Condo complex backs down in flag dispute

By LISA BEISEL, Staff Writer

Published 02/20/08

At sunset on Presidents Day, Deborah Ross removed the flag from her balcony for what she thought would be the last time.

Not because she wanted to - but because her condominium complex, Fairwinds, told her to.

Ms. Ross received a letter from the condo's management company last week mandating that the flag be removed by Feb. 18 and threatening fines for each day after that date that it still flew.

The letter, dated Feb. 8, references the condo's bylaws that state "No clothing, laundry or the like shall be hung from any part of any Unit or upon any of the common elements or from or upon any balcony or patio."

"I was...

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Flags - 2008-02-21 09:51:39

H.R. 42 (the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005) compels condominium associations to allow people to fly flags "within the association with respect to which such member has a separate ownership interest or a right to exclusive possession or use". In other words, if this individual had kept the flag within the confines or her property and was not causing a potential safety hazard by having it extend over the balcony as shown in the picture there would be no problem. Look at it this way, If you lived in a high rise apartment building, should you be given the right to hang a flag via a suction cup to the outside of your window?

To make this a "flag issue" and not a safety issue is irresponsible from both the violator, who by the way, was displaying a tattered flag, as well as the press.

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David I. - Annapolis, MD - Karma: Bad

Let me get this straight - 2008-02-21 06:55:32

I'm not sure I understand. Flags -- which generally make people sentimental and illogical, leading us blindly into murderous idiocies like this Iraq debacle -- are allowed. But hanging laundry, which actually serves a purpose and has never really caused any harm, is not allowed. Google 'project laundry list' and read for a couple of minutes, and I think you'll agree that the condo association has things completely backward.

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Alice Rondahl - Glen Burnie, MD - Karma: Bad