War Hero Can Keep His Flagpole

[Renew Deal]

Source: AP

RICHMOND, Va. (Dec. 9) -- A 90-year-old Medal of Honor winner can keep his 21-foot flagpole in his front yard after a homeowners 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.
<snip>

Warner and Sen. Jim Webb, both Virginia Democrats, had rallied behind Barfoot, a World War II veteran.

Read more: http://news.aol.com/article/world-war-ii-veteran-van-t-barfoot-can/799470

---

:patriot:

[Renew Deal]

1. How the fuck does this get unrecced?

I'd love to know who the troll is that did that.

[HuckleB]

2. You got me...? K & R.

[Zywiec]

3. Wow, you waited a whole 60 seconds to see how the thread would go?

:cry:

[Renew Deal]

4. lol

:banghead:

[HuckleB]

5. So you're noting that someone unrecced the piece in only a few seconds.

And you wonder why some people might hate the stupid feature?

[Zywiec]

13. Right, and now it's +14 and rising

Give each thread some time to be vetted. Sure there are people that will unrec automatically, but they aren't the majority.

I just hate the instant whining and crying if something isn't on the greatest page within minutes.

Every post is not fucking brilliant!

[HuckleB]

16. "Vetted?"

Please.

It's legitimate to wonder why other people would unrec certain posts.

[snooper2]

Well,

Some DU'ers are 100% anti-military anything, so it would be in their nature to unrec...

can't have a symbol of the MIC in your front yard :)


Or,

They are pissed off because their homeowners association wouldn't let them have that broken down LeSabre in their driveway :rofl:

[Mudoria]

14. I hate rec too

[HuckleB]

17. Cool.

[Zywiec]

44. Up +28. Those unrec trolls really did a number on this thread

:eyes:

[HuckleB]

45. You're still not responding to the actual concern.

But don't let that stop you.

[Zywiec]

48. Is your concern that someone unrec'd this too quickly?

They are obviously being outnumbered many times over. (Up +42 despite someone quickly hitting unrec)

How is this cause for concern?

:shrug:

[Gormy Cuss]

22. Someone who thinks HOAs are a good thing would be my guess.

You know, for the aesthetics and all.
:eyes:

[Gman2]

37. There are single issue trolls here. Gun nuts, and HOA apologists.

They think all the people that dont make their version of pretty, are scum, deadbeats and should be homeless. They are closet sociopaths.

[harmonicon]

28. I don't know, but I'm unreccing it now

I'm sick of seeing a post - generally one that I'm interested in, as I decided to read it - and scrolling down to read the comments only to find that the very first response is about some rec/unrec nonsense. I find this especially annoying when that response if by the OP. I unrec these threads because my time has already been wasted, and I want to save others from making that same mistake.

[The_Commonist]

30. I automatically unrec a thread...

...when the first reply is from the original poster, one minute after the original post, complaining about being unrecced. Sorry, but I feel that it's my civic duty...

[progressoid]

31. Some people don't like sex threads.

I, for one, don't want to read about some old guy's flagpole.




...oh...wait...nevermind. :blush:

[valerief]

38. It wasn't me, but it might be because it's in LBN. nt

[dipsydoodle]

6. Pleased to hear

that common sense has prevailed.

[endless october]

7. k/r

mandatory HOAs suck.

[Seedersandleechers]

29. I would never live in a place

that had a HOA. :puke:

[Guy Whitey Corngood]

8. That sounds kinda dirty.

:spank:

[Bigmack]

9. I hate this shit....

stupid actions like this by Home Owners' Associations just gives ammo to the RW whackjobs.
What were they possibly thinking? Guy with a MOH, American flag, good citizen... etc. They must have one of those "no tolerance" policies.
Dumbshits!

[Renew Deal]

11. Home Owners' Associations are RW whackjobs

:shrug:

[liberation]

21. LOL no kidding...

... at least in mine, it is cornered by the idle wives of a bunch of wingnut with way too much money for the little sense they posses. I am firmly convinced that PTAs and Home Owner Assc's attract the sociopathic personalities which crave power. It is astounding the power trips some people embark when even the access a position with even the slightest power...

I am willing to bet, the association was full of wingers who love the troops as a lip service... but they hate when they get "in the way." How dare this Medal of Honor feller break their beautiful views!

[MessiahRp]

10. "aesthetic guidelines". I hate that shit.

You don't own their property even if you live in their neighborhood. Let people live their lives how they want and keep your nose in your own shit.

Rp

[NYC_SKP]

12. Recommended.

What a fucking mess with the unreccers.

I feel for the mods with all they have to do but some of the membership here needs to just get the fuck off this board.

Or be forcibly removed.

:kick:

[superconnected]

19. I didn't un-rec it but I can guess why someone would. It looked like a RW-er demanding his

flag. Plus Home owners associations do usually have a RW nutjob running the place. I think it's their natural habitat to be in everyone elses business and tell them what to do. This topic looks like something a freeper would post because of the flag issue. Had it been that the guy was in trouble for a peace sign, I'd look on it differently.

[NYC_SKP]

23. Makes sense.

Sad thing is that the RW has so thoroughly appropriated the "patriot" theme that there's an automatic reaction to flag-related issues when, if fact, plenty of progressives, and especially veterans, may have very strong feelings about it.

:patriot:

[mrbarber]

34. Wait, so only RW nutjobs would want a 90 year old decorated soldier to be able to fly a flag..

On his own property?

This place boggles my mind sometimes.

[superconnected]

47. No, but after the bush "patriots" you get pretty leary of those who do.

[SidDithers]

25. The mods jobs would be a lot easier without the whinging about unrec...

and the threads started just to complain that this or that thread is being unrec'd, or the "hey, surely we can rec this thread up" threads.

If everyone just accepted it as a board feature, and realized that deserving threads will get their recs, then there'd be a lot more peace and tranquility around here.

Sid

[proud2BlibKansan]

53. +1

Sick to death of the whining about recs and unrecs. Get a freakin life people!

[Zodiak]

15. Homeowner's Association = I won't live there

No one buys a house and a piece a land only to be ordered around by their busy-body neighbors.

I hope he shoves that flagpole up their HOA ass.

[superconnected]

20. 1st time home owners do - my friend did. It was BAD for her.

I'm lucky I didn't. I never want to live in a neighborhood with one. I found a nice quiet neighborhood where nobody is in each others business.

[snooper2]

40. Why do you say that?

That was my number one requirement when looking for my first house. No HOA

The second one was a 2-car garage

Third, large mature trees :)

[Hassin Bin Sober]

41. It's a must for us city dwellers.

The only property that is affordable in my neighborhood is condos.

I've heard plenty of nightmare stories but our association is more like a commune. We don't get much done at meetings but we drink plenty of wine and eat cookies.

[louis-t]

18. 21 ft flagpole is not unreasonable.

Now if some idiot wants a 40 ft pole with a flag that blocks out the sun on an entire block, that's another thing.

[Bette Noir]

24. Simpsons did it.

[FBaggins]

26. It CAN be

It depends on the neighborhood. Some of the "sprawl" developments are pretty packed these days.

But as far as I'm concerned? You win the MOH and you can run up a flagpole anywhere you like. I'll salute and say "thank you for your service".

That pole was paid for in full in Italy.

[Haole Girl]

27. I'm glad

The poor guy's been through a lot. Three wars... wow.

:patriot:

[proteus_lives]

32. I can't believe people are hitting unrec. Read his Medal of Honor 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

I'm happy he gets his flagpole!
:patriot:

[valerief]

39. I'd never unrec something like this, but they might be unreccing because it's in LBN. nt

[thelordofhell]

51. And I'd help him put his flag up everyday

This man earned a nation's gratitude and respect!!

[aquart]

33. Well, I should think.

What bloody nerve of those twerps.

[winyanstaz]

35. K & R.......

Well good for him!
I don't know about the rest of America but I am sick to death of nosy busybodies poking their noses into every one else's business and shoving their ideas of how things should be down every else's neck.
To harass a vet about a flag pole! sheesh!

[valerief]

36. He oughta shove his flagpole where their aesthetics don't shine. nt

[bertman]

42. If there had been an old sofa sitting beside the flagpole I'd have to vote against the Colonel,

Medal of Honor or not.

:+

[Iggo]

43. What a beautiful first reply.

Really makes me want to read the rest of this thread.

Oh wait. No it doesn't.

[MissDeeds]

46. The first thing he ought to do

is run the freaking HOA up his 21 foot flag pole...butt first. :patriot:

K&R

[tom_paine]

49. Good. n/t

[Algorem]

50. he never heard of viagra?

[beyurslf]

52. No fan of an HOA here, but it isn't like he didn't know about the rules when he bought the house.

How about if you don't want to follow all of their stupid rules, you just don't live in the neighborhood? He was allowed to fly a flag just not on the tall pole.

[wolfgangmo]

55. Most MOH's are awarded posthumously.

Given that, if this MOH veteran wants a freakin' flagpole then he gets one.

Period.

[Vidar]

54. Good. If anyone earned the privilege, he did!

[CreekDog]

56. I'm glad level heads have prevailed

:)