Patriotism is not a word that should evoke anger, contempt or cause the nation’s citizens to treat the American flag as a marginalized archaic symbol. Yet, a Georgia home owners’ association (HOA) has done exactly that. According to the Washington Times, U.S. Navy veteran Tom Wilder and Air Force veteran Pete Rockett were warned that American flags flown outside 23 designated holidays constitute a threat to the “aesthetic and architectural theme of the community.”
Despite the fact that this unthinking action comes so close to the Memorial Day celebration of our nation’s heroes who gave the last full measure of their life to protect America’s freedom and security, the officials of the Village at Towne Lake Homeowners Association could care less. They apparently care more about the superficial aesthetic and architectural theme of their community than what the flag symbolizes for homeowners and especially these two and other veterans living in that community.
There is something moving across the nation like a virus which is slowly infecting the nation. It had its birth on many college campuses more than a few decades ago, when it became politically correct to burn the flag, stomp on patriotism and service to the nation, in a very organized attempt to neuter the nation’s foundational spirit.
These graduates were set into motion as small carefully aimed soulless bullets that would target businesses, political offices, media mainstream positions and even entertainment decision making suites of power and influence to spread the “new” anti-American flag, new-speak philosophy. These anti-American beliefs have spread into nearly every aspect of American life including infecting neighborhood HOAs.
So, when, the two military veterans were told to stand down by their home owner association they made the calculated decision to stand up for freedom, their First Amendment rights and to say no to political correctness. According to Fox News, the men affirmed that they were ready and prepared for a legal fight.
Can you imagine the frustration and angst that Pete Rockett, an Air Force veteran, felt when he received this callously crafted notice from the HOA to take down the flag? Rockett has flown the American flag outside of his home his entire adult life. Rockett stressed, “I did not take the flag down. It’s still up,” reported Fox News. He emphasized that his own son-in-law has done five tours in Iraq and Afghanistan.
This intentional minimizing of the American Flag and what it means and stands for in the nation’s culture is serious. This home owner association and far too many others would rather treat the flag as some type of ornament that one can display like a Christmas tree decoration.
Rockett even made that point to Fox & Friends hosts on Thursday. He stated, “They treat it by limiting it to the holidays as if it’s a decoration — like Christmas decorations. You can put up your Christmas decorations on these days. The American flag is not a decoration. It’s a symbol, and it’s a symbol of a lot of things, to a lot of people. I fly it because I served. I fly it because a lot of my buddies served and lost their lives.”
photo credit: Excerpted from: BPPrice ‘merica via photopin (license)
