Monday, October 12, 2009

The real story is the ACLU's support

Apartment bans U.S. flags
Jim Clausen was shocked when the new on-site manager of the Oaks Apartments in Albany told him he could face eviction if he did not remove the American flags that fly from his Jeep and motorcycle in the parking lot.

Clausen learned on Wednesday that American flags and others such as Mexican flags and college team flags were no longer allowed on vehicles parked at the complex.

He was told the rule applies to flag decals as well.

Jann Carson, the associate director of the ACLU of Oregon, said that Clausen and other tenants' civil rights are not being violated with the anti-flag rule.

It's always fun to watch the ACLU's selective outrage. They fight to turn back laws that punish illegal aliens in Columbia County but if a guy is in trouble for having an American flag decal on his car it's perfectly legit.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

Absolutlely disgusting for an apartment to tell people living in America that they cannot fly their Flag, that so many have died to protect.

All because of fucking MEXICO!

Read the interview as she talks of "diversity". Some people, for good reason, were pissed at all the Mexican flags (you run away from Mex. yet fly their flag?) there and the only way too stop it is too ban all flags, they think.
That is why ACLU agrees with the decision.

Millions of Mexicans move here in violation of our laws while funding drug cartels, thumbing thier nose at our soveirngty and gee whiz we become as corrupt as mexico, no wonder.

DAVE01 said...

I think it is time to finish the mexican-American war. We need to confiscate the rest of their country to pay for their crimes. It is time to round up all the criminal aliens and deport them to mexico. They need to experience massive amounts of illegal immigration.

Anonymous said...

Oh, what happened to your support of private property rights? Doesn't support your garbage agenda? So you don't like it? Figures.

The private property owner has every right to prohibit any type of behavior they wish. If the guy continues his antics, he might well need to find a new place to live.

OregonGuy said...

Landlords no longer have the right to enforce a no-pets policy.

Yep.

Landlords are evil.
.

Bobkatt said...

"I'm trying to avoid any conflict," Holcomb said. "I have a problem when tenants' rights to free speech come into contact with other tenants' rights of peaceful enjoyment. This policy is not a violation of anyone's civil rights.

"We're a diverse community here, and we've had previous problems with this sort of thing," she said.

Holcomb declined to say what types of problems those were.


It's a sad comment that an American flag or even a decal would be considered a problem or interfere with "other tenants' rights of peaceful enjoyment". I guess if this gentleman had a bike painted like Peter Fonda's Easy Rider he would have to keep it covered while parking in his own parking spot.

Anonymous said...

I wonder what the ACLU would say if he were flying a RAINBOW flag, that is used as a gay symbol?

Pinkie

Anonymous said...

It's always fun to watch the ACLU's selective outrage ...

Miglavs, of course, being Oregon's resident expert on "selective outrage."

(And by the way, I disagree with the ACLU on this one ... people should be able to fly whatever flag they want, with reasonable restrictions on size, placement ... i.e, not obstructing someone else's view, etc.)

Hal Lillywhite said...

As a private landowner, the apartment complex has a right to impose that requirement. We may not like the rules but it is their property.

However they have no right to change the rental or lease contracts unilaterally. If I were a tenant there I'd be looking at the contract to see if it allows such rule changes.

I'd also be looking to move to a more reasonable apartment. With today's housing market I've no doubt I'd find one, as would other tenants. The apartment owner would suffer the consequences of a stupid decision in a free market. He'd likely be facing a judge, a bankruptcy judge.

Anonymous said...

Come on it is just a flag. What a bunch of whinners.

Bobkatt said...

Hal- you probably are right. I wonder if the ACLU would chime in if the dude with the flag decided to burn it in the parking lot of the apartment building? Since the apartment can ban flag decals can they also ban Obama stickers or Jesus fish decals? How about "Support Our Troops" magnets? I would hate for anyone to be offended by the very symbol of personal expression.

Scottiebill said...

Hal is right about the stupid decisions by landlords having bad consequences.

A case in point: Here in Vancouver, the owner of a small business complex on Fourth Plain near Gher Road had a tenant who runs a successful quilting supply and fabric store. About four years ago, this landlord wouldn't renew her lease because he had a potential tenant prospect that would pay more rent than he was getting from the quilt shop. She moved out and found a spot near the Mill Plain Fred Meyer store. As for the greedy landlord, the potential tenant backed out of the deal and the place has been empty ever since, some four years. He recently asked the quilter to move back for the same rent as before and she said no.

Paybacks are a bitch as are unintended consequences.

Jim in KFalls said...

Could Mr. Clausen simply park his car with his flags on the side of the road adjacent to the apartment complex?

Can Mr. Clausen purchase a flag and hang it on the wall in his apartment? Would it be a violation of the rules if said flag was visible through the window of his apartment?

This is where it gets gray for me - The landlord should have every right to limit what happens on his property that is in plain public view, could cause an environmental hazard, or violates noise or other such ordenances. But IMO, if the action doesn't violate any other law and is not in plain public view then the landlord looses the right to restrict another person's freedom when he offers said property up for lease.

In this case if the flag were on the outside of the guy's car - then I can see the landlord having the right to prohibit the flag, however if it were a decal on the inside of the guy's window, then the landlord doesn't have said right if he offers parking for his residents. The difference being there is something physical between the object and public access. If the car were painted up like the Swiss flag, then the landlord would have the right to prohibit the car from parking on his property because there is nothing between the car and public access.

But that is just my opinion.

Taking this to the N'th degree - should LL's be able to tell you what you can cook? (Afterall, some things smell really really good to some people but not others) - the way you speak? (profanity is offensive to some but not others) - prohibit religious artifacts in your dwelling (I'd think that a statue of budda could be offensive to anorexics) - fire arms (are certainly offensive to some people)...

Anonymous said...

You’ve got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught
From year to year,
It’s got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You’ve got to be carefully taught.

You’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade,
You’ve got to be carefully taught.

You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You’ve got to be carefully taught!

Anonymous said...

You've got to be taught
To ignore the truth.
You've got to begin
By teaching the youth.
Reward the teachers
That share your voice.
Stifle the parents
That ask for a choice.

You've got to be taught
Which laws to obey.
You've got to be taught
Which words are Okay.
Cry racist and bigot
whenever you choose.
Especially in arguments
You are likely to lose.

Cry Nazi, Nativist, or Ku Klux Klan.
These words come in handy
They're part of the plan.
Keep them defensive
If that's all you've got.
By calling them things
That they are not.

Anonymous said...

Just a note:

Flags that fly from antennas and such get tattered rather quickly. I believe it is a violation of the U.S. Flag Code to continue to fly a tattered flag, but many ignore that.

This person is trying to be uber-patriotic, yet may be violating the flag code.