WW II Vet Fights H.O.A. for right to fly flag
WaveCameCrashin
Posts: 2,929
Here we have a recipient of a medal of honor that just wants to fly the flag and he can't because of his neighborhood home owners association doesn't like it. :wtf:
http://news.aol.com/article/world-war-i ... oot/799414
BARFOOT, VAN T.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 157th Infantry, 45th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Carano, Italy, 23 May 1944. Entered service at: Carthage, Miss. Birth: Edinburg, Miss. G.O. No.: 79, 4 October 1944.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 23 May 1944, near Carano, Italy. With his platoon heavily engaged during an assault against forces well entrenched on commanding ground, 2d Lt. Barfoot (then Tech. Sgt.) moved off alone upon the enemy left flank. He crawled to the proximity of 1 machinegun nest and made a direct hit on it with a hand grenade, killing 2 and wounding 3 Germans. He continued along the German defense line to another machinegun emplacement, and with his tommygun killed 2 and captured 3 soldiers. Members of another enemy machinegun crew then abandoned their position and gave themselves up to Sgt. Barfoot. Leaving the prisoners for his support squad to pick up, he proceeded to mop up positions in the immediate area, capturing more prisoners and bringing his total count to 17. Later that day, after he had reorganized his men and consolidated the newly captured ground, the enemy launched a fierce armored counterattack directly at his platoon positions. Securing a bazooka, Sgt. Barfoot took up an exposed position directly in front of 3 advancing Mark VI tanks. From a distance of 75 yards his first shot destroyed the track of the leading tank, effectively disabling it, while the other 2 changed direction toward the flank. As the crew of the disabled tank dismounted, Sgt. Barfoot killed 3 of them with his tommygun. He continued onward into enemy terrain and destroyed a recently abandoned German fieldpiece with a demolition charge placed in the breech. While returning to his platoon position, Sgt. Barfoot, though greatly fatigued by his Herculean efforts, assisted 2 of his seriously wounded men 1,700 yards to a position of safety. Sgt. Barfoot's extraordinary heroism, demonstration of magnificent valor, and aggressive determination in the face of pointblank fire are a perpetual inspiration to his fellow soldiers.
http://news.aol.com/article/world-war-i ... oot/799414
BARFOOT, VAN T.
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 157th Infantry, 45th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Carano, Italy, 23 May 1944. Entered service at: Carthage, Miss. Birth: Edinburg, Miss. G.O. No.: 79, 4 October 1944.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty on 23 May 1944, near Carano, Italy. With his platoon heavily engaged during an assault against forces well entrenched on commanding ground, 2d Lt. Barfoot (then Tech. Sgt.) moved off alone upon the enemy left flank. He crawled to the proximity of 1 machinegun nest and made a direct hit on it with a hand grenade, killing 2 and wounding 3 Germans. He continued along the German defense line to another machinegun emplacement, and with his tommygun killed 2 and captured 3 soldiers. Members of another enemy machinegun crew then abandoned their position and gave themselves up to Sgt. Barfoot. Leaving the prisoners for his support squad to pick up, he proceeded to mop up positions in the immediate area, capturing more prisoners and bringing his total count to 17. Later that day, after he had reorganized his men and consolidated the newly captured ground, the enemy launched a fierce armored counterattack directly at his platoon positions. Securing a bazooka, Sgt. Barfoot took up an exposed position directly in front of 3 advancing Mark VI tanks. From a distance of 75 yards his first shot destroyed the track of the leading tank, effectively disabling it, while the other 2 changed direction toward the flank. As the crew of the disabled tank dismounted, Sgt. Barfoot killed 3 of them with his tommygun. He continued onward into enemy terrain and destroyed a recently abandoned German fieldpiece with a demolition charge placed in the breech. While returning to his platoon position, Sgt. Barfoot, though greatly fatigued by his Herculean efforts, assisted 2 of his seriously wounded men 1,700 yards to a position of safety. Sgt. Barfoot's extraordinary heroism, demonstration of magnificent valor, and aggressive determination in the face of pointblank fire are a perpetual inspiration to his fellow soldiers.
Post edited by Unknown User on
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Comments
It's a bunch of town-house type homes where two or so houses are attached to each other in bunches, and there is community parking lots, etc. There's a homeowner's association, with a number of rules, etc. Anyone in a house outside of this development can put a flagpole up, it's just he chose to live in this community, and this community has rules. I mean, seriously, he's ALLOWED to attach a pole to his house. Why not just do that? Winning the medal of honor doesn't give a person carte blanche to do whatever they want.
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Some of these places do like to have rules for appearances. Petty stuff like this is probably the cause of half the civilian lawsuits worldwide.
If he owns a seperate house, then I guess he can fly it all he wants. However, if house is part of a larger co-operative unit (dunno what you call those in english, you pay a fee to move in, share the debt with the rest, but dont have a right to the particular apartment/house, only one on the premises), he may be obligated to follow the rules set up by the board, no matter how pointless or petty. Garden maintenance and bans on types of animal are other faves.
Peace
Dan
"Every judgment teeters on the brink of error. To claim absolute knowledge is to become monstrous. Knowledge is an unending adventure at the edge of uncertainty." - Frank Herbert, Dune, 1965
Hail, Hail!!!
what cosmo said.
it was so disturbing to read through some of the extreme comments on the link page. people are so hung up talking about the flag, and how it represents their freedom, the constitution, rights they have as americans, the fight for for those rights, and so on, but they completely miss the point.
it's not about the flag, it's about the flag pole. the flag pole doesn't have any rights people, and it does not represent your freedom.
there's a simple solution to this. he can attach a flag pole to his house wall and fly the flag whenever he wants to.
I think they should go re-shoot the Rocky movies because Sly's balls are WAY too close to his flag shorts. That's just disrespectful.
Add: He went to the Homeowner's Association and requested approval of his flagpole... which was denied by the board... who represent the homeowners.
Yet... he went and put it up anyway.
And anyone that wants to argue the point that he fought for freedom's in this country... the freedom to break the rules, regulations or laws set by a governing body is not one of the freedoms he fought for. He did not fight so he could do whatever he chooses... he fought for law and order and his neighbor's wishes, too.
Hail, Hail!!!
145,612 people voted
96% say yes he should be able to keep the pole
4% say no. Some of you must be part of the 4%
I think that they should make an exception. It's not a law it's only a rule. Or let the homeowners themselves vote on it.
Apparently Im not the only person that feels this way.http://www.comcast.net/articles/news-po ... Flag.Flap/
these are the things you worry about in today's world?
It's a rule that HE agreed to when he moved into this community. AND he CAN fly his flag. He just can't build a separate flagpole, he needs to attach a flagpole to his house.
So, if someone wants to build a swimming pool, and the association says that you can't, and one person does, should the homeowners vote on that too?
It's a rule that this whole housing-group CHOSE to have, and agreed to abide by. Done. Period.
If he doesn't like it, he can move two-blocks over!!
*NYC 9/28/96 *NYC 9/29/96 *NJ 9/8/98 (front row "may i play drums with you")
*MSG 9/10/98 (backstage) *MSG 9/11/98 (backstage)
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*Mansfield 8/29/00 *Mansfield 8/30/00 *Nassau 4/30/03 *Nissan VA 7/1/03
*Borgata 10/1/05 *Camden 5/27/06 *Camden 5/28/06 *DC 5/30/06
*VA Beach 6/17/08 *DC 6/22/08 *MSG 6/24/08 (backstage) *MSG 6/25/08
*EV DC 8/17/08 *EV Baltimore 6/15/09 *Philly 10/31/09
*Bristow VA 5/13/10 *MSG 5/20/10 *MSG 5/21/10
No one is telling this guy that he can't fly a flag.. he can put one on his house, use flags for curtains in the windows, paint his car with the stars and stripes, or countless other things to display the flag.
What they are saying, is the he can't build a 21 ft flagpole on his property. I'm sure he got a copy of the HOA rules and agreed to them when he bought the house. In my opinion, HOA rules and fees pretty much all suck, but then again I chose to buy a stand alone house and property for our family.
was like a picture
of a sunny day
“We can complain because rose bushes have thorns, or rejoice because thorn bushes have roses.”
― Abraham Lincoln
i wanted to replace my 35 year old chainlink fence and had to get approval from the city before i even attempted to take the old one down. same thing when i got a sewer lateral replaced last year. we could not dig without city approval, which took a few days. many neighborhoods and small cities have "eyesore" statutes where if you have gaudy things on your property the neighborhood can make you remove them. must be what happened in this case.
its not about flying the flag, its about putting a 21 foot flagpole in the front yard. hang it from your porch like a normal peson would.
"Well, you tell him that I don't talk to suckas."
How many people in that poll... live in that housing community? What business it it of theirs?
...
And regarding the flagpole... let's say they vote to allow it. This would mean every homeowner can set up a 21 foot flagpole in his/her property if they wish. And the Rule or Regulation would have to be quite specific... otherwise, you could fly a Raider Nation flag, the flag of another nation or a World War II German Battle Flag... all examples of free speech... right? There are no rules regatding the use of flagpoles... the rule regarding the U.S. Flag being displayed above accompanying flags is a flag regulation... not flagpole regulation.
Hail, Hail!!!
I should know... I live in one.
Normally it's okay... and it's good because you have a collective right to say and do something about a neighbor that parks 2 derelict cars on cinderblocks on the front lawn... er, dirt.
And for the most part... it is reasonable. You know that your property value won't go down because the neighbor next door can't paint his house purple and orange... It's bad if you want to paint your house purple and orange.
...
And YES... this guy needs to move. He knew the rules and regulations... he submitted the request, which was denied... and put up his flagpole in spite of the rules and regulations HE signed on to follow when he bought into the property.
Did he fight for HIS rights only? NO. He fought for the rights of his neighbors, too.
Hail, Hail!!!
.http://www2.timesdispatch.com/rtd/news/ ... 02/310291/
I agree with what this person says 100%
CommentPosted by LemonZephyr on December 10, 2009 at 2:14 am
Some of you have taken this too far. HOA (Home Owners Associations) serve a purpose and they grew out of the necessity of home owners trying to protect the value of their home. A family moved in down the street from me. They paid the market rate for the home (I know because I looked it up). They parked their cattle trailer in the front yard because they did not have a gate on the fence to park it in the back yard. They also have a large RV parked in the driveway and their cars are parked on the curb. It’s been this way for the past 16 months and by now it looks like it will stay this way. It’s unsightly and I’m tired of looking at it - but what can I do? There is not a city ordinance against it and the city council doesn’t want to do anything about it. They are not violating any fire codes but if I put my house on the market any potential buyer has to drive past this beast of a house to see mine. I don’t want to lose a potential seller because of a bad neighbor. This situation has occurred all over the U.S. and that is why HOAs exist - to protect the rights of home owners.
My brother-in-law lives in a HOA controlled sub-division and they mandate the height of shrubbery, and lawn grass - and a whole lot of other things. That’s the other side of the problem - many HOAs go too far. These power-hungry HOAs are led by busy bodies that want the ability to tell people how to decorate their houses in order to appeal to some personal idea of what a “beautiful neighborhood” is. They control what kind of Christmas lights you can put out, how many jack-o-lanters may be present on your doorstep for Halloween, and if it is OK to place US flags all around your yard on the 4th of July. It’s these ultra-controlling HOAs that give HOAs a bad name - and that is the kind of HOA Mr. Barfoot has. HOAs should stick with regulating whether or not someones home will cause a negative influence to the value of homes in the neighborhood because of dis-repair, or junkiness of a house in the neighborhood. Just because 1 little busy body on the board wants her grass to be 1-1/4 inches tall and must have 6 different colors of flowering plants throughout the summer along with a rotating color pattern for the fall doesn’t mean the entire neighborhood must be forced to the same standards. Freedom is a two edged sword but it’s better than tyranny. These busy bodies won’t understand until someone forces their values onto them - and even then many of them won’t understand the concept.
Peace
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