Apartment residents told to take down U.S. flags

[LDM]

Apartment residents told to take down U.S. flags | KATU.com - News, Weather and Sports - Portland, Oregon | Local & Regional
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ALBANY, Ore. - At the Oaks Apartments in Albany, the management can fly their own flag advertising one and two bedroom apartments - but residents have been told they can't fly any flags at all.

Jim Clausen flies the American flag from the back of his motorcycle. He has a son in the military heading back to Iraq, and the flag - he said - is his way of showing support.

"This flag stands for all those people," said Clausen, an Oaks Apartment resident. "It stands for the people that can no longer stand - who died in wars. That's why I fly this flag."

But to Oaks Apartment management, Clausen said, the American flag symbolizes problems.

He was told to remove the red, white and blue from both of his rides, or face eviction.

"It floored me," he said. "I can't believe she was saying what she was saying."

Even long-time residents like Sharron White, who has flown a flag on her car for eight years, has been told to take it down.

White said management told her that "someone might get offended."

"I just said to her 'They'll just have to get over it,'" White said.

Resident we talked to who had been approached to take down their flags all told us the same thing: that management told them the flags could be offensive because they live in a diverse community.

Attempts to find out for ourselves why management would ban flags were unsuccessful. KATU wanted to talk to management at Oaks Apartments, but no one has returned our calls. The woman we were told had made the decision said she was "not going to answer any questions."

The mother of one soldier fighting in Iraq put up a poster in her son's apartment window when she learned of the ban. Her son's roommate said he'll risk eviction to make sure it stays.

Another Oaks Apartment resident, Judith Sherer, doesn't have a car. Instead she carries an American flag around the complex to protest the ban, and wonders if the flag pin she wears is next to be "singled out."

"If I put it on and I walk outside, what's going to happen?" Sherer muses. "Am I going to be confronted by a manager about this?"

We're told the ban includes sports flags and even flag stickers on cars.

[Blue42]

Originally Posted by LDM

Apartment residents told to take down U.S. flags | KATU.com - News, Weather and Sports - Portland, Oregon | Local & Regional
------------------------------------------------
ALBANY, Ore. - At the Oaks Apartments in Albany, the management can fly their own flag advertising one and two bedroom apartments - but residents have been told they can't fly any flags at all.

Jim Clausen flies the American flag from the back of his motorcycle. He has a son in the military heading back to Iraq, and the flag - he said - is his way of showing support.

"This flag stands for all those people," said Clausen, an Oaks Apartment resident. "It stands for the people that can no longer stand - who died in wars. That's why I fly this flag."

But to Oaks Apartment management, Clausen said, the American flag symbolizes problems.

He was told to remove the red, white and blue from both of his rides, or face eviction.

"It floored me," he said. "I can't believe she was saying what she was saying."

Even long-time residents like Sharron White, who has flown a flag on her car for eight years, has been told to take it down.

White said management told her that "someone might get offended."

"I just said to her 'They'll just have to get over it,'" White said.

Resident we talked to who had been approached to take down their flags all told us the same thing: that management told them the flags could be offensive because they live in a diverse community.

Attempts to find out for ourselves why management would ban flags were unsuccessful. KATU wanted to talk to management at Oaks Apartments, but no one has returned our calls. The woman we were told had made the decision said she was "not going to answer any questions."

The mother of one soldier fighting in Iraq put up a poster in her son's apartment window when she learned of the ban. Her son's roommate said he'll risk eviction to make sure it stays.

Another Oaks Apartment resident, Judith Sherer, doesn't have a car. Instead she carries an American flag around the complex to protest the ban, and wonders if the flag pin she wears is next to be "singled out."

"If I put it on and I walk outside, what's going to happen?" Sherer muses. "Am I going to be confronted by a manager about this?"

We're told the ban includes sports flags and even flag stickers on cars.

Let me know ill buy everyone there a flag and help them display it correctly, and beat the sheet outta that manager if he/she comes around crying, anyone may run up to me whineing about the US Flag, but they will walk away with a limp.

[dragonsgt]

They don't live in a diverse community. They live in THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. IT'S OUR FLAG, FLY IT! Someone needs to sue this apartment complex for violation of their civil rights.

[HapkidoKa]

I'm just absolutely disgusted! If anyone is offended by the American flag they have no business here! This is my country and if it offends you then you offend me!

[Bowles]

WTF! This is what happens when hippies grow up and start running apartment complexes!

[LibertyorDeath]

WTF, I will even let inmates put a flag sticker on their ID or a post a (paper) flag on an off limits area of their wall. Provided it doesn't become a security issue. That's about the only time I bend the rules. Now if they try flaunting their military service that is a different issue. Ever since this guy said "I am a veteran you better respect me" I have lost what little respect I had for incarcerated veterans, especially being a veteran myself.

[Idaho_Steelheader]

WTF Is going on with this country!

[Jarhead Fed]

Man...what's next? They've already all but eliminated God from the phrase, "God, Country, and Corps". Now they're going after ther "Country" by trying to ban flags. Next someone will be telling me they're trying to dismantle the Marine Corps because we're "too offensive". Unbelievable.

[LDM]

Originally Posted by LibertyorDeath

WTF, I will even let inmates put a flag sticker on their ID or a post a (paper) flag on an off limits area of their wall. Provided it doesn't become a security issue. That's about the only time I bend the rules. Now if they try flaunting their military service that is a different issue. Ever since this guy said "I am a veteran you better respect me" I have lost what little respect I had for incarcerated veterans, especially being a veteran myself.

I have NEVER heard of this. Could you explain?

[bolaman1975me]

yeah i'm sure if they had a flag burning...that would be ok...because that is ok....i mean why would anybody want to be proud of there flag....WTF....i wonder if it was a Mexican flag or a gay rights flag if there would still be a problem.