Don't tell me I can't fly the American Flag in my yard!
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
United States
May 24, 2017 1:05pm CST
In Georgia a community has been informed that they can only fly the American Flag on specific holidays and only for certain hours. This has the residents up in arms.
When you live under the rules of a board of directors of an association you have to abide by the rules - like where to walk your dog, pick up after it, park in your designated spot, those types of things.
I know, I was the VP of our condo board for several years. Rules are rules. But we had 192 units - that's a lot of people to 'govern' and different circumstances.
But a community of homes, very nice looking homes - no American Flags are allowed. One man who was interviewed said he is not taking his down. He will probably be fined, but he is going to make a point. Maybe all the home owners should put up an American Flag and leave it up and see what happens.
I am glad I don't live in such a community....sure we have issues out here in the boonies, but my American Flag flies freely.
What would you do if you were told to take your flag down?
Photo is mine.
17 people like this
21 responses
@suziecat7 (3350)
• Asheville, North Carolina
24 May 17
I really dislike homeowner associations. I'm glad there is not one here where I live. I would definitely have left my flag up.
3 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
Associations have their place and having lived in such a community for 17 years and being on the board there are some crazy rules that go into effect that didn't make sense to some members, but legally did.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339497)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 May 17
@AbbyGreenhill I don't think I'd enjoy serving on a board but I'm sure in some cases they are very necessary. It would be a thankless task mostly, I would think.
1 person likes this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
25 May 17
i'd tell 'em i'd see 'em'n court. ridiculous, one ought to be able to fly our flag anytime they wish. if'n some're offended by such, perhaps they ought to seek 'nother place/country to live.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
I would bet dollars to donuts that someone from another country finds our American Flag offensive...but that's too bad...let 'er fly!
3 people like this
@crazyhorseladycx (39509)
• United States
25 May 17
@AbbyGreenhill no doubt 'f such, but 'tis the 'american flag' with no care to's what original nationality folks'd be. too many perished to fight fer such a right to inflict such bannin' now.
@celticeagle (166761)
• Boise, Idaho
24 May 17
My grandmother would turn over in her grave if she heard this. She was very patriotic and always had the flag out for all appropriate holidays. I'd pay the fine. I can certainly understand why they have make this rules and it is just one more thing that people who choose to live in society have to put up with. It's the jerks that abuse such things that make it hard for everyone else. I'll shut up now.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (166761)
• Boise, Idaho
25 May 17
@AbbyGreenhill .....I just tend to go on about the things I believe in.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
You don't have to shut up - you said if perfectly! I think any veteran past and current would be in arms over this.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
@celticeagle That's a good thing
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
24 May 17
I would pay the fine and keep it up.
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
24 May 17
What is they continued to fine you?
1 person likes this
@LovingMyBabies (85288)
• Valdosta, Georgia
24 May 17
@AbbyGreenhill I wouldn't care, that shouldn't even be allowed.
@LadyDuck (471335)
• Switzerland
25 May 17
@AbbyGreenhill 
I think that it is normal to hate to have someone telling you what to do, but I think it is unacceptable to have someone to tell you this kind of things. This is ridiculous. What next? You cannot put a chair in your garden, or a table and not pink flowers but only blue. I would not obey to this rule.
I think that it is normal to hate to have someone telling you what to do, but I think it is unacceptable to have someone to tell you this kind of things. This is ridiculous. What next? You cannot put a chair in your garden, or a table and not pink flowers but only blue. I would not obey to this rule.1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
@LadyDuck When someone decides to buy in a community like that - or a condo - they need to read the rules and regulations. If they don't like them they shouldn't live there. Now, if the rule was put into effect after - like recently - then they should fight it. That's up to them to get an attorney and figure it out I guess.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
I think the majority of people don't like to be told what to do. I went back to take an art course when I was in my 20's....I quit - they kept telling me what to do!!
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
Either taken down or if left all night they have to have a light shinning on them. I guess that there maybe someone who is not a citizen complaining...you know, as the PC stuff.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
@JudyEv I don't leave any flags up too long, it's so windy here they might wind up in the Mississippi!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (339497)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 May 17
@AbbyGreenhill Could be. I leave the protocol stuff to Vince. 
He got fed up with taking it in each night and putting it up each morning so now it only goes up on special occasions.
He got fed up with taking it in each night and putting it up each morning so now it only goes up on special occasions.1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
25 May 17
We have had similar outrageous incidents here.
I remember some years ago that Oldham Council told taxi drivers not to fly an English flag during the Football World Cup in case it offended foreigners. There were no restrictions placed on German, French, Polish or any other nationality displaying their flags.
This means that the only nationality not allowed to fly their national flag in England was the English.
Personally I would have told them to go to Hell.
1 person likes this
@Asylum (47893)
• Manchester, England
25 May 17
@AbbyGreenhill The council could have withdrawn their taxi licence.
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
That is asinine - if someone did fly the flag what would have happened to them?
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
Unfortunately, private communities make up their own rules and unless they take them to court who knows how this will end.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
24 May 17
They can't do that! The “Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005” makes it illegal for an HOA to tell owners they can't display the flag. They are violated your rights if they try to tell you that you can't fly the flag.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31634)
• United States
24 May 17
@AbbyGreenhill They are either ignorant of the law (which is no excuse for breaking it) or they are hoping the residents don't know about it. I can't imagine why people would not be proud to see our flag on every house. Perhaps they should move to another country.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
24 May 17
I wonder why those making the FL a g rules doesn't know that?
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
24 May 17
@dragon54u I will have to check on this down the road to see what happens.
1 person likes this
@LeaPea2417 (37350)
• Toccoa, Georgia
25 May 17
I would not take it down. Thank goodness, we don't live in a gated community with rules or a condo with condo rules. We live in a neighborhood where we proudly fly the American Flag.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
26 May 17
I'll take the country over any of that. I don't leave my flag up all the time - I took it down with all the storms we had this week.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
It isn't about a city - it's about a private community...where there are rules. They must have some pea brained reason why - probably some illegals live there and they don't want to upset them...who knows...nothing on the news about it since the initial report.
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
24 May 17
Now Alfredo - that's exactly the response I was hoping for from you!!!! That's what my husband would say too LOL
@amadeo (111938)
• United States
25 May 17
@AbbyGreenhill I love the saying.My kids always say it to me.At first I took it the wrong way
@garymarsh6 (23404)
• United Kingdom
25 May 17
NO NO NO NO NO. These people should stand their ground! To much busybodying going on here. Don't back down and ignore this daft rule. This is one of the things I admire so much about the USA people are very patriotic. I wish we could do the same here but we would be called racist if we did that! It makes my blood boil!
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
26 May 17
You are not 'allowed' to be patriotic there? That's very strange.
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
What would you do if they fined you? Pay and leave it up?
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
@Nana2016 I think if all home owners got together and did that it might help.
@kellyr634 (416)
• United States
24 May 17
That is crazy!
How can you tell an American that they can't fly their flags!
I would leave it up!
1 person likes this
@nanette64 (20364)
• Fairfield, Texas
25 May 17
I'd tell them to kiss my *ss @AbbyGreenhill and remind them of the first amendment; "Freedom of Speech."
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
I don't think flying a flag is 'speech' but I get what you mean.
1 person likes this
@paigea (36317)
• Canada
24 May 17
Well we own a holiday condo and we would not be allowed to fly a Canadian flag there - unless we went through a whole procedure with the condo board. I just accept that. If I lived in a condor or a neighbourhood association (don't even know if they exist here) I might try to get the rule changed but I wouldn't just blatantly refuse to follow it.
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
24 May 17
To get a condo rule changed you have to have a majority vote of owners and depending on the number of owners getting most to reply is fruitless.
1 person likes this
@JohnRoberts (109846)
• Los Angeles, California
24 May 17
After I calmed down from my rage? Take an attack to the board and start looking for any complaint against the ringleaders because associations always have ringleaders getting off on exerting authority.
1 person likes this
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
24 May 17
The board I was on didn't make up the rules, that was done by the management company that ran the place until 80 percent occupancy and then the board was put in place and we made sure that the rules were followed. But when you have 192 units in a small space in a city....you need rules. Anyway, I would not take my flag down if I lived in the place in Georgia.
1 person likes this
@diosabella (4789)
•
25 May 17
Why just on holidays or certain days or time? Any big reason about it?
@AbbyGreenhill (45494)
• United States
25 May 17
I don't know - I assume they feel like they are 'giving' a little.
@diosabella (4789)
•
26 May 17
@AbbyGreenhill Supporting the flag of the country we are proud should be encourage and not banned or give limited time offer. And if someone get offended by it, they should move out and go back to where they came from.
1 person likes this
