One source of disgruntlement with my current Crushing Burden of Debt has to do with the fascistic nature of the local homeowner’s association. These soviets are typically composed of those with far too little of their own to do, and far too much interest in what their neighbors are up to. Who would want to serve on a board whose chief purpose is to dictate the terms of their neighbors home lives and levy fines against them when those neighbors fall short of the perfect ideal?
Precisely the sort of busybody who ought not be vested with that authority. Power corrupts, and a little bit of power corrupts little people.
It’s all for a Good Cause of course, keeping the neighborhood looking “nice” and “tidy”, buoying up the property values and keeping the area safe. For the children.
But this is the Socialist Republic of California, so along with the unbeatable weather one has to expect a dose of neighborly paternalism. So I was a little more shocked to learn that in My Own, My Native Land a row has arisen over the decision of a Medal of Honor awardee to hoist the colors in his own front yard:
Colonel Van Barfoot’s homeowner’s association has ordered him to remove the flagpole from his yard.
90 year-old Colonel Van Barfoot now has until Friday, December 11, to reach a compromise with his homeowner’s association over the flagpole from his yard. This according to an attorney representing the Sussex Square neighborhood association.
Since this saga began, it’s been played out on the radio from Washington D.C. to Boston, but many believe what is happening to this true American hero is tarnishing the image of Richmond.
Barfoot lives in the Sussex Square community in western Henrico County. He moved there in July, and was ordered to remove the flagpole from his front lawn when he flew the flag on Labor Day, and again on Veterans Day.
The homeowner’s association doesn’t explicitly forbid flagpoles but they must be “aesthetically appropriate”.
Oh, Virginia. I expected so much more from you.
My wife is our HOA President, and it is a thankless job. Half of the people want her to fine everybody to death and enforce every last little quibble, and the other half can’t understand why the HOA should be able to tell them they can’t have three cars up on blocks on there front lawn. Not much middle ground.
“Who would want to serve on a board whose chief purpose is to dictate the terms of their neighbors home lives and levy fines against them when those neighbors fall short of the perfect ideal?” Somebody who craves control over other people, or somebody naive enough about human nature, as my wife can be sometimes, to think she can actually do some good. ‘course, that attitude is parttly why I married her in the first place.
The case of Colonel Van Barfoot is enough to make a guy want to live on 20 acres out in the country.
I’m pretty sure I’d just resign from my board if it came to having to fine someone for flying the flag. I sure as heck wouldn’t be part of a board that would hire a lawyer to go after a 90-year-old medal of honor winner. Holy crap!
This is exactly why I still live on 18 acres out in the country. The day I own the title to land and somebody else I don’t elect can tell me what to do with it is the day freedom died in that location.
And where does a HOA get the legal right to issue fines? The concept is entirely foreign to me.
– Max
It’s not the Virginia you grew up in. Sadly I would expect this from the denizens of the People’s Republic of Fairfax – especially those in the Utopia better know as Reston but Henrico? I’d only expect this in Virginia within say 30 miles from the White House but never within 30 miles of the Condfederate White House.
That’s what happens when the damn Yankees are allowed to immigrate unabated and had more than a little with why I now reside in Texas. My Old Dominion – it is to weep….
It ain’t much better here in Texas. Texas law allows the HOA’s to sue you and win or lose, you pay! That was supposed to be changed but I haven’t seen anything on it.
It used to really chap my a$$ to have to send those guys $300+ every year so they could afford to harass me. We would park our motorhome in the driveway to load and unload (48 hours or less) and always got a threatning letter of reprimand. I put an end to that when I checked city code and realized I was allowed to park it on the street for 72 hours. I threatened to park it on the street (BIG hassle for our neighbors) if they didn’t stop. They stopped.
One of the root problems of some HOAs is that they hire young people fresh out of school to do the daily management of the HOA. Most of these people have zero experience in home ownership.
HOAs are a PITA everywhere. Small minded twits dream up this shit just to screw with everybody else. Yes in Texas as elsewhere the assholes who want to tell everyone else what to do come oozing out of the sewers right up into their whirlpool tub next to their faux marble master baths big enough to wash the scum off their obese lard asses.
I wish they still had that law on the books where defense for murder was “he needed killing”. Might go far to end this sorts of crap.
HOAs and their ilk rub me about like having to listen to AL Gore talk for more than 5 msec.
HOA’s collect money and cause problems. For the greater good – whatever. I always get a letter in my mailbox (put there not by the mail carrier which is a federal offense) about mid way through duck season reminding me that I am in violation of the covenants by parking a boat in my driveway. A tacky, dirty, olive drab duck boat no less. It magically disappears at the end of the season – back to its socially acceptable hiding place down at the lake. I’m sure this year will be no exception. They want it gone early they’re going to have to negotiate with the 105 lb Lab – he gets very upset if the boat leaves without him
Hell Steve your HoA ought to PAY YOU for your display of your canoes! ARTWORK that they are!
-JC
You ought to see the dust cloud on trash day! I try not to run equipment early or late with the garage doors open.
Quoting post on another blog: The words “Medal of Honor” trump the HOA decision.
This morning a local talk radio guy read aloud Col Barfoots Medal of Honor Citation…simpley amazing and well worth a read. Best
PS, Join a flippen sissy commune…what do you gomers expect?
The citation:
Joe, Many thanks for the link. Best
Before we bought (escaped into) a single-family home, we lived in a 6-unit condo building that couldn’t afford a professional property manager, so we were self-run (into the ground). Everyone had to take a turn as an officer for a year and somehow I wound up as president. EVERY meeting was a battle and common sense was nowhere to be found. Power trips were a regularity. I am so glad that’s over.
Those people need to seriously take a step back and realize that they’re looking like fools.
Geesh, two weeks ago we read about Lew Millet. We don’t have that many of these guys walking around anymore. They are national treasures for our communal psyche for goodness sakes. I’m surprised the local VFW hasn’t plastered flagpoles all over that dadgummed Sussex Square. Either the red white and blue – or perhaps more fitting would be the old Soviet flag.
I got 25 acres with my brother in law next door. Our bylaws (and we had to have them in Charleston County because we have a shared drive to the 44 acres) requires every HOA meeting to be conducted in a boat. So we have HOA meetings during trout season, tarpon season, duck season (now), spot tail season, and any other reason-season to get away from the women folk.
And Steve- I know what you mean about leaving the Lab. We can’t – Simmons the Wuunerdog will jump in and follow us if left outside. Try pulling in a wet 100 lb black lab.
The good Colonel took on 3 machinegun nests, 3 tanks and an artillery piece with a tommy gun, a bazooka and one giant set of brass. Somehow I don’t think a strongly worded letter from the HOA, or subsequent court action will be much of a deterent.
Agreed with our host that HOAs are the province of the small minded who lack the common sense to get along politely with others without the ‘benefit’ of an ever expanding and petty list of rules.
All honor to the MOH holder. But frankly I don’t care whether you’ve got an MOH or never served at all. The American flag belongs to all citizens equally, regardless of whether they have served under it or not. Perhaps what Virginia needs is a State law that says that no HOA, municipality, township or county can put any restriction whatsoever on a flag displayed on residential property – perhaps with the sole proviso that the flagpole cannot be so tall as to extend beyond the owner’s property line if it falls over.
It’s called the First Amendment…freedom of expression. State laws to the contrary neither required nor tolerated.
If I recall correctly (admitting that it’s entirely possible that I don’t), didn’t the satellite TV lobby get a law passed to the effect that HOAs cannot ban the mounting of satellite TV dishes? Wouldn’t it be possible for the American Flag lobby (us?) to get a similar law passed: e.g. “No State may allow any HOA to make any regulation preventing a homeowner from erecting, on his property, a flagpole for the purpose of properly displaying the American Flag, nor may it prevent him from properly displaying that Flag.”
They ought to be thankful that he’s not flying signal flags along with the Flag… “Foxtrot… Tango… Hotel… Oscar… Alpha…
My flagpole, when I get it erected, is gonna have yardarms.
My wife and I were talking about this last night. We agreed that it has received enough press that if they don’t reverse course the people pushing him to take it down will have to move to another country. They wont be able to live peaceably anywhere in this one.
I think Ron has the right idea. Though quietly explaining to the HOA that their behavior in unacceptable would do.
This should be done discreetly. Using a bomb would be too much.
So……ok, Mike M. Canx the bomb–roger that. Are we downgrading to mere hand-grenades now? A more discreet blast that will be contained within 4 walls, eh?
Sounds logical. Please advise…the motor’s running on the get-away car…
1500 yards, shell, 4 1/2 second fuse.
DefTec’s. Bedroom window. Random deliveries.
IMHO the Colonel can fly the Ensign anyway and anywhere on his property he damn well pleases.
I would suspect that the Colonel would think so also. Correctly.
HOAs? Proper English I believe is Horns of Africa, not Horn of Africas, of which I am pretty sure there is only one, and I am stuck there.
Oh wait…
For all I care, a MoH recipient (assuming not posthumously) should ba allowed to do what he damn well pleases. If he ran naked down the street carrying Old Glory (that’s the flag people!) with a pair of sparklers shooting out his arse, I’d stand by with a big ol grin on my mug and SALUTE that worthy man!
Jus’sayn’
-JC
In Chicago it wouldn’t matter if he were dead.
Was the VP of our HOA for two years recently. I was by far the youngest person on the board, and saw my main duty as being to interject as much common sense as I could into the proceedings. Was surprised at the vindictive nature of some of the other board members, and their attitudes towards younger families. Quit after my term was up – too much time & energy that could be better spent on family & school.
But on the bright side, it did qualify me for the Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal (no kidding!).
We neighbors successfully refused to form an HOA despite claims by the developer that it was a legal requirement. Common areas are maintained by ourselves, no fees collected, no meetings required, and no added rules. It works great.
I think he needs to keep hoisting the Flag every day. He also needs to construct a second flagpole, on which he hoists the Gadsden Flag every day. No need for a Wookiee suit, a MoH lapel pin easily trumps that.
Look up Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005. The HOA is breaking the law of the land