Daily News Journal - Richard Zelek resides in a house on the corner of Charleston Court in an upscale neighborhood of fine Southern-style homes designed to create the feel of a traditional American "Main Street."
But his love for America now has him in trouble with the neighborhood's homeowners association, which feels that he's gone too far.
"We're not trying to bring down the neighborhood. We're just trying to be patriotic," said Zelek, who generally considers his Stratford Hall neighborhood a friendly one.
So he was dismayed when he received a letter from the Stratford Hall Homeowners Association asking him to reduce the number of American flags displayed at his home for the Fourth of July.
His Independence Day holiday decoration includes 48 small American flags posted in the ground outside the home. There had been 50, but two of them broke.
There are also flag-themed banners hanging from the gate. Two ceramic Dalmatian dogs on either side of the front door wear Uncle Sam hats and red, white and blue bows for the occasion. And there is the flag that is displayed on the flagpole year round.
"You've got the Fourth of July, and you've got troops supporting our country," Zelek said. "I don't think we're crossing a line.
Thankfully, Mr. Zelek is having none of the demands.
"I live in a $300,000 house, and I don't care what the neighbors think," he said. "I'm not taking a single flag down to save my life."
The link above has a picture of Mr. Zelek's setup. Honestly, I don't see a thing wrong with it.
There are quite a few of these over-zealous homeowner association stories that crop up from time to time. I really don't know what purpose these associations serve other than to give an outlet for the pestering urges of busy-body neighbors.
I'm quite certain that I'll never be moving into a situation that puts me in anyway under the rule of such an organization.