Posted on 07/12/2012 8:33:50 AM PDT by raccoonradio
WRENTHAM — Just a week after the nation celebrated its birthday, residents of the Garden Lane public housing complex are being told they can no longer display their patriotism by hanging U.S. flags outside their homes.
Tenants of the complex, operated near the center of town by the Wrentham Housing Authority, were notified of the new policy through a letter taped to their doors sometime Wednesday afternoon.
The letter, which is unsigned but is on housing authority letterhead, says the move was made after a tenant repeatedly complained to the state Department of Housing and Community Development over the July 4th holiday.
“(The) Wrentham Housing Authority has been informed that the public display of the American flag in common areas is not permitted,” it said.
The letter goes on to say that flags can still be displayed inside tenants’ apartments, just not outside.
“Flags may be visible through the apartment windows, but may not be displayed on the exterior of the buildings or on the ground around the buildings,” it said.
There is no explanation given for the rule, other than the complaints of a tenant. Housing Authority Executive Director Nancy Siegel was not available Wednesday afternoon for comment.
A call to a spokeswoman for the Executive Office of Housing and Community Development was not returned Wednesday.
Ironically, flag-holding hardware is affixed to doors throughout the complex.
The issue in Wrentham is similar to one that developed last year at Gardner Terrace, a privately owned, but government subsidized affordable housing complex in Attleboro.
There, tenants were forbidden from putting any decorations, including flags, on their doors after a resident posted an Irish slur.
Whatever the reasoning for the rule, it quickly rankled residents of the Wrentham housing, including Barbara Marshall, the only tenant to have a flag hung up outside her home Wednesday afternoon.
Marshall, 82, called the policy “unbelievable,” and said she’s proudly hung a flag outside her apartment for more than a dozen years.
“I’ve always had a flag,” she said. “I’m very upset.”
At times speaking through tears, Marshall said veterans have played an important role in her family’s history, from her brother landing in Normandy D-Day invasion during World War II, to her work in shelters, to her grandson clearing graves in Plainville.
“All my family is so indebted to the veterans, to that flag,” she said.
Upon reading the letter, Marshall, who is recovering from surgery, said she had to lie down because she was so upset.
She said she will not remove the flag herself and will document any other attempts to discard it.
“If somebody wants to come and take the flag down, I’ll take pictures,” she said.
Marshall said she intends to call U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, a Wrentham resident, to see if his office can help change the policy.
“Somebody’s got to help,” she said.
For now, though, Marshall said she’ll continue to hang her flag proudly despite what the letter, which also contains regulations for gardening, says.
“I don’t care about the gardening, but don’t take my flag,” she said.
Excellent!
This is an elderly housing comples. The “seasoned citizens” will know who the complainer is.
No, I mean the Stars and Bars. If it’s that important to them, they’ll look it up.
Not quite. Land owner (landlord) has the right to restrict outdoor displays, etc. If tenants don't like it they can move. This will be disclosed in the lease or addendum signed by the tenant on move-in. If you don't read it then you don't know what's in it.
Umm, not quite.
You see, burning the flag is a symbol that you are against "the man" and that you hate the USA. This is considered "good" speech and is encouraged by our betters.
On the other hand flying the flag is a symbol of your support for neo-colonial imperialism by a white race that wishes to exterminate all others in a quest for profit. It is also a symbol revered by "baby killers" in our so-called "Department of Defense". This is considered double plus un-good and must be crushed at all opportunity.
UPDATE:
BAN REVERSED
State reverses flag ban at Wrentham housing complex
WRENTHAM — The state has stepped in to reverse a decision by a Massachusetts town’s housing authority that barred residents from flying U.S. flags outside their homes.
A spokesman for the state Department of Housing and Community Development said Thursday that the flag ban was “a mistake that is being corrected immediately.”
The Wrentham Housing Authority notified residents of the policy through a letter taped to their doors Wednesday.
The unsigned letter says the move was made after a tenant made “repeated” complaints to the state housing department over the Fourth of July holiday.
Eighty-two-year-old tenant Barbara Marshall told The Sun Chronicle that she had no intention of removing the flag flying outside her home despite the order.
No one at the housing authority would comment.
___
Information from: The (Attleboro, Mass.) Sun Chronicle, http://www.thesunchronicle.com
The Civil Rights Act is responsible for creating a mindset where upsetting the vast majority of people is necessary in order to accommodate one person. Theoretically in a Republic, majority rules. Not anymore. Although well-intended, the CRA was a mistake of EPIC proportions because it CREATED ‘protected classes’ at the EXCLUSION OF OTHERS. ‘Equality for ALL’ was already addressed in the Constitution and we should’ve left it alone!
So it would be a bad political move to defend flying the flag of the United States within the borders of the United States?
I know I should not be shocked but I am and I am outraged.
I don’t think it’s a bad political move. I’m just pointing out the asymmetry in the process, the anonymity that kicked it off, the public nature of the protests against the ban.
Someone claims some imagined “offended person” and issues some draconian edict.
I then have to identify myself to take it to the public domain, like standing up at town meeting or confronting the building manager who fabricated the “offended person”.
I think it would be great if the people there organized and protested and made a fuss and got lots of publicity.
Actually in this country it never was true.
The entire purpose of the Constitution was to temper the will of the majority and protect the rights of the minorities. In that respect you are correct that the CRA was a mistake and unnecessary.
The purpose of the Senate in congress was to prevent populace states from using the power of the majority to overrule or take advantage of less populace states. This was also the purpose of the Electoral College to prevent populace states from having too great a power in choosing Presidents.
The founders as students of history had a great fear of majority rule and warned against mob rule.
I must say however that having decided that they would accept the advantages of suckling on the teat of the nanny state these tenants of the public housing have little recourse but to abide by the rules set by whatever ruling body the government sets over the housing complex.
After all whoever pays the piper calls the tune.
I’m sure you are right. At least the Raid can won that battle, however temporary the victory may be.
Since the requirement is that “American” flags cannot be displayed, residents should display flags from other countries-upside down, backwards, burned, torn, in whatever way that most disgraces them.
I may have gone too far with the last few options. I apologize in advance.
Why does the word “Shun” come to mind?
CCRs, which this essentially is, cannot ban the flag from public display. And at public housing? That's obscene! Where's the ACLU?
It's even worse when you've provided the flag holders for each resident's use yourself!
One whiny individual is abridging the free speech rights of every other resident because they are offending by the American flag flying at PUBLIC, that is GOVERNMENT, HOUSING.
Kids used to put brown paper bags of dog poop on the front porches of people like that. And light them on fire before ringing the door bell.
Excellent. I don’t know what’s more amazing... that even Massachusetts still gets the fundamental issue here or that someone in that government bureaucracy DID NOT.
These folks just need a good community organizer. One who will school them in the arts of guerrilla theater. The complaining dweebe goes anywhere, there’s always a resident who will wave and smile, then mumble to a friend and point at the perp and laugh. Pass that person on the way in or out and do a good Bevis and Butthead chuckle. March with a small flag to and from your car. Walk like zombies and look in their direction. No threats, no direct words, just embarrass the living crap out of them until the attention gets to them. Might not work with true nut jobs, but then you at least know who you are dealing with.
Did you check SNOPES? They probably say this story is not true.
I wonder if it would have been all right to fly the flag of Kenya.
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