Posted on 08/27/2013 4:16:02 PM PDT by moonshinner_09
A retired Georgia combat veteran has lost his fight to fly his American flag and U.S. Marine Corps colors outside his home in an Atlanta-area retirement community.
MyFoxAtlanta.com reports that the board of directors at Marine Capt. Jim Lowe's community in Griffin voted against changing a rule on outside decorations that threatened his patriotic display.
Sun City-Peachtree's codes state that each home in the retirement community can only have one flag, but Lowe fought the rule, arguing that the traditional Marine Corps battle color is not a flag.
Lowe told the station in July that he received a code violation notice from management informing him that he and his wife would face fines of up to $25 a day and a possible lien on his home if he did not remove one of the flags.
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
..alternate...*smiles*
1. If you buy a home in one of these HOA communities, you have to follow their rules.
2. In fairness to the HOA, if they waived their rule for him, they would have to let everyone fly whatever flags they wanted.
Lowe told the station that the board's decision is a game-changer and that he and his wife have no choice but to pack up and move out of the community.
Sad. But, I can't say I blame him.
It's a sad day when we can't fly the flag(s) we fought for and under. Thank you for your service, sir.
I agree with your statement about HOA’s; I worked for an HOA management company, and you couldn’t PAY me to live in one of those communities. Who want to by a house with the name of the HOA ALSO on your deed?! Insane!!!
The rules are mostly spelled out. Buyer beware.
People buy into neighborhoods like this because they don’t want to be subject to someone else’s opinion of taste. If exceptions are made and residents may fly flags as they please, how long until the rainbow flags start showing up?
An absolute requirement before I buy is ‘no HOA’.
It's the number of flags, not which ones. I'd have to agree that the Marine Corps colors would be considered a "flag" in the ordinary meaning probably used for interpretation. I doubt the HOA contract distinguishes between flags, colors, standards, guidons, etc.
I’d make drapes or curtains for my front window out of flags. Don’t think the community can control the curtains in your house.
Buy a very large flag of each. Attach to the back of jeep or pickup. Park in driveway. What are they going to do then? ;)
Your second point is an important one. I’m very familiar with how the law treats these HOAs in some states, and as a matter of course lawyers will typically advise their HOA clients to strictly enforce their rules when it comes to this sort of thing. Otherwise, they may find themselves on the wrong side of a legal battle with someone who wants to fly a Nazi flag, a flag with obscene words or images, etc.
I could sympathize with the guy until I read this. Trust me, folks -- you don't want someone like this living next door to you.
Well, the garrison flag is 20 feet by 38 feet, but it’s only flown on Sundays and holidays. Except by car dealers, who seem to fly them every day.
The Stars and Stripes are always to be above any other flag or standard, so the guy is doing it wrong anyway.
I thought it just had to be to the left, as you’re looking at it/them. Like on a gate entry, etc. (Stars and stripes on the left, Texas Lone Star on the right. Same level.) Unless they’re on a flag pole.
HOAs are fine; they help preserve property values. However, this HOA is a POS and the best way to affect the HOA is to be on the board. I’ve been on 3 and that is the only way to curtail the namby pampy pissants who do things like they did to this hero.
I wonder if they were attempting to make the flags appear uniform and balanced, so that the HOA couldn't argue against one flag being higher than the other?
Just have to get a little creative. I hate to think they might move because of this. I’d love to have them as a neighbor.
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