The Right to Fly the Flag is Challenged! Locally!
 

My neighbor and neighborhood made it to the local news! All 4 networks have run the story. Check out this video:

http://cbs11tv.com/local/local_story_188184811.html

Of course there is more to the story. This woman, Brooklyn Nelson has been flying a bunch of American Flags since May and the neighborhood association has sent her a letter stating that she has to take down the bunting and the small ones. She refuses and has put up such a fuss that the news was called in. Check it out. I will wait a little while before I fill you in on her gig.

she's nuts?

Does she take them all down at night or are they all illuminated?

illuminated with malibu lights, a flood light from the garage and the floods on the house.

I'm sure that there is a lot more to this story. But, here is my take based upon the limited information provided. I'll make some assumptions here, so please excuse that and keep it in mind.

I would guess that the homeowners association's covenants, conditions, and restrictions (CC&Rs) place a limitation or outright restriction on exterior displays. If there is something in the CC&Rs regarding this, this woman is wrong and should take down the display.

A potential homeowner looking to purchase a property that is part of a homeowners association must be presented a copy of the CC&Rs prior to purchase. When they sign the paperwork and take possession they are stating that they agree to and accept the CC&Rs. If you don't agree to ALL the rules, don't buy the house.

It doesn't matter if it is the flag or Halloween decorations, if it is a violation of the CC&Rs, she can't do it. She purchased the house and moved in and is subject to the rules whether she agrees with them or not.

Ditto what Paul said...

She seems like she's got an axe or at least a hatchet to grind somewhere...whats the story?

Nice boobs tho.

Maybe she`s got more boobs than brains, and that`s where the problem is. What does the husband have to say, BTW? Oh, maybe there is none, maybe she`s married to Uncle Sam. One or two flags are OK, a bunch of them says poor taste-white trash, IMHO. That is what the neighbohrs have a problem with, since it looks like a rather upscale neighborhood. Now, I would venture in pure speculation and suggest that the lady is divorced, got the house from her former husband who could not put up with her low brains-white trash upbringing anymore. Therefore, she is bitter, finds comfort in Uncle Sam displays and enjoys pissing off her former husbands neighbors which she could never get along with.

Aurel

I got curious while I have been waiting for LubeMaster to check back in and provide some of the backstory. So, I googled (now an official verb) this woman and came up with this:

Brooklyn Nelson's letter to the Dallas Morning News. It's clear that this is not the first time she has run afoul of the HOA.

"I cannot say that I believe in separation between church and state..."

She's a peach. Smarter than the founding fathers, the HOA doesn't stand a chance.:rolleyes:

Well, I have a slightly different take on this one from you guys.

She's got a nice caboose too.

First off she is married. I know her husband. He is a pretty nice guy (on the surface - I will get back to that) and she has a couple kids as well, a Daughter around 10 and a Son that is maybe 2. From time to time when our Boy and I crooz our hood we will drive by their home. Every time she is outside - slightly non-typical because it has been shooting into the 100's here and unless you are at the park in our hood (which also has the pond and wooded walking trails) then you are inside. So I think first off she likes the attention. OK, so do I and maybe a million and a half other folks - no biggie.

Her husband seems downright embaressed by the whole thing but publically he supports her. About 6 montsh ago the Police were called in for a domestic. No arrests were made but they did take away a baseball bat. The next day there was a sheetrock drywall van in their driveway. One can only speculate.

About 4 months ago one of here neighbors Daughter got married. Please keep in mind our little town of 18,000 doesn't have very many non-anglos butt these folks are Indian (from India). Very nice people. The traditional Indian wedding means tons of Indian folks with flowing colorful gowns and so forth. I guess a few of them parked in front of her home. Not blocking anything. She took exception and stormed over there and demanded to have those cars in front of her home moved and that it was very disrespectful. Poor form in my opinion on her part.

Last night our Boy and I crooz'd Sonic for some shakes and to look at the Hot Rods. We got back around 10PM (to Mommies dismay!). On our way back we drove by their home and she was out cahsing down her Baby who was in the other yard. We slowed down and we said 'hi'. She had a drink in her hand and boy did she smell like Rum! She likes her hootch from what the hoodfolk say.

She once told me that she wanted to be a Lawyer but never pursued it. Now this flag thing is her legacy to her kids and she show of devotion to the troops in Iraq (who she has no connection to BTW) and her country. I have noticed that when she talks to you she looks you right in the eyes, doesn't blank, carries a mono-tone and seems to have it all scripted out. If it wasn't for her nice rack and pooper I am not sure the TV folks would be all that interested.

My Wife has many more stories about her. Bottom line: She is a nut

I'd like to be polite and say that cleared things up for me but... :)

Glad she is your neighbour... at least the place is colorful! :)

Edit, just watched the video and its no where near as bad as I thought it would be. Yes, it does make the house stick out a bit but not "flaming" so to speak.

Singpilot, yes, nice all around and if she lived near us am sure we could give her something to concentrate on besides flags...

Lube, why did the HOA take offense to this display? Do you know what's in the bylaws that this is in violation of?

Personally, I don't think it's such a big deal. I dont' think it looks so horribly bad or anything....

As far as her being nuts, perhaps she is. And that was very mean to do to the Indian neighbors. But I guess I'm confused as to what specifically the HOA is taking issue with here.....

I think that if she is in violation of the HOA covenants then she should take down the display. I would think that she would have a good case in court if the HOA was trying to prevent her from flying one flag on her house, but 60?? Come on. I think it's pretty obvious that 59 of those flags are there for the "F you" value...

Sounds like an attention whore to me...

Reminds me of a lady we lived next to growing up.

Where's that picture?

I dunno if I agree with that. The way she displayed them.....in her planters.....to me, it doesn't look that bad....

Edit: I was not agreeing with the "F you" part.......

If it violates the covenants, then yes, I agree.

It aint a matter of "looks bad" or "looks good", thats what they call subjective.

If the HOA has specific rules regarding the display of flags/adornments/decorations, AND she's in violation of those rules...

Pretty black & white to me.

Ah yes, here it is...


http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1152377193.jpg

That's what I have asked Lube. What specific bylaw is it against?

You are saying that she is in fact in violation, so maybe you can answer, what is the specific bylaw she's violating?

I have to get out my HOA but the bottom line is that you have to get approval to do just about anything concerning the apperance of your exterior. It is a nice hood and the homes range from $230K to $400K which is a freak'n bargon for a town ranked 3rd in North Texas by D magazine - thats even above University Park Dallas and Plano which have some amazing places and great schools. Highland Village is a bit of a best kept secret town. The hoods are well kept and any deviation is frowned upon.

The problem is not with the flag per se but with her use of the banners and mini flags. With consideration to the HOA, the typical flying of the flag is no biggie - heck their are a bunch of folks that fly the Texas flag as well as the US one with no issue. She just has a bunch of the little ones around and frankly it does look a little goofy. It was fine for the elsections and even for the 4th but the drag it on spells agenda to me.

When we first moved in I put paver stones around my gardins and I got a note a few days later that said I needed to seek permission to do that. I talked to the HOA prez who is also a neighbor and he basically was real cool about it. He is actually the DA for Denton county so not really the guy you want to piss off. He told me that they have never rejected any submition. The problems come when folks do soem rather tasteless stuff. I guess the ones that take time to fill out the 1 page form which is real easy to do are not the ones who are going to be idiots about it.

He also explained to me that without these rules that things could get out of control and the neighborhood would get pretty funcky looking which would end up pissing everybody off in the end. At least we all have a common gripe and are unified in our duplicity.

We lived in a neighborhood prior that didn't have such rules and there were a few that were slobs with falling down fences, purple trim that was peeling and dead grass. It really brought down the neighborhood.

I rather have it this way than that.

(Cool - I really don't want to believe that you think that looks good! It is borderline acceptable for a short time maybe)

Dayem

I thought my old covenant was bad......for example, we had a choice of 6 trees that we could plant, and had to have a minimum of 2 in the parkway strip.....

We had to landscape the front, the condition was a minimum dollar amount (IIRC), but we could landscape what we wanted.

So if I wanted to buy and plant a shadowbox in your neighborhood, I'd have to get permission?

I agree with the benefits of covenants, but I think the language is becoming pretty extreme anymore....

And no, I wouldn't do that, but I just don't think it looks that bad...... And what agenda do you see here? Genuinely, I don't see one.....

You want HOA's? Try Blackhawk in Danville, CA.

No cars parked on the streets. Trash cans put to the curb after dark and returned before dark next evening. No RVs visible. Paint and even visible draperies must be approved. Grass must be mowed weekly and be of specific type and length. No basketball hoop in the driveway or on the garage. I don't live there, but I'll admit it's a nice looking community.

Cool,
I would wager a guess that if you met her your first impression would be attention whore then after talking to her again (if you so choose to) then you would say she was off about 4 degrees off the plumbline. She doen't come accross too goofy at first but the more you talk to her the more bazzaar she seems. My wife says that the only reason I talk to her is to look at her boobs. She's right!

BTW - she told my wife that God told her to fly the flags...and the story develops...

Lube, LOL

Just curious, this question:

So if I wanted to buy and plant a shadowbox in your neighborhood, I'd have to get permission?


Would I have to get permission to put geraniums, petunias, in it too?

In my neighborhood you pretty much have to ask permission for anything to do with the exterior of your property...applies to both front and backyards.

Fortunately, most people are laided back about it.

We do have a Fushia colored house down the block though...the owners at the time were quite elderly. They moved shortly after the painting was completed.

Our HOA has no claws whatsoever. The people at the corner of our street painted their two story house freaking day glo blue. Ugliest thing I have ever seen. Our HOA has rules regarding exterior paint colors and I guarantee you they didn't pass the Mexico Blue past the HOA before painting. HOA never said a thing to them, they finally repainted the place this summer because they are trying to sell. I'm sure their realtor told them that only a blind man would buy that house as is.

The good news was it was really easy to give people directions to my house..."Just go until you see the ugly-a$$ blue house"...

Damn... next they will want me to take down the ten foot statue of two naked ladies making out that is in my front yard!

Hey... it's art man!

But the truw questions is Lube, will she let you take and post picture of her boobs?

I watched the video and I vote for more cleavage and less flags.

The planters stuffed with tiny flags look ridiculous and borderline disrespectful... it's our flag not a decoration.

One year on Independence day a Realtor stuck a little flag in everyones front lawn with a business card stuck to it... how patriotic! :rolleyes:

I have a few corrections - she has 3 kids not 2 and she has an uncle and soem other kin in the armed services. She made it to the cover of the weekly paper again today. The HOA had a 4 hour meeting yeasterday and she attended. I will have to find out what happened.

I will attempt to take some booby snaps!

Oh the possibilities!
:eek:

Get her to pose in a flag bikini!

F... that, get her drunk and take nude pics. Sounds like the kinda chick that would go for that after a few cocktails.

I suggest this model:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1152397560.jpg

Aurel

Don't forget the posterior silent majority here.

+1

We are not that silent. Get photos! :)

I feel a shot of her bent over, planting the flags in the ground would be very appropriate! :D