The southeast Texas town of Port Neches is one of the most patriotic towns in America. So you can imagine the reaction when a local business owner was ordered to remove American flags posted outside their store.
For the past six years the family-owned Summer’s Abbey Flooring Center has posted American flags along the roadway in front of their store. They also give away American flags to local residents.
But on Monday the Texas Department of Transportation told the owners they had to remove the American flags after someone filed a complaint. It turns out the flags were posted on the state’s right of way and that is against the rules.
“They said we had 24 hours to take down the flags,” Summer Johnson said on the Todd Starnes Radio Show. “They didn’t say what the complaint was – but we never received a complaint in six years.”
The family posted a message on Facebook alerting the general public and urging them to fly Old Glory at their homes.
“They may be able to make us remove them from our road, but we hope this encourages even more people to fly it proudly in front of their home. Our annual flag giveaway will still continue annually for July 4th. We won’t let one person’s complaint stop our goal of painting Southeast Texas in red, white, and blue,” they wrote.
On Tuesday folks from all over town rallied outside the store – armed with the Star-Spangled Banner – dozens of patriots including a number of veterans.
“It is insane,” Summer said on the nationally-syndicated radio program. “There are people marching down the road carrying flags.”
The family was encouraged by the outcry from the community.
“It’s good to see everybody stand together for our nation instead of being divided – and standing up for the flag and what it means,” she said.