Colonel Van T. Barfort, 90, from Richmond VA is being ordered by his homeowner association to remove the flag pole on his property. Did you miss it? Look at the Colonel?s picture again. See what?s hanging around his neck? Yep. The Congressional Medal of Honor. ?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.? You ****ed yet? If not. Leave. Immediately. From the Richmond Times Dispatch: 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. You can read the entire article from the Richmond Times Dispatch here. So here is what all of us need to do for Colonel Barfoot. It is the very least we can do for him in return for his heroic service, sacrifice, and patriotism for us all. Call and or fax Coates & Davenport, the law firm representing the home owner association. FLOOD THEM WITH CALLS!! Here are the officers per public records: This is the homeowners association president: GLENN WILSON PRESIDENT 11800 N Downs Sq Henrico, VA 23238-3474 (804) 741-9160 ANN WILLIAMS SECRETARY MARTHA G MIDDLETON TREASURER EVELYN L WILSON DIRECTOR Law Firms Email - http://www.coateslaw.com/CM/Custom/Contact.asp. CLIFFS: -90 YR OLD WAR HERO IS TOLD TO NOT FLY A UNITED STATES FLAG. -HE IS BEING THREATENED WITH LEGAL ACTION. -CALL OR EMAIL THE PRESIDENT OF HOME OWNERS ASSOCIATION OR LAW FIRM AND TELL THEM WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT ASKING A WAR HERO TO TAKE DOWN HIS FLAG IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. MODS PLEASE DONT DELETE - THE NUMBERS ARE ALL PUBLIC NUMBERS INTENDED FOR CUSTOMER SERVICE.
I dunno wtf this Country is coming too. Check this out: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Van_T._Barfoot "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]" Cliffs: -flanks enemy machinegun nest alone, kills 2 germans, injures 3 with grenade -kills 2 more germans, captures 3 at another machinegun nest -ultimately takes 17 prisoners -later grabs bazooka and takes on 3 tanks. Disables one tank and kills crew of 3. -advances and destroys fieldpiece with demo -on return assists two seriously wounded men 1700 yards back to safety Result: guy should be able to do whatever the **** he wants.
Do the home owner association call themselves Americans????????????????????????? I have another word for them.
This really rankles me... People are allowed to put out idiotic lawn ornaments, but a veteran isn't allowed to fly a flag? They will definitely be getting an email from me ASAP.
A copy of the email just sent is below: Sirs: It has come to my attention that you are representing Sussex Square Home Owners Association in their case against Colonel Van T. Barfoot. It is my understanding that Federal Law gives every American citizen the right to fly the flag on his property. Public law 109-243 states: "SEC. 3. RIGHT TO DISPLAY THE FLAG OF THE UNITED STATES. 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 a member of the association from displaying the flag of the United States 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." The right to fly an American flag is a basic right for US citizens, and Colonel Barfoot as a decorated veteran deserves especial respect for these rights. By representing the homeowners in this issue, you will cause me and many like me to see your company as anti-American. Thank you for taking the time to read this, Glen Luke Flanagan EDIT: It seems that cases like this have come up before. Here's one from 2008, though I couldn't find any info on how it ended. http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/257758
I'd like to see the flag pole in question before making a decision on this - it might actually be ugly as hell. If that is the case, would the homeowners association be happier with a nicer looking flagpole? I only suggest these compromises because, in reality, his past heroics aren't going to make a bit of difference in a court room if the homeowners have the law on their side. You also have to wonder how long this particular dispute has been rumbling on for, after all, the courts is rarely the first port of call for this kind of thing.
I'll agree with holyheadjch here. Yes, the man has the right to fly the flag, but until we know all the details of that flag and pole, we cannot pass judgment. What if the man wants to fly a 30'X50' flag on his front lawn?
I've always found it very strange that so many Americans seem to find it necessary to fly a US flag in their garden. Do they have trouble remembering which country they live in? And like so many daft things, this habit seems to be creeping in over here. We're turning into a nation of pathetic copycats. :bang:
Because we're proud of our country and proud of the place we'd live. I'd fly a flag but I'm too lazy to put it out every morning and take it down every night like I'm supposed to. It's not an issue of whether the man gets to fly his flag - it's an issue of setting dangerous precedent, which impedes on our property rights.
Agreed. I fire a canon at one O'clock everyday together with the St George Cross on a huge flagpole. The Welsh like that sort of thing.
I love my country as much as the next man, but I don't feel the need to prove it to anyone by flying a flag in me garden. (And to be honest, a flagpole would look ridiculous in the tiny garden of a back-to-back! ) I suspect that there's probably an element of 'keeping-up-with-the-Joneses' involved. Like being suspected of being 'not patriotic enough' if your flag is smaller than your neighbour's, or your pole isn't as big as his. (In England we call it 'flagpole envy'.)
The man moved into the housing development and agreed to live by the rules of the homeowner's association. If the association uniformly enforces the rules, he's obligated to abide by them. I'm sure he can find another way to display his flag without violating said rules. If he doesn't like the rules he can move. .
I believe the law I quoted earlier prevents the homeowners from making or enforcing any laws which "restrict or prevent" him from flying a flag.
