The housing community that will require ‘patriots’ to fly the US flag

[fooferdoggie]

he 17 June groundbreaking of a future suburban neighborhood in Gastonia, North Carolina, had all the trappings of a campaign rally. Brock Fankhauser, the real estate developer of 1776 Gastonia, waved to onlookers from the open top of a sport-utility vehicle; his wife, Nicole, was by his side, wearing a cowboy hat and matching T-shirt with the development’s namesake year, referring to the American Revolution.

Video footage of the event shows a crane dangling a giant US flag over the site where 43 lots are for sale. Parcels range from $17,500 to $75,000 for land, and homes cost $410,000 and up in this city 20 miles from Charlotte. A young girl rode a horse down a newly paved street flanked by American flags. She gripped the saddle with one hand; in the other, a giant flag. Her sandy blonde hair flowed in rhythm with the Stars and Stripes.

The housing community that will require ‘patriots’ to fly the US flag

Developer of North Carolina neighborhood for homeowners 55 and older says his brand ‘only the beginning’ of a ‘movement’

www.theguardian.com

 

[Clix Pix]

My first thought was, "isn't that illegal?" and in the article there is mention of this:

Taylor believes the 1776 Gastonia rule is the first of its kind in the state, and she’s curious about its implications for freedom of speech. She added that constitutional free speech protections generally don’t apply to private actions that curtail speech, such as covenants. But she’s still uncomfortable with the idea of the development’s flag mandate.

“I believe there is a strong public policy against requiring someone to espouse a particular political view, and I can’t help but think that is different from telling someone to simply keep silent,” said Taylor. “In my opinion, there is a real risk that the covenant requiring someone to fly a particular flag would be contrary to the public policy of the state of North Carolina and invalid.”

Of course no one would be forced to buy a house there in that community, and I'm sure many supporters of this project will use that argument.

 

[Hrafn]

I have neighbors who already think they live there.

 

[mac_in_tosh]

Will they also be required to hug it once a day, a la Trump?

 

[Eric]

I stopped hanging mine years ago, there's nothing happening in this country that gives me a sense of pride.

 

[Cmaier]

There’s an area of San Jose (willow glen) where the land covenants require garish outdoor Christmas decorations. Generally these sorts of restrictions don’t violate the first amendment.

And the good news, with all those jingoistic flag displays, it will be easy to make sure you don’t accidentally drive into that place.

 

[MEJHarrison]

Given that it's a new neighborhood and this won't be forced on existing residents, I have no problem with it. It's not for me. But I don't live there.

What I do have issues with is dirty, tattered flags in the back of pickups. And clothing made from a flag print. And politician's faces and/or dinosaurs on the flag. And so as not to lean too far in one direction, I didn't even care for the American flag I saw a few days ago turned into a Pride flag. The way I was raised, the American flag is more than just our countries official pattern. It has meaning and should be respected and treated with honor. People gave their lives so we could have that flag. Since then others have given their lives so we could keep it. I find it funny how many people show their American pride by disrespecting the flag.

My mother told me that back in the '60s she came home one day and had a flag on the back pocket of her pants. She said my grandfather kicked her out and told her not to ever come back again dressed like that. So, that's probably where I got it from.

 

[Eric]

There’s an area of San Jose (willow glen) where the land covenants require garish outdoor Christmas decorations. Generally these sorts of restrictions don’t violate the first amendment.

And the good news, with all those jingoistic flag displays, it will be easy to make sure you don’t accidentally drive into that place.

We just moved into a Willowglen property they did say something about everyone on the street decorating but it’s not mandatory, at least it was never disclosed.

 

[Cmaier]

We just moved into a Willowglen property they did say something about everyone on the street decorating but it’s not mandatory, at least it was never disclosed.

lol. It depends on which block you are on. We go with a bunch of friends and walk around gawking every winter. Huge crowds around Christmas.

 

[Eric]

Given that it's a new neighborhood and this won't be forced on existing residents, I have no problem with it. It's not for me. But I don't live there.

What I do have issues with is dirty, tattered flags in the back of pickups. And clothing made from a flag print. And politician's faces and/or dinosaurs on the flag. And so as not to lean too far in one direction, I didn't even care for the American flag I saw a few days ago turned into a Pride flag. The way I was raised, the American flag is more than just our countries official pattern. It has meaning and should be respected and treated with honor. People gave their lives so we could have that flag. Since then others have given their lives so we could keep it. I find it funny how many people show their American pride by disrespecting the flag.

My mother told me that back in the '60s she came home one day and had a flag on the back pocket of her pants. She said my grandfather kicked her out and told her not to ever come back again dressed like that. So, that's probably where I got it from.

I have all the admiration in the world for those who serve, just wanted that to be clear up front. But they're often fighting a war based on the whim of and ideology they rarely share with their generals or presidents and often times either drafter or coerced as a result of being poor.

I was brought up saying the pledge of allegiance (with 'one nation under God' and all) and taught to respect it but that's where it ends for me. First of all, if we're supposed to unite under the US flag in a country where MAGA and the SCOTUS run everything and strip people's freedoms they can suck my hairy bean bag because there's no fkn way that will ever happen.

Also, the true American flag is red, white and blue. It doesn't have a blue stripe for cops who choose to take a job where they put their lives on the line under the guise of "they're giving their lives because they have to". You chose it, you own it and if you don't like that work you can choose another path.

It's a direct reputation of BLM, people who (many) are born into poverty and then vilified when they turn to a life of crime because we refuse to acknowledge them while giving whitie all the breaks in the world.

I once saw video from a Conservative where he said if you want to fly your own flag for you own belief then by all means do so. But don't take the American flag and twist it into your vision of what it should be. He made a lot of sense.

 

[GermanSuplex]

The same people who have no problem flying the US flag next to the confederate flag. Or a Rambo Trump flag.

Flags mean nothing. It means something different to different people. Flying a flag doesn’t make you patriotic anymore than a rainbow flag makes you gay.

It’s a good symbol and nothing more, and the people who take it the most seriously are usually the ones who pervert the idea of the flag the most.

 

[Chew Toy McCoy]

I was going to post this in the supreme court thread, but I’ll just put it here. A recent article by a supreme court apologist stated possibly the biggest false equivalency I’ve ever read pointing out surprising decisions conservative judges have made, specifically Antonin Scalia fighting every fiber in his being to rule flag burning falls under free speech. So federal abortion rights tossed, bigotry endorsed, guns for just about everybody no matter how dangerous or ill advised, voting rights gutted, and countless decisions putting corporations above people. But hey, you can burn a flag. So I guess that makes it a wash. Burning flags hurts absolutely nobody except those who get mentally triggered by symbolism. Sounds like a mental health issue we also won’t do anything about.