Flags forbidden at apt complex - The Firearms Forum

satellite66 · 10-14-2009, 08:17 AM

KATU.com - News, Weather and Sports - Portland, Oregon

Apartment residents told to take down U.S. flags

by Melica Johnson KATU News and KATU.com Staff

Originally printed at http://www.katu.com/news/local/64059697.html

ALBANY, Ore. - At the Oaks Apartments in Albany, the management can fly their own flag advertising one and two bedroom apartments - but residents have been told they can't fly any flags at all.

Jim Clausen flies the American flag from the back of his motorcycle. He has a son in the military heading back to Iraq, and the flag - he said - is his way of showing support.

"This flag stands for all those people," said Clausen, an Oaks Apartment resident. "It stands for the people that can no longer stand - who died in wars. That's why I fly this flag."

But to Oaks Apartment management, Clausen said, the American flag symbolizes problems.

He was told to remove the red, white and blue from both of his rides, or face eviction.

"It floored me," he said. "I can't believe she was saying what she was saying."

Even long-time residents like Sharron White, who has flown a flag on her car for eight years, has been told to take it down.

White said management told her that "someone might get offended."

"I just said to her 'They'll just have to get over it,'" White said.

Resident we talked to who had been approached to take down their flags all told us the same thing: that management told them the flags could be offensive because they live in a diverse community.

Attempts to find out for ourselves why management would ban flags were unsuccessful. KATU wanted to talk to management at Oaks Apartments, but no one has returned our calls. The woman we were told had made the decision said she was "not going to answer any questions."

National Guard signThe mother of one soldier fighting in Iraq put up a poster in her son's apartment window when she learned of the ban. Her son's roommate said he'll risk eviction to make sure it stays.

Another Oaks Apartment resident, Judith Sherer, doesn't have a car. Instead she carries an American flag around the complex to protest the ban, and wonders if the flag pin she wears is next to be "singled out."

"If I put it on and I walk outside, what's going to happen?" Sherer muses. "Am I going to be confronted by a manager about this?"

We're told the ban includes sports flags and even flag stickers on cars.

link

mark_baron · 10-14-2009, 10:28 AM

This sort of thing happened in my area (Tampa Bay, Florida) a few years ago. The state legislature immediately passed a law (and signed by the Gov) making it illegal for condo boards, homeowner's associations and apartment complexes to ban the American flag. Too bad we have to pass laws to protect the flag, it should go without saying.

walien · 10-15-2009, 01:52 AM

I hate HOA's and apartment buildings. Mostly because I don't want to give someone the power to tell me what to do to that great a degree. That said, the people in question signed a legally binding agreement of their own volition. They knew this going in, so it's their own fault. If they didn't like it, why did they sign up? It's kind of like order some fries and complaining that they taste like potato.

satellite66 · 10-15-2009, 04:16 AM

From what I have read it was not part of the lease but something the manager came up with so as not to offend. Sounds very PC and liberal to me.
It has also been resolved. The manager found out it is against the law.
Read article

Deathbunny · 10-15-2009, 07:10 AM

Huh. Well, that was stupid.

The manager clearly has waaaaayyyyy too much free time on her hands.

tntrucker · 10-15-2009, 07:45 AM

Just heard on Fox news. They've changed their minds about the no flag policy. Guess they didn't like the negative PR.

10-14-2009, 08:17 AM	#1
satellite66 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Central NJ Posts: 2,068	Flags forbidden at apt complex KATU.com - News, Weather and Sports - Portland, Oregon Apartment residents told to take down U.S. flags by Melica Johnson KATU News and KATU.com Staff Originally printed at http://www.katu.com/news/local/64059697.html ALBANY, Ore. - At the Oaks Apartments in Albany, the management can fly their own flag advertising one and two bedroom apartments - but residents have been told they can't fly any flags at all. Jim Clausen flies the American flag from the back of his motorcycle. He has a son in the military heading back to Iraq, and the flag - he said - is his way of showing support. "This flag stands for all those people," said Clausen, an Oaks Apartment resident. "It stands for the people that can no longer stand - who died in wars. That's why I fly this flag." But to Oaks Apartment management, Clausen said, the American flag symbolizes problems. He was told to remove the red, white and blue from both of his rides, or face eviction. "It floored me," he said. "I can't believe she was saying what she was saying." Even long-time residents like Sharron White, who has flown a flag on her car for eight years, has been told to take it down. White said management told her that "someone might get offended." "I just said to her 'They'll just have to get over it,'" White said. Resident we talked to who had been approached to take down their flags all told us the same thing: that management told them the flags could be offensive because they live in a diverse community. Attempts to find out for ourselves why management would ban flags were unsuccessful. KATU wanted to talk to management at Oaks Apartments, but no one has returned our calls. The woman we were told had made the decision said she was "not going to answer any questions." National Guard signThe mother of one soldier fighting in Iraq put up a poster in her son's apartment window when she learned of the ban. Her son's roommate said he'll risk eviction to make sure it stays. Another Oaks Apartment resident, Judith Sherer, doesn't have a car. Instead she carries an American flag around the complex to protest the ban, and wonders if the flag pin she wears is next to be "singled out." "If I put it on and I walk outside, what's going to happen?" Sherer muses. "Am I going to be confronted by a manager about this?" We're told the ban includes sports flags and even flag stickers on cars. link __________________ “Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not” — Thomas Jefferson. "The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of 'liberalism,' they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened." - Norman Thomas, U.S. Socialist Party presidential candidate 1940, 1944 and 1948 -->

10-14-2009, 10:28 AM	#2
mark_baron V.I.P. Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Tampa Bay Area, Florida Posts: 112	Re: Flags forbidden at apt complex This sort of thing happened in my area (Tampa Bay, Florida) a few years ago. The state legislature immediately passed a law (and signed by the Gov) making it illegal for condo boards, homeowner's associations and apartment complexes to ban the American flag. Too bad we have to pass laws to protect the flag, it should go without saying.

10-15-2009, 01:52 AM	#3
walien Former Guest Join Date: May 2009 Posts: 276	Re: Flags forbidden at apt complex I hate HOA's and apartment buildings. Mostly because I don't want to give someone the power to tell me what to do to that great a degree. That said, the people in question signed a legally binding agreement of their own volition. They knew this going in, so it's their own fault. If they didn't like it, why did they sign up? It's kind of like order some fries and complaining that they taste like potato.

10-15-2009, 04:16 AM	#4
satellite66 Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Central NJ Posts: 2,068	Re: Flags forbidden at apt complex From what I have read it was not part of the lease but something the manager came up with so as not to offend. Sounds very PC and liberal to me. It has also been resolved. The manager found out it is against the law. Read article __________________ “Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not” — Thomas Jefferson. "The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But, under the name of 'liberalism,' they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program, until one day America will be a socialist nation, without knowing how it happened." - Norman Thomas, U.S. Socialist Party presidential candidate 1940, 1944 and 1948

10-15-2009, 07:10 AM	#5
Deathbunny Former Guest Join Date: Aug 2008 Posts: 290	Re: Flags forbidden at apt complex Huh. Well, that was stupid. The manager clearly has waaaaayyyyy too much free time on her hands.

10-15-2009, 07:45 AM	#6
tntrucker V.I.P. Member Join Date: Oct 2009 Posts: 119	Re: Flags forbidden at apt complex Just heard on Fox news. They've changed their minds about the no flag policy. Guess they didn't like the negative PR.