Medal of Honor vet cannot fly the U.S. Flag

[Lt.Del]

This WWII, Korean, and Vietnam vet and Medal of Honor and Purple Heart recipient cannot have a flag pole to raise the American flag on his own land, thanks to his Homeowner's Association.  This is in Henrico County, the same County where I live and work.  I think I'm gonna go pay him a visit and buy him a beer. He is one of the last WWII Medal of Honor vets left alive. He's 90 yrs old and for the first time in his life, he cannot fly his flag he fought so hard for.

The neighborhood assoc is taking him to court to get the flag pole removed.  Because he has neighbors who have no life and are self-centered and jealous, and yes, this is a very well-to-do area in the western suburbs of Richmond, I believe Mr. Barfoot's rights are being infringed upon, and, because of this, he has one last battle to fight--this time in his own dang country fighting his own countrymen.  This is sad. This will be a court case about Freedom versus Socialism, Commonsense versus P.C., Hero versus beneficiary of America's heroism, and, quite simply, Right versus Wrong!     

Thanks goes out to Fox News for bringing this out to the public and making it a National debate.  I don't see NBC, ABC or CBS doing this.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,579147,00.html

Read this guy's Medal of Honor citation...he was one bad dude....I wouldn't want to tangle with him, even now that he is 90.  Superhuman.   http://www.cmohs.org/recipient-detail/2625/barfoot-van-t.php

[beastie_3]

Buy him a beer for me too! I'd love to meet a Medal of Honor recipient. I hope he wins this battle as well.

[eventhorizon66]

That's crazy.  As much as I disagree with them forbiding the flag pole in the first place, I would think that they could at least make an exception in Col. Van Barfoot's case.  If it weren't for real live heros like him, we'd all be forced to fly Swastikas today.

[Stewart G Griffin]

An exception must be made;  i always said that any WW2 veteran could steal my girlfriend and i would be totally cool with it.  And i'm serious about that.

[joesgarage71]

WTH  Taking him to court for flyin the flag?

[choptop]

I dont think "exeptions" should be made for the flag. If you want to fly it, there should be no restrictions anywhere as long as it is flown respectfully. Lot of folks around here take it personally, as we all should, and if they were told they couldnt fly it due to a bunch of over glorified houses owned by lifeless, sissy, mary panzies (Im biting my tongue as best as I can) there would be a battle resulting in the whine bags getting their stuff loaded up for them and moved on down the road in the beds of a bunch of pickups. As long as it is flown respectful to the flag and what it stands for, there should never be ANY restrictions.

[eventhorizon66]

Well apparently the issue they have is with a pole smack in the middle of public property.  But, that said, the pole is being used to fly the American flag.  This is something every American should identify with or at least accept, so they should make an exception.

Another reason I say exception is because I think, at the very least, who erected that pole should have some bearing on this case.  The man is a real live hero and they should show him respect.  If that means holding their tongue, swallowing their pride, and bending the rules, so be it.  It's a small sacrifice to make for someone like that.  People are so ungrateful.

[choptop]

event.. I understand your meaning behind exception, and wasnt taking a shot at you. I hope you knew that. It was a general reference to the use of exceptions we have to use to be politically correct. Needless to say, Im not politically correct in anything, and I totally agree with you. Exceptions should apply to this, but why do we have to get use to making exceptions for something that shouldnt matter. Its an honor to fly it, and to have one that fought like he did to protect it, want to fly it, it is his privaledge, and we should be honored to have him do it. I had a guy up the street flying a Mexico flag in his front yard, and no one tried to make him take it down, even though Id like too. I dont know the homeowners association guidelines, and such, but from what Ive heard, its a crock. If Im gonna spend the money on property, Im gonna do whatever I want to with it. This guy deserves ultimate respect as you stated, he is a "real live hero"

[eventhorizon66]

event.. I understand your meaning behind exception, and wasnt taking a shot at you. I hope you knew that.

Absolutely, I was just try to clarify the point I was getting at in my first post.  Maybe the underlines made it come off as defensive, but that wasn't my intention.  I think everyone here is on the same page.

[Engineer]

I hope he wins his fight....He fought for freedoms that these HOAs don't even have a clue about.

Also of note, although this pales in comparison to the MOH.....

Col. Barfoot is one of the few officers to have been awarded the Good Conduct Medal.

None of the famous WWII General Officers were ever awarded the Good Conduct Medal.

I don't believe in rewriting the U.S. Constitution on every whim, but I would support an amendment that would allow the flag to be flown over ANY soverign U.S. soil, at any time for any reason. This could be added in addition to the flag desecration (protection) amendment that is way over due......I guess what I am saying is....It is unfathomable to me that any bylaw could ever be written that would prohibit flying our nation's flag over our nation's land.

We could all take a lesson from the socialism that results from these HOAs.



Edit: I just noticed Col. Barfoot was in the 45th infantry division. There is a great museum dedicated to the 45th on the east side of Oklahoma City. I highly recommend that anyone visiting Okie City should spend a 1/2 a day at this museum. Lots of armor, artillery pieces, and many history relics at that museum.

[Lt.Del]

Well apparently the issue they have is with a pole smack in the middle of public property.

The pole is on his land.  They have a community maintenance agreement and stuff, but, it is on his land.  He check beforehand with the neighborhood association and they said no, but, he couldnt find any rep to discuss it with him.  So he grew frustrated and erected it on his yard.

He lives a few miles from me.  I may go take a pic of it tomorrow.  I saw Brian Williams and NBC Nightly News talk about it tonight, finally.   

[eventhorizon66]

The pole is on his land.  They have a community maintenance agreement and stuff, but, it is on his land.  He check beforehand with the neighborhood association and they said no, but, he couldnt find any rep to discuss it with him.  So he grew frustrated and erected it on his yard.

He lives a few miles from me.  I may go take a pic of it tomorrow.  I saw Brian Williams and NBC Nightly News talk about it tonight, finally.  

Not that it affects how I feel about the issue, but the article you posted said "the grounds are community property."  So my interpretation was that his ownership of that land was shared amongst all those who live in that complex.  But you're saying the pole is on his private property?  Either way the HOA members and are undisputedly in the wrong and are being bunch of turds to man that clearly deserves better.

[Irish_Alley]

some hoa are pains like that when i was living with my mom we moved into a new housing development they said you can only fly if you take it down every night(unless a light is on them), no flag pole, take it down in bad weather, don't fly it up side down, no flag is to be above the American flag. most of it was common flag knowage so i took those holiday flag poles the wooden ones for Holiday flags mounted them on the porch with fog lights looking up at the American flag and the Marine flag. hellofa sight

[Lt.Del]

"the grounds are community property."  So my interpretation was that his ownership of that land was shared amongst all those who live in that complex.  But you're saying the pole is on his private property?

Yep, I misread.. Sorry.  I saw this and gave it my interpretation..

"Emotional torture is what they've done to my father," said his daughter, Margaret Nicholls. "He has lost sleep, he worries about it constantly. He just doesn't understand. He thinks that if it's on his property they can't tell him what to do."

I'm thinking about going to one of those party strores and getting like two dozen little U.S. Flags and sticking them all over the "community" grounds.  I bet ole Barfoot would get a laugh at that.  Going to take some pics in a couple of hours.

 

[choptop]

SgtDel, I wish i were closer to you, me and a bunch of my other, relatively large buddies, would happily help you place the flags. Really, whats the most they can do, fine us for littering. That would be a very interesting court case.