disgrace to america inside

[USsil80]

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/...ments

found this on facebook.. and i post what i said there

" these people should be put in jail for what they want to do to this HEROif anybody ever told me to take OUR flag down they better come with enough force to pull it down after they KILL me"

*was going to put this in politics forum but wanted more to see it*

[Mr1der]

I think HOA's are a pile of horses***, but at the same time, he signed up for it.

if I had it my way however, there are few things a CMOH recipient couldn't get away with

[Infinitiguy19]

What a piece of trash the HOA is huh. I can't wait to hear from former military personal and southern Americans.

[SullivanRacing06]

thats sad.

ambulance chasing lawyers...

[Vandrel]

Quote »Col. Van T. Barfoot, a local Medal of Honor winner, is under the gun from his Henrico County community's homeowner association.

In a five-paragraph letter to Barfoot that he received yesterday, Barfoot is being ordered to remove a flagpole from his yard. The decorated veteran of three wars, now 90 years old, raises the American flag every morning on the pole, then lowers and folds the flag at dusk each day in a three-corner military fashion.

In a priority mail letter, the Coates & Davenport law firm in Richmond is ordering Barfoot to remove the pole by 5 p.m. Friday or face "legal action being brought to enforce the Covenants and Restrictions against you." The letter states that Barfoot will be subject to paying all legal fees and costs in any successful legal proceeding pursued by the homeowner association's board.

Barfoot lives in the Sussex Square community in far western Henrico; its board of directors rejected a plea from Barfoot in July to approve the pole, disallowing the fixture on aesthetic grounds.

There is no provision in the community's rules expressly forbidding flagpoles, Barfoot's daughter said. But she said the board ruled against her father's fixture and ordered it removed in July, deciding that free-standing flag poles are not aesthetically appropriate. Short flag stands attached to porches dot the community.

"Dad sort of feels like this is the end," said Margaret Nicholls, Barfoot's daughter, who lives a few doors away. But she said this morning that she and her husband are attempting to generate support for her father's cause, a flag-raising rite that he has undertaken for most of his life.

Barfoot received the Medal of Honor on the battlefield during World War II in Italy and fought as well in the Korean and Vietnam wars. A portion of a highway in rural Mississippi, his native state, was named in his honor this fall. A building at McGuire Veterans Hospital in Richmond also carries his name.

Barfoot began regularly flying the flag on Veteran's Day this year despite the Sussex Square board's decision.

He said in November that not flying the flag would be a sacrilege to him.

"There's never been a day in my life or a place I've lived in my life that you couldn't fly the American flag," he said.

For more on this story, see tomorrow's Richmond Times-Dispatch.Article, click here

http://www2.timesdispatch.com/...1/P0/

[/quote]Here's his bio, http://en.wakopedia.org/wiki/Van_T._Barfoot

I'm going to write those f*****s a letter

Quote »UPDATE 12/02/09 10:10pm

Pressure needs to be put on the Sussex Square home owners association to reverse their decision. Colonel Barfoot is a hero who fought for this country and the right to fly the American flag proudly. He even has a highway named in his honor in Mississippi

Let the HOA know how you feel about them deciding that the American flag should not be flown in their community.

Contact Glenn Wilson, president of the Sussex Square Service HOA at (804) 741-9160 and their lawyers at Coates & Davenport, P.C. at (804) 285-7000 or toll-free at (800) 450-8311 and let them know we will not tolerate this travesty.[/quote]Quote »Here is the home phone number for Sussex Square Service HOA president:

GLENN WILSON11800 N Downs SqHenrico, VA 23238-3474(804) 741-9160

I personally spoke with him and confirmed that he’s the HOA president. I told him that they need to reverse their position on the flag, he thanked me and I hung up.[/quote]

[Bwana]

[Murdered_T]

zer...nside



still is pretty pathetic.

[Ace2cool]

Are you frigging kidding me? They are demanding that he take down a symbol of our country that we live in? Oh, I guarantee the guy at the head of the homeowner's association is eating his words about now. If that were me, I would get ahold of every single media station in the state and make sure everyone knew about it.

I guarantee that anywarm blooded American who is proud to be an American citizen would defend this guy. And if they won't, then I can guarantee you that America won't miss them. I mean, he's a MEDAL OF HONOR RECIPIENT!!!!! This is beyond ridiculous. This guy went to war to fight for everyone who is protesting that he take his flag down in not one war, but THREE! This is absolutely infuriating to me.

Reminds me of the time I was accosted in Chicago. I was walking down the street one day in my Navy Dress Blue uniform, fresh out of Boot Camp, and a guy and his wife/girlfriend actually were yelling at me in the streets of Chicago, calling me "baby killer" and other things of the such. I couldn't believe it. The very people I signed up for the Navy to protect were calling me a baby killer to my face. It took all that I had to keep from knocking that guy on his a**.

This guy has more of a right than anyone to fly an American flag in his yard, Gay-a** homeowner's association or not. I hope this guy doesn't give in. I hope he takes it up as far as it will go.

[Beancooker]

I can't speak for how their HOA's laws are written. I am the president of the HOA that I live in. There are very strict laws regarding the fact that I CAN NOT write a restriction into the bylaws that would violate one's Constitutional Rights.

There is even a clearly written rule that my HOA is absolutely forbidden to request that an American or WA State flag be removed from a person's property.

This is a terrible thing that this HOA is doing, and I hope that they write an exception to this rule.

[numbnuts240]

i do not side with hoa's, but i think you guys are over analyzing this. they aren't asking that he not display the flag, they are asking that the flag pole itself be taken down. he is free to display a flag on his porch, just not in the middle of his front lawn. that's the fact of the matter.

now onto my own personal opinion. i used to be all against hoa's. now i'm only partially against them. as a homeowner who lives next door to a house full of messy, dirty, loud people, i can begin to understand how and why they came to be in the first place. but i think that many of them have lost sight of what they were originally established for and now strive to promote bland uniformity.

[Dattebayo]

This is old news.

A guy about a mile away from here made headlines years ago for the exact same thing.

He spent money on a flagpole for flying the American flag and they made him take it down. He sued, they relented. But honestly, who really cares? It's not like your freedom to fly a damn flag is really what you are after when you go up against these kind of things... It's about what you can get away with.

Maybe some of you are actually idealistic enough to think it's about freedom and America and whatnot, but if you were after that sort of thing, WHY THE f*** ARE YOU LIVING IN A HOA COMMUNITY?!?

Hell, some of you might get the idea that is IS exceptionally American to tell your neighbors what they can do. We do it to Mexico and Canada, right? Lets just continue the stupidity and buy some cocaine so we can get the nerve up to continue fighting the war on drugs.

Basically, you live in an HOA because you chose that. Don't come whining because you get buyers remorse.

Modified by Dattebayo at 8:51 AM 12/3/2009

[Vandrel]

But honestly, who really cares? It's not like your freedom to fly a damn flag is really what you are after when you go up against these kind of things... It's about what you can get away with.

WHY THE f*** ARE YOU LIVING IN A HOA COMMUNITY?!?

Who cares? Pretty much every single service member and veteran in the country and a vast majority of citizens who love this country. This has nothing to do with "what you can get away with" it's about honoring those who served and gave their lives and yes... patriotism, love for the country and what the country and flag stands for, freedom.

Col. Barfoot served in 3 wars so little f*****s like his HOA could have the right to b**** moan gripe and complain about things they don't like. It's a slap in the face.

[Dattebayo]

Hmm, so you expect me to believe that a guy who knows there is a HOA guideline list buys a house without reading any of those guidelines and then just goes to do stuff that might be against their rules just because?

[Vandrel]

Here is his Medal of Honor citation

Quote »Second Lieutenant Barfoot's official Medal of Honor citation reads:

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.[4]

[/quote]God forbid this man to have a flag pole in his yard and fly a flag from it

[Dattebayo]

God forbid this man to have a flag pole in his yard and fly a flag from it

Yeah, you missed the point entirely. But thanks anyway.

[marlin29311]

Basically, you live in an HOA because you chose that. Don't come whining because you get buyers remorse.

No you don't always. Sometimes it's inevitable...you don't need a big house, so you buy a condo and automatically get tossed into the HOA. Not like you wanted to, but you had to.

And the HOA is taking away the person's state given right to free speech.

He spent money on a flagpole for flying the American flag and they made him take it down. He sued, they relented. But honestly, who really cares? It's not like your freedom to fly a damn flag is really what you are after when you go up against these kind of things... It's about what you can get away with.

Excellent quote that makes you sound like the giant douchebag you are sometimes.

This man is not doing it because he wants to get away with it. He is a medaled 3-war veteran that believes in what he does and his country. It's his way of honoring the flag and the country he's served for so many years. I don't think he's going through the ritual of raising the flag in the morning and performing a folding ritual in the evening "because he wants to see what he can get away with." That's probably the stupidest thing I've heard in a long time

[Vandrel]

Yeah, you missed the point entirely. But thanks anyway.

No..... you did

There are some acts that exemplify the very definition of stupidity.

This is one of them.

That man is a living legend. A hero to this country. They should be lined up in front of his house at attention every morning when he raises that flag, and then personally thank him for what he did for them.

[Dattebayo]

Excellent quote that makes you sound like the giant douchebag you are sometimes.

Man, you just keep missing my point.

He did sign up for it, he knew about it. Yet he still flew his flag. When you join an HOA, you give up certain rights to an end. Why don't you just ignore that and carry on then like the douchebag you sometimes are.

Pardon me for upsetting you with a little common sense, because personally I DO believe he should be able to fly the flag. But he signed the agreement, so that's the consequence.

[Rex]

First, he and everyone else in the community are allowed to fly a flag. Nothing in that article said they can't.

Second, he's only been doing this since Veteran's Day ... it would be different if he had the flag pole for years.

Lastly, no one is saying he can't fly the flag. The article even notes that many of his neighbors do. He just has to comply as do all the people in his neighborhood.

Funny how the article is about him and the flag but the HOA's letter is about the pole.

[Vandrel]

Funny how the article is about him and the flag but the HOA's letter is about the pole.

The HOA didn't comment until after everything was posted.

Regardless, it's a flag pole not a 500 foot tall tree that could fall on someone's house.

The people b****ing about the flag pole are clearly non-military supports and probably anti-patriotic. They don't have any legal right to tell others to remove flags so they try and use the system to do what they can to remove the pole. I'm sure their next step is to have the porch holders removed. And I'm sure they all voted for Obama and are pro-democrate-healthcare reform.

[Dattebayo]

lol @ Vandrel

[AZhitman]

Hmm, so you expect me to believe that a guy who knows there is a HOA guideline list buys a house without reading any of those guidelines and then just goes to do stuff that might be against their rules just because?

There is no provision in the community's rules expressly forbidding flagpoles, Barfoot's daughter said. But she said the board ruled against her father's fixture and ordered it removed in July, deciding that free-standing flag poles are not aesthetically appropriate. Short flag stands attached to porches dot the community.

The HOA had the opportunity to apply discretion. They chose not to.

In the absence of a specific prohibition, the matter goes before the Board. This is a group of people who decided NO on the flagpole.

It's an easily-reversed decision, and their willingness to drag it out tells me they're the ones flexing their muscles, not our esteemed war veteran.

My neighborhood has an HOA, and I'm fine with it. But in cases where the regulations aren't clear, sometimes the Board doesn't make the right decision. They're LAY PEOPLE, not judges, and as such, their determinations are subject to review and scrutiny.

[Vandrel]

Well said

[numbnuts240]

The HOA didn't comment until after everything was posted.

Regardless, it's a flag pole not a 500 foot tall tree that could fall on someone's house.

The people b****ing about the flag pole are clearly non-military supports and probably anti-patriotic. They don't have any legal right to tell others to remove flags so they try and use the system to do what they can to remove the pole. I'm sure their next step is to have the porch holders removed. And I'm sure they all voted for Obama and are pro-democrate-healthcare reform.

i think you're missing the point of the hoa's decision completely. they don't like the look of flag poles in front yards. period. it has nothing to do with the flag, nothing to do with the guy being a veteran, nothing to do with what political party they affiliate themselves with. it's about the pole itself. not a structural concern, as you mentioned with your comparison to a tree, it's an aesthetic thing. the pole was erected, the committee voted on how to handle it and they agreed that free standing flag poles in front yards aren't pretty enough for that neighborhood. end of story. this is what happens when you live in managed communities.

[snwbrdr435]

Another reason why i will never ever ever live in a HOA. f*** them. DOLLY MAN FTMFW!!

He should put the flag pole on his roof with a bigger flag.

[Vandrel]

I emailed this info to Fox news early this morning, looks like it made it through

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

[numbnuts240]

damn, his daughter is oooooglaaaayyy

[Vandrel]

Here's the Fox news poll, http://www.foxnews.com/opinion...Count

Quote »Col. Van Barfoot - Come on, homeowners, he's more than earned the right to fly the American flag, especially on his own property. 97% (26,201 votes)

The Homeowners Assoc. – Sorry, colonel, but rules are rules, and in a democracy the majority rules. 2% (626 votes)

Undecided <1% (72 votes)

Total Votes: 26,899[/quote]

[Jesda]

[numbnuts240]

Col. Van Barfoot - Come on, homeowners, he's more than earned the right to fly the American flag, especially on his own property. 97% (26,201 votes)

no one said he couldn't fly the flag. no one. at all. all they're saying is that he can't have a flag pole in his yard. communities governed by hoa's are bog on things appearing uniform. a random house with a flag pole in the yard ruins that image. this is something that he agreed upon, that he would abide by rules set forth by the hoa committee. let me make it clear before you come back with another emotion filled counter argument.

COLONEL VAN BARFOOT IS 100% ALLOWED TO FLY THE AMERICAN FLAG, JUST NOT FROM A FLAG POLE.

"This is not about the American flag. This is about a flagpole," reads the statement from the association, which insists that Barfoot directly violated its board's July ruling.

"Col. Barfoot is free to display the American flag in conformity with the neighborhood rules and restrictions. We are hopeful that Col. Barfoot will comply."

my problem with stories like this is that most people are quick to let their emotions take over and miss half the story. if you're going to argue your position on a matter like this, you had better read the entire article in it's entirety and understand just what is going on.

besides, this is a 21 foot tall flag pole. has anyone ever looked into whether or not a permit was required to erect said flag pole, and if that permit was acquired?