums' can get away
with it, by making the cost of a legal challenge not an
option.
Another good reason democracy usually can't work; because
most times the majority are even morally on the short side.

Good idea though... and a cool sign at the gate--
"This housing consortium has summarily rejected the rule of
law and the revised statutes of this State: and as a consequence
waive all civil rights in favor of local rules."

"Here come the MRAVs. Hey who called them in??"
"You did."

I've never had direct dealings with an HOA and never intend to do so. However, some friends of mine bought a house in a subdivision that includes an HOA. However, they were not told of the HOA until they were closing the deal. Even then, it was merely mentioned in passing, "Oh, by the way, here's the material about your Home Owner's Association if you're interested." They thought nothing of it since they had no intention of allowing their property to become derelict since they were only planning to be there a couple of years. Less than two months after moving in they were informed by a letter that they would be fined if their backyard fence was not painted within 30 days. They were shocked because they had inspected the fence and found no peeling or signs of disrepair. The paint on the fence had faded to a lighter shade than the siding on their house but since it wasn't unsightly they had decided to put off painting it until after winter had done its worst.
That's when my friends found out that their HOA is run by Nazis. (Since that time, from what I've heard from others on the subject, that's true all over the US.) When my friend went to the Association president he was told that the fence was the wrong shade and would have to be upgraded to the Correct Shade of the Correct Color----all according to their interpretation of "Correct."
When I hear stories like these, I am truly glad to live in the midst of a few hundred acres of farmland, in a community where they don't care if you cut your grass or not and don't mind if you have a strawberry patch along the front sidewalk; where the mail carrier is thankful when you plant a grape tomato plant next to the unpainted mailbox and tell him to help himself when they get ripe....and nobody says a word of criticism when you fly your Bob Marley Freedom flag!
In my opinion, it takes a very small mind and control-freak brain to even think up these silly rules.

HOA's are f****ing nuts! If buying, I will never even consider a property in one of those Gestapo camps- absolutely ridiculous that ANYONE buys a home in one of those. I have no idea how they got so much power but these things need to be disbanded. We do have a neighbor here that moved in a couple years ago that's constantly trying to get everyone in trouble (we are outside of city limits). It goes both ways, she knew the neighborhood when she moved in, don't try to shove your version of what ' looks right' down everyone else's throats- BAh!!! One example- she actually bitched out my uncle because our culvert was bent, not bad just one edge slightly bent right? She said it was messing up the water on her place, which it was doing no such thing, water flow was just fine going down the ditch where its supposed to be-- mind you, she lives 5 lots down, UPHILL! *and* past a creek of us!! Nutjob!
I can't imagine the courts not siding with the homeowner over a freakin American flag in a flowerpot. Where is the outrage?!

... and here is what appears to be a rebuttal of Murphrees' accusations.

Because we take this patriotic act seriously, we have established rules that conform with the US Code and Florida statues regarding flag etiquette. These include such things as flying a flag only during daylight hours, or lighting it if flown at night. We encourage residents to fly American flags in accordance with these state and national standards.

The Tides seeks the monies due to from Mr. Murphree as it does with other owners whose accounts are delinquent.

Unsure if legit' or not - they are in the comments section from here, ajc.com.

a reply to: Perhaps

Nice. But it sounds a lot like those universities that offered "free speech zones" to keep in accordance with the 1st Amendment.

What I want to know is who in the hell would have the balls to even make a rule that says you can't display an American flag on American soil?

I'm out in the sticks. I put up a 30 foot flag pole made out of old American made drill tubing. I fly any flag I so desire.

Out here no one complains about a flag - a waste of time and a bit uncool to many poeple.

originally posted by: beezzer
What other reason is there to have an HOA to begin with?

HOAs are only there to keep property value from falling. That is it. Period. They serve no other purpose. Well, except for a reason to keep undesirable home owners out of certain neighborhoods. It's just a way for the older residents to control their neighborhood.

i read about a hoa in georgia that changed the rules after the people had bought the homes, who wrote the report. they started making stuff up like awning 1 inch too far from side of house, no sign in the yard, eaves, sidewalks not correct, and some of this was stuff their own construction workers had built in the first place. the company had changed hands and the new company owners didn't agree to abide by the first hoa, forced everyone to sign a new hoa and started harrasing everybody in the hoa for decisions the previous company's construction company had made. homes were being stolen in this fashion left and right.

they'd fix something, and 2 days later, it'd be something else. then they waited till the owners were out of town, and did it again, giving them 24 hours to comply. then would call the sheriff to lock it down, for failing their obligations or some such. it was ridiculous.

so they decided to see where the money for all the hoa stolen homes was going. british companies were buying up all their homes. i'll see if i can find a link to it. it was a sad story.

I could never live in a condo or townhouse. Too many stupid rules. Some only allow certain plants in the flowerpots. Nevermind a flag.

originally posted by: Bone75
What I want to know is who in the hell would have the balls to even make a rule that says you can't display an American flag on American soil? They should be stripped of their citizenship for even suggesting it.

That was my initial reaction as well. What kind of kangaroo court can try and tell an American not to fly an American flag in the a United States in their own property.

My second reaction was what happened along the way that caused society to accept his as normal just because it's in the HOS rule book? How does the HOA trump state statutes and why do people bend over and accept these stupid rules?

The whole thing sounds wacky to me.

a reply to: Perhaps

I don't understand the "only during daytime hours" part.

That makes this whole thing even more ridiculous.

I've learned a lot about HOAs in this thread and damn to they ever seem to be corrupt, money-grabbing, power hungry, wannabee neighborhood watch bafoons.

I would have guessed that their attempt at public relations damage control would have been a bit more believable and or logical...but I should have known better than to expect that.

originally posted by: beezzer

originally posted by: roadgravel
a reply to: beezzer

To force people to live they way those who have taken charge want people to live.

So HOA actually means

Housed
by
Our
Authority

got it!

Judging by what I have seen so far they do seem think that they operate above the law.

Kind of like those free speech zones you mentioned in an earlier post, these are the anti-free speech zones and anti-anything they decide it seems with complete disregard to logic and the law.

a reply to: Sremmos80
a reply to: buster2010

People shouldn't be cooked in ovens or revolt against their masters but, you know, the law is the law...

a reply to: rockn82

Great examples, totally relevant to the actual issue.
Those are not what are happening here, this is about him ignoring a rule that his hoa has.

a reply to: Echo3Foxtrot

Also, being a vet doesn't make much a difference other than creating more outrage because us vets are like....sacred cows or something. I don't know.

It makes a difference to me. If someone put their life on the line for an ideal, the symbol means a lot to them and they should have the right to display it as they see fit.

Things have changed I know but my Father was a WW2 and Korean war hero with many medals, one time when i was very young I remember him pulling into a service station and yelling at the owner because he was flying a torn and dirty flag.(they actually had and upheld flag laws in those days)

a reply to: Sremmos80

Those examples are completely relevant. Both of you two state that the law is the law and if you don't like it; move. People died because of ridiculous laws. There is only a slight difference when loosing your livelihood compared to your life. The point is some laws are ludicrous, I know you are smart enough to recognize this. When these such laws are encountered; you have a choice; force a change or remain in the status quo. Just think how life would be for blacks had they not stood up to unjust laws. Women would still be lacking the right to vote. People would still be living the final solution. The list goes on and on.

If this guy wants to fly an American flag in his yard he should be able to; so long as he follows flag code. If it were me I'd put a pink roof on my house just to piss of the HOA. Then I'd start drawing American flags in my grass as long as it was under the HOA height.

Homeowners associations are similar to labor unions in that groups of home owners collectively bargain and pay fees into paying attorneys and legal firms,creating real rules and laws that are enforceable.

I suppose the guy may wish he had read the terms and conditions on that document he signed to live there.

The thing I would really like to know is who actually benefits when they steal the home away for an infraction of the rules and codes by someone who thinks they can do anything they want when they actually agreed and signed a contract agreeing they can't do anything they want to do.

I read these dumb stories all the time, but really they are just about ignorant people who fumble into contracts without realizing what exactly they are fumbling in to because what?, they can't read?.

Many of us give away our rights every single day and don't even realize it. ...

Who would live in a community where they tell you what to do on your own land? These neighborhoods are vile, anti-American places--most that I've seen. A bunch of uppity, yuppie trash in control of you. I feel for the guy and he should fight it. I would post the photos of the committee and put "anti-American" by their photos and pass them around everywhere.