I wrote about this outrageous story back on December 3rd. It was unbelievable to me that a 90 year old veteran of two wars would be harassed by a neighborhood association for the flagpole in his front yard.

Well the battle is over and he won.

“RICHMOND, Va. —  A 90-year-old Medal of Honor recipient can keep his 21-foot flagpole in his front yard after a homeowner’s association dropped its request to remove it, a spokesman for Democratic Virginia Sen. Mark Warner said Tuesday.”

“The Sussex Square homeowners’ association likewise has agreed to drop threats to take legal action against retired Army Col. Van T. Barfoot, Warner spokesman Kevin Hall said.”

“The association had threatened to take Barfoot to court if he failed to remove the pole from his suburban Richmond home by Friday. It had said the pole violated the neighborhood’s aesthetic guidelines.”

It’s great news that this honored veteran won but it still seems like a battle he never should have been forced to fight.

There were no civilian trials for our attackers in 1941.

Stories like this are maddening. I’m amazed that this sort of thing can even happen.

“90 year-old Colonel Van Barfoot has until Friday to remove the flagpole from his yard.”

“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”. Short flags are allowed on porches, but Barfoot says that’s not the way he was raised to respect the flag.”

“First of all, it’s not dignified, and it shows you got it in the half mast position… you can walk around here and I’ll bet you the American flag is hanging out in the rain, nobody ever checks it”, says Barfoot.”

“Family members say he’s the most decorated American combat veteran alive. Barfoot has been awared more than 20 medals, including the Medal of Honor, The Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, The Bronze Star, and three Purple Hearts.”

“Wounded in combat three times, Barfoot fought in World War II and in Vietnam.”

You would think someone at the neighborhood association would remind everyone that the guy served America in two wars. Let the man fly the flag he spent his life defending in any way he sees fit.

A big thank you to all of the heroes who wear the uniform of the United States!

We are awed by your sacrifice and courage!

Last time I checked, Oregon was part of the United States which leads one to the obvious question… Who among us is offended by the American flag???

“ALBANY, Ore. – At the Oaks Apartments in Albany, the management can fly their own flag advertising one and two bedroom apartments – but residents have been told they can’t fly any flags at all.”

“Jim Clausen flies the American flag from the back of his motorcycle. He has a son in the military heading back to Iraq, and the flag – he said – is his way of showing support.”

“This flag stands for all those people,” said Clausen, an Oaks Apartment resident. “It stands for the people that can no longer stand – who died in wars. That’s why I fly this flag.”

“But to Oaks Apartment management, Clausen said, the American flag symbolizes problems.”

“He was told to remove the red, white and blue from both of his rides, or face eviction.”

“It floored me,” he said. “I can’t believe she was saying what she was saying.”

“Even long-time residents like Sharron White, who has flown a flag on her car for eight years, has been told to take it down.”

“White said management told her that “someone might get offended.”

“I just said to her ‘They’ll just have to get over it,’” White said.”

“Resident we talked to who had been approached to take down their flags all told us the same thing: that management told them the flags could be offensive because they live in a diverse community.”

FULL STORY

This really beats all.

Our elected representatives are repeatedly pushing legislation against the will of the majority.

Children are singing songs about Obama in public schools where Christmas carols have been outlawed.

And now Americans can’t fly the United States flag in our own country for fear of offending people?

Really? Really???

I am offended. Deeply offended.

I am getting more offended by the day.

This is the Marine Corps veteran who spoke truth to power at a recent town hall meeting for Rep. Brian Baird of Washington State.

Tonight he was on Sean Hannity where he explained his frustration.

Wish this was an April Fool’s joke. It’s not.

Wow. Real funny, Bill.

Wizbang asks the question based on a series of recent observations about President Obama:

• His first call to any head of state as president was to Mahmoud Abbas, leader of Fatah party in the Palestinian territory.
• His first one on one interview with any news organization was with Al Arabia television.
• He ordered Guantanamo Bay closed and all military trials of detainees halted.
• He ordered all overseas CIA interrogation centers closed.
• He withdrew all charges against the masterminds behind the USS Cole and 9/11.
• Today [02/07/09] we learn that he is allowing hundreds of thousands of Palestinian refuges to move to and live in the US at American taxpayer expense.

“Anyone else seeing a pattern here?”

Yes Wizbang, we see it.

So does Glenn Beck:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zUfJ-vc4hM&hl=en&fs=1]

Hat tip to Ace.

In a tradition that spans 56 years and 14 inaugurations, new American Presidents visit an inaugural event called the Salute To Heroes Inaugural Ball. It honors recipients of the Purple Heart and other American heroes.

In a tradition Obama started in Landstuhl last July, Obama blew it off.

In his speech, when mentioning the sacrifice made by American Soldiers, Obama said:

“For us, they fought and died, in places like Concord and Gettysburg; Normandy and Khe Sahn.”

No mention of those who fought and died in Iraq and Afghanistan?

Low. Really low.

I’m not the only one who noticed.