By Todd Starnes
Beware of apartment communities that ban public displays of patriotism.
Army veteran Gary Larose, of Fresno, California, learned that lesson the hard way.
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Mr. Larose, a Vietnam War veteran, was ordered to remove a U.S. Army flag from the balcony of his apartment unit. He was also told he could not fly an American flag.
Television station KMPH first reported the incident.
Mr. Larose received a letter from the management company that runs the Village at Shaw – alleging he had committed a lease violation.
“You have a flag, on a flag pole on your balcony ledge,” the letter read. “This is not allowed. Only patio furniture or potted plants are allowed.
His wind chimes were permissible and so was his decorative frog. But the flag had to come down.
“All of us veterans are proud of it,” Mr. Larose said. “We fought for it. Let us show that we love it.”
The apartment complex told him it was a matter of public safety.
So Mr. Larose followed the rules and put away his U.S. Army flag.
“I’m proud of it (the flag),” he said. “I fought for you guys. I fought for what they told me to do. And now, I can’t even fly it. And it hurts. It really does.”
The property management company that runs the Village at Shaw is called CONAM. I’m sure they would appreciate a phone call regarding their flag policies.