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Henrico Medal of Honor recipient, 90, ordered to remove flagpole
Richmond Times-Dispatch ^ | 12/2/09 | Staff

Posted on 12/05/2009 1:34:25 PM PST by StarCMC

Col. Van T. Barfoot, a local Medal of Honor recipient, is under the gun from his Henrico County community's homeowner association.

In a five-paragraph letter to Barfoot that he received yesterday, Barfoot is being ordered to remove a flagpole from his yard. The decorated veteran of three wars, now 90 years old, raises the American flag every morning on the pole, then lowers and folds the flag at dusk each day in a three-corner military fashion.

...

There is no provision in the community's rules expressly forbidding flagpoles, Barfoot's daughter said. But she said the board ruled against her father's fixture and ordered it removed in July, deciding that free-standing flag poles are not aesthetically appropriate. Short flag stands attached to porches dot the community.

"Dad sort of feels like this is the end," said Margaret Nicholls, Barfoot's daughter, who lives a few doors away. But she said this morning that she and her husband are attempting to generate support for her father's cause, a flag-raising rite that he has undertaken for most of his life.

(Excerpt) Read more at 2.timesdispatch.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cmoh; elderly; hoa; medalofhonor; oldglory; vanbarfoot; veteran; virginia
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To: My Favorite Headache

Yeah, Levin was all over this story a coupla days ago. Said he planned on getting involved..I sure hope he can do something.


21 posted on 12/05/2009 1:58:32 PM PST by coloradomomba (BO stinks!)
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To: StarCMC

It would be a great privilege just to shake the hand of a Medal of Honor Man!

Better never to have been born than to be the sort of loathsome ass that would demand this old soldier remove his flag.


22 posted on 12/05/2009 2:01:53 PM PST by Bobalu (I AM JIM THOMPSON)
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To: StarCMC
I'm honored...2nd LT Barefoot (Tech Sgt. May 23 1944) Congressional Medal of Honor recipient executed his gallantry under fire on the day I was born. I just found I have the honor of a connection... to a true American Hero.

God Bless You 2nd Lt. Van T. Barefoot... Thank you for your selfless efforts guaranteeing Liberty and freedom for me, my children and my grandchildren.

23 posted on 12/05/2009 2:04:19 PM PST by Bob Eimiller (appeasement "it's the idea that if you feed the alligator he will eat you last." Winston Churchill)
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To: StarCMC

I’d like to help this man. Does anyone have names and addresses for the members of this disgraceful homeowners association? Do we have the email for this association? Local people could put American flags on their lawns. Calls and letters inviting them to show this man his due respect and reconsider their position. Can we get any pro bono help for him. These people aren’t worthy to shine this mans boots let alone tell him he can’t raise the American flag on his own property.


24 posted on 12/05/2009 2:08:20 PM PST by mistfree (The man who does not make any mistakes does not usually make anything.")
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To: StarCMC

Well, I hope these two men (with voting records nearly identical to Barbara Boxer) are not outflanking their Republican counterparts.


25 posted on 12/05/2009 2:09:28 PM PST by MSF BU (++)
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To: ripley
One wonders what the real issue is here

control freaks with a little power

26 posted on 12/05/2009 2:10:11 PM PST by 1000 silverlings (everything that deceives, also enchants: Plato)
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To: B Knotts

IMO you are absolutely correct. They are locally elected representatives who conduct community business including levying taxes.


27 posted on 12/05/2009 2:17:38 PM PST by Eagle Eye (3%)
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To: My Favorite Headache

So why would anyone buy an apartment and call it a house and follow someone else rules? I don’t get it?


28 posted on 12/05/2009 2:20:31 PM PST by cameraeye (A happy kufir!)
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To: StarCMC

You know, we could learn a few things from the left when it comes to things like this. Such as...

Everyone in the neighborhood who supports this guy puts up their own flagpoles.

Have a march through the neighborhood, with lots of flags and chanting and so forth.

File nuisance lawsuits based on vague civil rights complaints... hey, the guy is 90 years old. There’s got to be age-related discrimination somewhere in there.

Stand quietly on the street in front of the board president (or whoever is in charge of the group making the decision) holding up American flags.

Have a sit down strike. Since we’re talking seniors here, maybe lawn chairs would be in order. Some nice brownies. A cooler with iced tea.

Do it anyway.

Use the media. Play the media. Put up a website.

Create and sing humorous songs about the group banning the flag, then broadcast it on YouTube - and include the media, too.

Start letterwriting campaigns.

Hang little American flags everywhere.

Take out ads on television or the local paper. Be dramatic and floral, a la global warming and the deaths of the polar bears.

Make him a national hero. Speak highly of his record, always.

And never, ever, ever give up until that guy can get his flag put up every day as he wants to.

You know, the Alinsky rules for radicals can be used on behalf of this guy the same way that Obama and his minions uses them for themselves. When the left has gained power, those of us who are proudly American are the radicals. Carpe diem.


29 posted on 12/05/2009 2:25:13 PM PST by redpoll
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To: StarCMC

“I’m glad the law firm of Marchant, Honey & Baldwin, is representing Barfoot at no cost.” (found on this site)
( http://www.nissanoffroad.net/messageboard/index.php?topic=7831.msg91799 )

Good on them, I pray they are successful


30 posted on 12/05/2009 2:25:20 PM PST by mistfree (The man who does not make any mistakes does not usually make anything.")
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To: StarCMC

Where are the Virginia Patriots???

Do you stand by this man??? Will anyone help this Hero repel anyone who steps upon his property to remove a symbol that he honors every single day???

Is this enough, or does he have to accept this???

Or will this just be another example that will be thrown upon the trash-heap of those who oppose those of us who value, protect and personify what America (used to be) is???

Where are the Tea Partiers??? Where is the Governor-Elect???

Lessee who is able and ready to step up???


31 posted on 12/05/2009 2:25:35 PM PST by stevie_d_64
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To: StarCMC

Tommy gun.

Homeowners Association.

I need to stop thinking what I'm thinking.

32 posted on 12/05/2009 2:26:53 PM PST by SnuffaBolshevik
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To: mistfree

Post #18 had some contact info that I found. HTH


33 posted on 12/05/2009 2:37:03 PM PST by StarCMC (Sometimes you need a Jimmy Carter to get a Ronald Reagan.)
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To: fatnotlazy
"The board is probably made up of socialist democrats..."

It appears that in each of most threads about HOA property rights violations, there are usually at least three or four Freepers who agree with the HOAs. Here's another one about Barfoot. See some of the pro-HOA comments on the first page and the ongoing arguments on the second page.

Virginia Homeowner’s Board Orders 90-year-old Medal of Honor Winner to Remove Flagpole, or Else!
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2400027/posts


34 posted on 12/05/2009 2:42:35 PM PST by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), NG, '89-' 96, Duncan Hunter or no-vote)
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To: StarCMC

Stifle, shunt and/or kill anyone that has a memory of America.


35 posted on 12/05/2009 2:54:23 PM PST by knarf (I say things that are true ... I have no proof ... but they're true)
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To: cameraeye
So why would anyone buy an apartment and call it a house and follow someone else rules? I don’t get it?

that makes two of us.

I'd rather live in a tipi in the woods than live in under the thumb of a HOA...I'd be in trouble daily as I'd go against the grain just to assert my Independence

I DO live in the woods - my house hidden from road. I can get a tan without lines (not that anyone would take a chance on seeing that twice - I'm a great granny) ;o)

36 posted on 12/05/2009 2:56:06 PM PST by maine-iac7 ("He has the right to criticize who has the heart to help" Lincoln)
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To: eartrumpet

Mark Levin exposed this travesty on his program on Wednesday, and said he wanted the names of the bottom feeder lawyers who are involved in threatening Col. Barefoot with litigation...he wants to get one of these lawyers on his program, and he said that he wants to read out loud the names of the lawyers involved. Mark said he will take these slip and fall lawyers on.

We are being attacked at every turn, and we must fight back...soldiers in war cannot let up, and neither can we.


37 posted on 12/05/2009 2:57:10 PM PST by itssme
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To: stevie_d_64
"Where are the Tea Partiers???"

In my area, most or all of them live on HOA-controlled subdivisions of large acreages. They defend and support HOAs, big federal funding for public schools, funding from the federal VAWA (anti-Second-Amendment, anti-family), "smart growth" zoning ordinances, and the like. They're pretty good people in some ways. Among them are small business owners/debtors, west and east coast construction moguls, retiring corporate officers, folks who became wealthy in eastern Europe before the 1990s, government employees and labor union attorneys.


38 posted on 12/05/2009 2:59:41 PM PST by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), NG, '89-' 96, Duncan Hunter or no-vote)
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To: stevie_d_64
BTW, where I wrote, "They're pretty good people in some ways," a little local irony was intended there. You'll see in this thread that I disagree with legal immunities and other powers given to HOA bosses by the states.


39 posted on 12/05/2009 3:04:50 PM PST by familyop (cbt. engr. (cbt), NG, '89-' 96, Duncan Hunter or no-vote)
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To: StarCMC

I think that the neighborhood association may be backing down.


40 posted on 12/05/2009 3:09:55 PM PST by Clintonfatigued (Liberal sacred cows make great hamburger)
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