Thread: They don't make them like they used to.

Col. Van T. Barfoot won his fight to fly the American flag on the flagpole in front of his house. The HOA backed down. I hate HOA's!!

Here is the story:
Virginia Veteran Wins Battle to Keep His Flagpole in Yard - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

Did I mention that I hate HOA's?

can i hear an AMEN, thanks for the update...i had heard last week they were trying to stop him...considering he is a congressional medal of honor winner, i think he has more than earned the right to fly the flag anywhere he damn well pleases......and as far as the HOA..

Sad sad people that are so bored minding their own business that they start rallying against someone else's flagpole.

Originally Posted by JMS

Did I mention that I hate HOA's?

Mark,

I think you forgot to mention what you think of HOAs!

I hate HOAs with the blaze of a thousand suns, luckily they are not common *just yet* over here.

Your arch-nemesis
Michael

Well that's definitely one for common sense.

This is another of those areas which seems so incongruous in the USA. The land of the free, where collective legislation (be it state or societal) which restricts the individual is frowned upon.

When I pass through various estates in the US where all the houses are painted a uniform grey (gray) and no adornments are permitted, the whole thing looks like a scene from the Truman Show. I'm assuming it's these HOA's which prevent anyone from painting their house a different colour or changing the landscape.

It's something you'd expect to see in 'lefty, socialist' Europe. But I could not imagine being prevented from painting my house the colour I want. Indeed, an Englishman's home is his castle (as they say).

Having said that, I suppose it's a question of degrees. I live in a 'protected' area which means I cannot chop a tree down in my own garden, or install a satellite dish on the front of my house.

[EDIT] Case in point: imagine how much worse this scene would look if Copenhagen decided every house had to be the same shade of grey!

Okay, but what do you do about the whack-job that wants to fly 17 different flags on their lawn, including the official flag of Disneyland, or something similar?

Let them! If it's their property, let them put 17 different flags up. The neighbours might 'persuade' him not to. But we all know that people can and do use legislation to take it to the Nth degree. So what starts out as a method to prevent multiple nut-job flags ends up preventing you from painting your house slate-grey instead of blue-grey.

I hate HOAs, but you can't fault them when people sign the paperwork. It's the resident's fault for buying a house there in the first place.

That said, if you are awarded the Medal of Honor, do whatever the hell you want. This particular association should have known better than to even bother fighting this.

Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Army, 157th Infantry, 45th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Carano, Italy, 23 May 1944. Entered service at: Carthage, Miss. Birth: Edinburg, Miss. G.O. No.: 79, 4 October 1944.

Citation: 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.

You don't mess with this man and you darn sure don't tell him he can't do something. You honor him, express your gratitude, and buy him a drink.

EDIT: After all that, he decided to serve again in both the Korean and Vietnam wars, earning a purple heart.

Originally Posted by commiecat

I hate HOAs, but you can't fault them when people sign the paperwork. It's the resident's fault for buying a house there in the first place.

That said, if you are awarded the Medal of Honor, do whatever the hell you want. This particular association should have known better than to even bother fighting this.



You don't mess with this man and you darn sure don't tell him he can't do something. You honor him, express your gratitude, and buy him a drink.

EDIT: After all that, he decided to serve again in both the Korean and Vietnam wars, earning a purple heart.

OH NO, i am gonna really catch hell for this...i completely agree with you on this subject..we don't agree on anything else so far...but this is a no brainer...he deserves to do just about anything he wants, where he wants, when he wants...he has paid the price to do so....

Originally Posted by JMS

Col. Van T. Barfoot won his fight to fly the American flag on the flagpole in front of his house. The HOA backed down. I hate HOA's!!

Here is the story:
Virginia Veteran Wins Battle to Keep His Flagpole in Yard - Local News | News Articles | National News | US News - FOXNews.com

Did I mention that I hate HOA's?

Could someone inform this Aussie what are HOA's ? I reckon whatever they are we may have an infestation of them down under. What do you eradicate them with?

Cheers