I am pretty certain that they believe it to be the Confederate battle flag. I agree with everything else that you said, mind you. I just think that they have the flag wrong.

G: I agree that they think it’s the Confederate Flag, thus my notation at the end of the post. They are morons. Only an idiot would not know this is the American Flag. DS

Gerald on April 23, 2013 at 5:30 pm

The “Left” is getting uglier and uglier. They complain about people intruding into their lives in areas like drug use and abortion, but that is not the case with other areas of life, such as patriotism.

Worry01 on April 23, 2013 at 5:32 pm

This is free speech. I hope their insurance is current. They are going to need it.

As goes Israel, so goes the World... on April 23, 2013 at 5:38 pm

Staring at the picture again and again several times, I don’t see how it could possibly be mistaken for a Confederate battle flag, or why any reasonable person would conclude that it was anything other than a U.S. flag. (Not that you don’t have the right to fly a Confederate flag mind you. Just for sake of discussion.) The horizontal stripes and the stars in the upper left … what other flag could it be?

Now to be strictly factual, the U.S. flag is a rebel flag also, because we did, um, rebel against the British. But as it is not commonly referred to as such (and since this incident took place in Detroit and not Liverpool) calling it a rebel flag could have only caused confusion, because no one refers to or regards the U.S. flag as the rebel flag, even in Britain. Plus I bet that even the British consider the Confederate battle flag to be the rebel flag. I suppose that one could approach any British person and ask them about the rebel flag and they’ll assume that you mean the Confederate flag.

And while some people do feel that way, the idea that the American flag is a racist flag is a marginal one, outside of the mainstream. Not nearly enough people have that sort of thinking to automatically assume that they would know what you are talking about. I don’t know … it is just confusing. Especially if the apartment complex is sticking to their guns … but on what grounds? That people who live in that complex consider the American flag racist (with the exception of a few cranks, highly unlikely, plus the American flag is flown in so many places … government offices and many businesses, churches, homes … why object to it in an apartment complex window?) or that it is a Confederate flag when it obviously isn’t?

Ugh. I give up. Too confused.

Gerald on April 23, 2013 at 5:42 pm

That is the closest thing to a UNITED STATES flag in the city of Detroit. Most people in Detroit don’t even know what a real UNITED STATES flag looks like since they go to Muzzies schools anyway. The Muzzies have turned what was a Detroit into a miserable dirty oppressed hell like the one they came from.

Joe Dirte' on April 23, 2013 at 5:46 pm

Where is Kwami when you need him? Oh yeah in jail.

Joe Dirte' on April 23, 2013 at 5:48 pm

I’ll pay the court costs for you to represent him.

Road Warrior on April 23, 2013 at 6:22 pm

Note to apartment manager Tim Hillquist: If you mess with Debbie, you will lose.

Lars on April 23, 2013 at 6:50 pm

Let me guess: they hate Southerners, too.

NormanF on April 23, 2013 at 7:09 pm

“[the apartment managers] personally called the resident “racist” for having the American Flag in his window and told him it offends Black people.”

Isn’t the idea that the American flag offends black Americans, well, bigoted? They’re essentially calling all black Americans anti-American.

Sickening.

Hired Mind on April 23, 2013 at 7:27 pm

I just found your website today, and I must say I like what you’re doing. I’m with Road Warrior, I will help with court costs, too. But, I think once the idiots are educated by you, they will back down.

bamagirl on April 23, 2013 at 7:31 pm

“Disgarded”? Those morons can’t even spell properly and they’re making threats against him? Sounds like they’re the stupid rednecks.

Habib Akbarovich on April 23, 2013 at 7:54 pm

The complex managers are not rednecks. Rednecks would approve of the Confederate flag. I agree that even if it were the Confederate flag, the resident has a right to display it. I also agree that Debbie will make them wish they had paid a little more attention in history class.

SDN on April 23, 2013 at 9:36 pm

Stars & Bars maybe. Swastika, definitely. This is plain silly.

#1 Vato on April 23, 2013 at 9:41 pm

I’m a Black American and I’m not offended by neither the “stars and bars” nor the “Stars and Stripes”. What I do find offensive is that the nitwit apartment is giving a disabled veteran grief. That said nitwits can’t tell the difference between one flag from the other is just the icing on the coming lawsuit cake. I do hope that the the managers come to their senses but if they don’t Debbie you need to rip them a new one.

Ken b on April 23, 2013 at 9:51 pm

Debbie I want you to be my new lawyer. I just found out my current guy Saul Goodman is Irish. As for the flag it does seem a bit rebellious so I can see the confusion. Love you. Mean it.

A1 on April 23, 2013 at 11:16 pm

Now, now, now, the Confederate flag had stars and bars. This seven year old’s flags has stars and bars. See? It could easily be confused, especially if you took classes like gender equality and ethnic studies instead of geometry, where you would have learned of the difference between diagonal and horizontal and vertical. An easy mistake. In fact, it should be taken down because even if it doesn’t offend black people, it might offend stupid people. And stupid people have rights, too.

gmartinz on April 24, 2013 at 1:21 am

First of all let me say: Kirche, I’ll bet YOU can’t name all 57 states either, so let’s not cast the first stone.

But regarding this ridiculous flag flap: I’m really not somebody who obsesses over the flag, or gets bent out of shape by people abusing it to make some statement–hey, it’s just a piece of cloth with a symbol on it, right? And that goes both ways. This is kind of disturbing to me because some of my maternal ancestors are from Clinton, Michigan. Evidently, as Don Ameche said, “Things-ah change-ah.”

BTW: Landlords are adding all kinds of outlandish new fees and “requirements and restrictions” these days, since they found out you can put anything in a lease short of an abject abrogation of the Magna Carta and it’s legal. My landlord just made mandatory “renter’s liability insurance” (and I’ve never even heard of it before. Now I have to have it. That’s added to mandated health and auto insurance.)

Your landlord can forbid tobacco use, having a pet, putting any thing on your patio, prohibit overnight guests, you name it. This condo/apartment unit I live in pays almost $1,000.00 more annually in Home Owner’s Association dues than it does in property tax. IMHO HOA’s are killing the American dream of home ownership.

Sorry Deb, for going way off the rez on this topic, but the reality to me anyway is that liberty is palpably eroded by all this sort of, call it, Landlord Tyranny.

Joe Guiney on April 24, 2013 at 1:35 am

This is further evidence, as if any was needed, that America is finished. It’s why know-nothing morons like Obama and Bush Jr get voted into office in the first place, people revel in their ignorance and stupidity. It’s only going to get worse as well.

Larry in Tel Aviv on April 24, 2013 at 1:48 am

Michigan is like the Chechnya of America. You leave soon as you can. Other States around you hope that you keep on going to California.

pat on April 24, 2013 at 3:38 am

UNBELIEVABLE!

Italkit on April 24, 2013 at 5:02 am

What the Hell?

Since when did Hizbullah and the Taliban get into Detroit’s apartment-rental business?

Just wondering. Can someone go over to the Rivercrest Arms and plant some real American flags there.

As for the Rebel Flag, I’ve no problem with that. I have relatives in the fine state of Georgia who can attest to that.

In fact, that flag has character. Just saying.

The Reverend Jacques on April 24, 2013 at 5:32 am

I’m sure there are now many schools where they don’t pledge allegiance to the flag anymore because of ‘all the horrible things the US has done’ to the Indians, Blacks, and various peoples of the world.

Combine this with the PC indoctrination that has been going on for decades, and something like this was inevitable. Since the flag is displayed less and less, a yokel like this making such a mistake was bound to happen sooner or later.

Little Al on April 24, 2013 at 6:59 am

Oh, and I certainly can name the 57 states. Iran, Iraq, Egypt…Clearly this was what our president was thinking about when he mentioned the 57 states.

Little Al on April 24, 2013 at 7:01 am

Tell you what, I’ll bet if he flew the Hamas flag, or the Saudi flag or any flag that had the crescent on it they wouldn’t mind it. Not only is this not a rebel flag, it’s OBVIOUSLY a child’s work of art.

It’s great that you’re offering to help him pro bono Debbie! Hooah!

Sean M on April 24, 2013 at 8:48 am

They are a product of the US educational system and the media. More will surface as time goes on as the indoctrination goes on unopposed.

unholyone on April 24, 2013 at 9:19 am

Here is my prediction which you can take to the bank — the American flag will eventually be considered racist. The same thing happened in Britain with their flag. At some point the U.S. gov will replace our flag with one more “inclusive” doncha know. It could be a bunch of multiracial hands joined together or one with multiple religious symbols (like the proposed EU flag) or something similar. In any event, we are slowly losing our sovereignty in the name of “diversity” and so on just like Europe. It’s a world gone mad!

Wild Jew man on April 24, 2013 at 9:28 am

You want racism? I’ll show you racism …

http://ucdberlin2010.files.wordpress.com/2010/06/warsawghettouprising.gif

Who aided and abetted the rounding up of Jews?

Let’s start with the Yankee Henry Ford. Or, say …

http://flaglerlive.com/wp-content/uploads/FDR-2.jpg

I’ll stand with General Gadsen and the Marines he designed the flag for and tell this apartment manager to kiss my ass. (a lofo voter for sure)

jack on April 24, 2013 at 11:35 am

DG in GA
If I want any more “advice” from you I’ll ask for it. “Love it or Leave it” is that your ideology? I’ve lived here 10 years before they imposed this new reg (BTW, raised my rent every one of those 10 years) This is the neighborhood where my HOME is, IDIOT! My greedy arrogant landlord gets some greedy notion and imposes it on everybody, and you say just move if you don’t like it. Nice. I’ll change all my addresses on my various accounts and ID, move all my possessions including my baby grand piano, and try and find another place in this neighborhood where all my business clients and friends are.
Maybe the HOA’s are the ones who need to start accommodating humans instead of the other way around. I recently discovered a restriction here against drying your clothes on a rack inside the window of your own apartment. #1, why would ANY sane person be bothered by seeing clean laundry drying? But WE should accommodate THEIR neuroses, right? Secondly, isn’t looking in other people’s windows against the law as an invasion of privacy?
Oh, but never mind, HOA’s are FAR above the law, the Constitution, or even basic inalienable human rights. Like you say, DG, we should always read the fine print or we just get what we deserve, huh?
People that think like you are noisome.

Joe Guiney on April 24, 2013 at 11:39 am

Debbie, your late father would bwe so proud of you!
What measure of punishment does the manager plan to impose if the vet refuses to remove it?
It would be nice if he received a judgment for the owner to pay for his move to a more American flag friendly building and raise the American flag promenently!

Rochelle on April 24, 2013 at 11:48 am

So what if it was the Confederate Battle Flag? IMO, an American can fly what he or she wishes – and a disabled vet has earned that right at a greater cost than most.

The PC-lefty crowd has smeared whatever they wish as racist and the CBF has been a target for a while now. It’s a symbol of a cause that played a major role in our history and we continue to feel the ramifications today – and OBTW, Blacks fought on both sides in that conflict, same as Whites.

CG on April 24, 2013 at 12:12 pm

Debbbie, when you get the a**holes on the stand, ask them if they’re offended by the American flag(s) in the court room. I mean, seriously, if this went to court wouldn’t the judge simply throw it out?

Feed ’em to hogs.

Islam is poison.

Pray Hard on April 24, 2013 at 12:45 pm

And, btw, my vast admiration for you just went up a few notches for being willing to take the case pro bono if it arises. Damn, what a gal!!!

Pray Hard on April 24, 2013 at 12:59 pm

“Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.” – Lord Acton
I am reminded of this quote as when even a taste of power is given to minions such as HOA board members and apartment complex managers they turn into instant dictators.
Yes, the person who noted a buyer/renter should do their homework prior to signing on the dotted line is correct, but the arbitrariness of much of the by-laws, etc. wreak of schizophrenia, often with no rhyme or reason.
Sure, as a homeowner I want my property value to remain as high as possible, but unreasonable is still unreasonable. Letters of violations regarding the tiniest rule infractions and threats of lawsuits only make residing in these subdivisions akin to living under martial law.
This particular story, Debbie, is rather onerous because the management-flunky-letter writer, a, doesn’t know what the American flag looks like (and I wonder if a flag is flown by the property itself), and, 2, not only can’t spell, but knows not how to use spell check. This is what passes for American know how and so-called management/leadership.
May G-d help us.
Shabbat Shalom.

Sanford Horn on April 26, 2013 at 8:33 am

This website has just been brought to our attention. This is from the owner at Rivercrest Arms Apartments. Mr. Jason Hedges came into the office the day her received this note about the “drawing” in his window. He informed us that the “drawing” was done by his granddaughter and it was supposed to be an American Flag. We apologized for the misunderstanding and he left.
Rivercrest Arms Apartments has flown a large American Flag here at our apartment complex for over 30 years. The owner served in the Military as well. We have nothing against the American Flag!
Mr. Jason Hedges is employed by Rivercrest Arms Apartments; why he would want to discredit this company for some reason is beyond comprehension. It is unfortunate that someone decided to fabricate this “story” into something it was not. The word “racist” is not included in the note to Mr. Hedges and the only verbal conversation made to him was to again, apologize for the misunderstanding about the “drawing”.

Rivercrest Arms Apartments on April 30, 2013 at 1:00 pm

People who display the flag on their homes show their patriotism. It is their civil rights to do so. So, let them be. Let’s not just think otherwise.

Marilyn Carter on May 1, 2013 at 8:50 am