Henrico Medal of Honor recipient, 90, ordered to remove flagpole

Richmond Times-Dispatch ^ | 12/2/09 | Staff

[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.

[guitarplayer1953]

How long has he been living in this home and why are they just now saying to take down the flag pole?

[MissDairyGoodnessVT]

i bet it’s the flapping in the breeze of the flag that’s bothering those people in that community. SHAME ON THEM and the HOMEOWNER’S ASSOC.

[TurtleUp]

Obama voters almost always object to the flag ... with only one exception that I'm aware of:

[eartrumpet]

Thanks. I sent them a little note. I also included his Medal citation to remind them what he has given for his country.

[Earthdweller]

"Does anyone know an email address for said Sussex Square Homeowners Association?"

I'd like to know their physical address...I'd like to send them a bucket of spit.

[Kathy in Alaska]

This is disgusting!! Discounting all the logic, this hero is 90 years old. Makes one think the HOA is just beating its chest and making sure everyone understands that they are the boss and must be obeyed. I hope to heck that the locals, a senator or two, and others are able to make a big enough issue that the HOA will back off this dumb edict.

And the ruling that “free-standing flag poles are not aesthetically appropriate” is a sorry excuse for this action.

[luvie]

Disgusting and disrespectful of the flag, this hero AND
our country! What a sad time we live in!

[ConorMacNessa]

The HOA should cease and desist from persecuting this American Hero and go back to the subterranean realm where it belongs!

Lamh Foistenach Abu!

[mylife]

I lived in an HOA once and only once

[luvie]

Makes me want to cry at the slap in the face to this hero.

[mylife]

HOAs pee on everyone equally. Its a lousy way to live

[Pan_Yan]

The HOA members should be fighting for the privilage of crawling on their hands and knees at dawn each morning to help him raise the colors.

[luvie]

Yes, and I hope I never live in a community like that! That poor man....he must feel like he’s been slapped for being
a patriot!

[mylife]

They pretty much step on everyone’s rights

[Onelifetogive]

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

So, should Medal of Honor winners not have to conform to contracts, or anyone 90 or older? He agreed to the covenants when he bought the property.

[AZamericonnie]

And the ruling that “free-standing flag poles are not aesthetically appropriate” is a sorry excuse for this action.

It's also very subjective....I happen to find 'free-standing flag poles' very aesthetically pleasing.

Regardless the HOA should be ashamed of their actions & I do hope many rally around this hero & put them in their place!

[ripley]

“Control freaks with a little power...”

He’s been running the U.S. flag up the same flagpole for years. Why the big controversy now?

IMHO

[usmcobra]

If you had read the information on this suit you'd know that there is nothing in the HOA's by laws that say he cannot have a flagpole free standing or other wise. The HOA in this case is making an example of an Old Man that lives on the very end of a cul-de-sac on the very border of this devolpement and the furthest away from the entrance to the community as one can get.

A is his house, and I would dare to say it is practically invisible to any passerby on the roads that pas by this community.

The pole in question is barely higher than the roof of his property and is it is flanked by his house on the north and the east making it barely visible to say the least. This is a textbook example of a HOA gone wild trying to enforce a regulation that don't exist against an Old Man that is a veteran.

[familyop]

"So, should Medal of Honor winners not have to conform to contracts, or anyone 90 or older? He agreed to the covenants when he bought the property."

First, they're commie HOA scum. Second, there is no prohibition against flying the Flag in the fake laws of their little, private, communist HOA government. Third, the Constitution and U.S. code support both general property rights and the specific right to fly the flag--even against the communist wishes of HOA collectives.

[mylife]

Give over control to even local Gubmint and this is what you get.