Georgia Man Wins Right to Keep Flying American Flag at Home

This story is one for all Americans out there who are tired of homeowners associations, or anyone else, trying to take down our flag. Old Glory has stood proud and flashed her stars and stripes over funerals, weddings, wars, and tribulations. To allow any person, association, or scumbag to dictate how to, where to, when to, and who can fly the United States of America's symbol of freedom is a sacrilege to all the soldiers, police officers, fire fighters, and any other American who has put their lives on the line and paid the ultimate sacrifice in honor of it.

Ron Tripodo, a former Army Reservist, of Canton, Georgia fought, like many Americans, against a ruthless homeowners association, at great expense, to honor our flag and his right to fly her in his front yard. The Bridgemill Homeowners Association claimed the flag was "an obstruction" and sued Mr' Tripodo in an effort to make him remove it. The judge presiding over the case dismissed the lawsuit and declared Mr. Tripodo did not owe the money. Ron Tripodo you are an honor to our country and I proudly thank you for your service and sacrifice. So now our flag is an obstruction? WOW! I've heard the flag called a lot of things, magnificent, awe inspiring, comforting, and lovely, but an obstruction has never enter my mind. The only way I could ever imagine Old Glory being an obstruction is if she fell across my windshield as I was driving down the freeway at 65 miles per hour and only a minor one. I hope the residents of Mr. Tripodo's neighborhood remember these scumbags when elections come around and/or vote to remove the HOA permanently.

Here is a summary, provided by Govtrack.us, "7/24/2006--Public Law. (This measure has not been amended since it was introduced. The summary of that version is repeated here.) Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005 - States that a condominium association, cooperative association, or residential real estate management association may not adopt or enforce any policy, or enter into any agreement, that would restrict or prevent an association member from displaying the U.S. flag on residential property within the association with respect to which such member has a separate ownership interest or a right to exclusive possession or use. States that nothing in this Act shall be considered to permit any display or use that is inconsistent with: (1) federal law or any rule or custom pertaining to the proper display or use of the flag; or (2) any reasonable restriction pertaining to the time, place, or manner of displaying the flag necessary to protect a substantial interest of the condominium, cooperative, or residential real estate management association." I posted this so that any homeowner who wishes to display the American flag on their property can do so without fear of the homeowners association in their area. There may exist height and easement limits so check with the HOA for those limitations. BUT they cannot tell you to take it down if you are within city, county, and state statues.

Big Daddy
08/27/2010