What Were They Thinking? Or, Good For You, Sir.

As I was going to work this morning, the news summary came on, and I heard, amongst other little tidbits, a blurb about a 90-year-old Medal of Honor recipient who is being attacked by his Homeowners' Association because he put up a flagpole without their permission.  I had two immediate reactions. 

First:  What the....?  What kind of uptight jackasses (pardon my lack of class just this once, won't you?) go after one of the last WWII vets because he wants to fly a flag?  I mean, okay, yes, the fact that he fought in WWII does not make him a nice person, a saint, or mean that he is easy to get along with.  However, I DO think it just might warrant a wee tiny bit of respect.  Even without the medals.  Even without the fact that he also fought in Korea, too.  And was decorated in that war as well. 

Second:  Old guy (and I say that with all the respect in the world), go get your gun.  I will stand with you in your yard, and we will keep your flag flying.  Because I mean, MAN.  Just because some uptight people who want everybody's doormats to match are having an apoplectic fit does not mean you don't have the protected First Amendment right to fly a symbol of our nation. 

I hope he gets to keep his flag.  In fact, I hope a bunch of people show up at his house and put up one of those flags like they have at the car dealership downtown, one of those flags as big as a football field.  I hope everybody for three states can see it.  I hope every morning when it's hung a university marching brass band comes out and plays a medley of the National Anthem, "Stars and Stripes Forever", and "You're a Grand Old Flag" complete with cannonade and big, big cymbals. 

It just hacks me off.  The whole concept of Homeowners' Associations do in general.  If a person buys land, s/he should be able to have gnomes, flamingos, and rusted-out cars if they by-frak want them, especially if they don't attack passers-by.  I understand about lowered property values, etc., blah-blah-blah, but a lot of what HAs are about is elitist nonsense, too.  This is a perfect example of a battle that didn't have to happen.  This is a perfect example of a time when humanity should have ruled, when respect for age and accomplishment should have overruled somebody's need to live in vanilla suburbia.  This gentleman will be a part of our past, sadly, before too long.  Shouldn't we appreciate him while he's here?