Keep your government hands in our business

[kinvore.livejournal.com]

This weekend is Memorial Day weekend in the States, where we honor the men and women who died in military service. You'll see all kinds of patriotic fervor during this time, hell even PBS gets involved, but I'm not by any means complaining. Then we get stuff like this:

A property management company is under hot water for telling a tenant that after Memorial Day he has to take down an American Flag that he has on display in his window.

Here's what gets me:

Dawn Price said she now works to amend the federal Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005, which states no "condominium association, cooperative association, or residential real estate management association" may stop someone from flying the American flag. The law, however, does not apply to renters.

First I'm amazed we even have such a law to begin with, and I'm even more amazed that they want it even more intrusive. I thought conservatives didn't want government telling business what to do? Did these tenants not read their contract before signing it? Shouldn't we let the market decide if this is a good business practice?

It just seems like an example of glaring hypocrisy. Freedom is a double-edged sword, and sometimes it means having to tolerate things you don't agree with.

Comments

[rasilio.livejournal.com]

Forget landlords, many Home Owners Associations do that to people who own their own homes (including the one I am a part of).

And no, an externally displayed object does not qualify as "quiet enjoyment" because it being viewed externally sends messages to prospective tenants and may drive business away.

If you want to hang a flag in your living room then there isn't much the landlord can say, but hang it externally and there generally is.

I should also note here, I do not agree with the restriction, I think it is a STUPID one that no tenant should take for one minute longer than they have to, I feel the same way about restrictions on curtains in the windows, what kind of flowers you plant in your yard, and all similar restrictions placed either by HOA's, Condo Associations, or Landlords. However my disagreement with the policy does not mean I believe that government needs to be butting into a private contract negotiation or telling the landlord what he must and must not allow on his property.

[magdalene74.livejournal.com]

i dont think the government should get into it but personally i think that anyone who is offended by a display of the american flag IN america needs to seriously consider whether or not they are happy here.. maybe they should move. maybe the french flag would be more pleasing to their eyes.

[rasilio.livejournal.com]

On this we are in agreement

[dwer.livejournal.com]

oh, please. What utter bullshit. And of course, I'm sure you think that if an american wants to fly an american flag in france, that should be ok, right?

Freedom of speech means ALL political speech, not just the speech you agree with. I believe the renter has a right to display any flag they choose, and I believe that the landlord has the right to not like it -- they simply don't have the right to keep it from happening.