Patriotic Californians are in uproar after their householders affiliation demanded they take down their Stars and Stripes flags simply days earlier than America’s 250th anniversary.
Married couple Amy and Chris Cooke, in addition to their neighbor Terri Collins, had been threatened with $100 fines final week if they didn’t take away Outdated Glory from outdoors their homes in San Marcos.
They claimed the HOA has been on a rampage since President Trump was reelected in 2024, harassing them for flying the banner on the quiet avenue the place homes common just below $1 million.
The Cookes and Terri mentioned they had been livid and keen to endure the implications, however famous others within the space had buckled below the stress from Ambiance Homeowners’ Affiliation and eliminated them.
In an astonishing letter from earlier than the 2024 election, the HOA board argued the flag represented a “political or affiliative view” which can “degrade the frequent space.”
Amy, 62, a supervised visitation monitor for youngsters, informed the California Publish: “We’re outraged, if you wish to fly your flag fly it, that is America. We’re the land of the free and residential of the courageous, that is loopy.”
She added: “The American Flag is an emblem of freedom, we all know the place their mind is at.”
The Cookes have flown the US Flag in entrance of their dwelling for 20 years, with Chris revealing it was in honor of his grandfather Alexander Christie who died within the Second World Struggle.
The Navy sailor was killed within the 1944 Battle of Leyte Ship in opposition to Japan — the most important naval battle in historical past — the place his ship the USS Princeton was sank.
He was awarded Navy Purple Coronary heart and Navy Cross for his bravery. “He died attempting to rescue individuals,” Chris, a 56-year-old wine distributor, mentioned.
His mom was only one month outdated when her father died. He mentioned: “The generational influence was substantial, my grandmother was instantly a widowed and a single mom.”
The couple says the warfare with the HOA began across the 2024 election once they acquired a letter from the Ambiance Board of Administrators limiting areas to fly the celebs and stripes.
It restricted them to solely fly it in “unique use” areas, similar to their backyards. Widespread areas such because the entrance of the home had been off-limits.
The letter, obtained by the California Publish, mentioned: “As soon as the members permit use of a typical property by an proprietor to specific what is basically a political or affiliative view in a flag, different homeowners will need to do the identical and the frequent space will degrade.”
Subsequent responses fined the couple $100 for the flag being outdoors the entrance of their dwelling, its measurement and for displaying it in “frequent areas.”
The Freedom to fly the American Flag Act was handed by Congress in 2005, stopping HOAs for prohibiting the US Flag being flown on houses.
However they’re allowed to control the best way it’s displayed, together with choices about measurement, location and the structural particulars of the pole or mount.
Terri has flown hers for 35 years and acquired the identical discover because the Cookes. She mentioned the neighborhood may be very patriotic and rooted in navy service “as a result of we’re near the outdated Miramar Navy Base, all of the High Gun pilots lived right here.”
She informed The Publish: “Totally different political beliefs ought to don’t have anything to do with it.” She continued: “We’ve got the power to hold a flag on our palm bushes. I’m shopping for an enormous flag, and I imply big.”
Terri claimed the vast majority of the seven board members “usually are not professional American — besides two however they’re outnumbered.”
The letter saying householders can not fly flags within the frequent areas and issuing fines have scared a few of their neighbors.
Terri mentioned she has seen flags come down over the previous couple months one after the other. Solely the Cooke and her Stars and Stripes are nonetheless flying in entrance of their homes.
Terri added: “I’m not taking my flag down. They will tremendous me, $100, $200, $1,000, I’m not paying it.”
The Cookes have been granted a 15-minute Zoom listening to with the board on Tuesday. If they don’t persuade them to again down they mentioned they plan to arrange a crowdfunding web page to retain a lawyer.
Chris mentioned: “We’ve by no means sued anybody in our life. We’re simply right here to fly our flag and be left alone. There’s sufficient division, we shouldn’t have to do that, However we don’t need to be pushed into submission.”
Regardless of the board’s assault, each the Cookes and Terri plan on celebrating the Fourth of July and America’s 250th birthday in type.
The Cookes will have fun within the conventional type they’ve for years, by hitting the neighborhood pool, taking part in playing cards, having a BBQ and watching the neighborhood fireworks present.
Chris added: “Don’t overlook the apple pie for dessert.”
The Publish reached out to the Ambiance HOA for remark however didn’t hear again.
