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

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

There is a bit of a disconnect here. And I suppose it's possible it's with me.

I don't want a lot of government interference with my business, unfortunately there is. There isn't much I can do about it, but I do insist that the laws and regulations are equally enforced. As a conservative, I believe in the "rule of law"; whether I like the law or not.

[kinvore.livejournal.com]

So what do you mean by believing in the rule of law? I'm not being sarcastic or anything, just curious as to what that means to you.

[geezer-also.livejournal.com]

At first I'm thinking, why would he think I might think he would be sarcastic, then, as I was thinking about it, it hit me. Ya know it is kind of a conservative cliche. At any rate, I'm not sure there is a "correct" answer, but here is what it means to me:

Laws that are in effect must be applied and enforced equally to all persons. Laws can not be changed "willy-nilly" at the whim of who's ever in power and then retroactively applied (hence grand-father clauses in building regulations...I could tell you stories). We are obligated as citizens to obey laws (or accept the consequences) that we don't like or agree with, until such time as we are able to change or modify said laws.

The more I think about it, the more nuances I come up with, but I think thaqt sums up what I believe when I use or hear the term.