Non-American flags banned

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » April 9, 2004, 10:13 am

http://heraldsun.news.com.au/common/sto ... 62,00.html

Interesting read, guess it shows the intolerance of some people.

Zaelath · Post by **Zaelath** » April 9, 2004, 10:26 am

I wonder what their ruling on POW MIA flags would be ...

Siji · Post by **Siji** » April 9, 2004, 10:27 am

(On a personal level - not professional or military) I think it's very bad taste to fly a foreign flag in another country. It aggrivates me to see the numerous Cuban flags flying everywhere here in Florida. If you really love Cuba so damn much, hop on a raft and go back.

As for legally banning it, not sure how I feel about it. In a private deed-restricted community though, they can pretty much do it w/o a problem. Your rights go out the window.

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » April 9, 2004, 10:30 am

I find it hillarious that a country built up of immigrants would have issues with somebody wanting to show off their heritage. I wish more people would do it.

Additionally, I find that the way Americans put flags on everything from their cars to their dogs, and most of them are in horrible shape, cheapens it a lot.

Also Siji, ever tried to deal with American tourists abroad? Believe me, they are far from innocent when it comes to showing off their heritage.. ugh.

Is patriotism worth more than freedom?

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » April 9, 2004, 10:35 am

Hold it dont most Hockey stadiums display the Canadian Flag out of respect? dosent Disney World fly other countries flags?

Why is thissuch a big deal? Let the women fly the flag

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » April 9, 2004, 10:37 am

Actually pretty much every tourist attraction flies flags from a gazillion other countries. Even hotels do it, and I was surprised to see 2 Norwegian flags at.. erh.. the outdoor skating rink in New York by the Rockefeller building.

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » April 9, 2004, 10:38 am

Kelshara wrote:Actually pretty much every tourist attraction flies flags from a gazillion other countries. Even hotels do it, and I was surprised to see 2 Norwegian flags at.. erh.. the outdoor skating rink in New York by the Rockefeller building.

So why can they fly it and not a women is my question?

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » April 9, 2004, 10:42 am

I think it comes down to what Siji said...

In a private deed-restricted community though, they can pretty much do it w/o a problem. Your rights go out the window.

Old people are strange.

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » April 9, 2004, 10:49 am

Kelshara wrote:I think it comes down to what Siji said...

In a private deed-restricted community though, they can pretty much do it w/o a problem. Your rights go out the window.
Old people are strange.

Deed Restrictions are the devil

Xzion · Post by **Xzion** » April 9, 2004, 11:12 am

thats pure bullshit

Lol what i never realized is why the fuck do people need to put american Flag decals all over there car?
If you live here theres like a 75% chance that you were born here, so what the fuck does it proove if you put a big ass american flag decal on the back of your car....ehh i just find it stupid.

Krurk · Post by **Krurk** » April 9, 2004, 11:16 am

The bigger the flag you display, the smaller your...

Deward · Post by **Deward** » April 9, 2004, 11:16 am

Those home-owner associations can be quite nasty. I would never join one and I would ignore one if it was ever formed in my neighborhood.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » April 9, 2004, 11:55 am

Deward wrote:Those home-owner associations can be quite nasty. I would never join one and I would ignore one if it was ever formed in my neighborhood.

i would never buy a house in a neighborhood that didn't have one. They insulate your investment by giving residents a recourse against neighbors who don't take care of their property. And people not taking care of their property has a real and tangible effect on the appraisal price of your house. A realtor will instruct a buyer to bid on a house based on comparble sales. If your neighborhood has some people who don't take care of their property, some of those lots will sell at below what their market value could be - effecting the bid price that you will receive from prospective buyers.

Sure there are some HOA's that may have some stupid ass rules.

Rules like no burnt out camaros in your front yard
no bonfires out of oil cans in your back yard
you have to mow your grass

i can live with that personally.

anyway, the thing about flags is stupid though.

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » April 9, 2004, 11:59 am

Voronwë wrote:
Deward wrote:Those home-owner associations can be quite nasty. I would never join one and I would ignore one if it was ever formed in my neighborhood.
i would never buy a house in a neighborhood that didn't have one. They insulate your investment by giving residents a recourse against neighbors who don't take care of their property. And people not taking care of their property has a real and tangible effect on the appraisal price of your house. A realtor will instruct a buyer to bid on a house based on comparble sales. If your neighborhood has some people who don't take care of their property, some of those lots will sell at below what their market value could be - effecting the bid price that you will receive from prospective buyers.

Sure there are some HOA's that may have some stupid ass rules.

Rules like no burnt out camaros in your front yard
no bonfires out of oil cans in your back yard
you have to mow your grass

i can live with that personally.

anyway, the thing about flags is stupid though.

The one in my neighhood was " No direct Tv dishes"

That lasted a month

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » April 9, 2004, 12:04 pm

I agree it's not very cool, but since they chose to live in a community like that, I guess they should comply or move.

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » April 9, 2004, 12:15 pm

Midnyte_Ragebringer wrote:I agree it's not very cool, but since they chose to live in a community like that, I guess they should comply or move.

While I agree with you Midnytw 99% of the time ( Sorry), this comment has me stumped.

Im sure the flag displaying was buried on Article 99.1276472 of sub article 78.747023A and was not read So your saying if Article 47820.4734602 said I would have to take it up the ass on the first monday of every leap year I would either take it or move?
\

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » April 9, 2004, 12:39 pm

when i closed on my house, i signed a document saying i would comply with the homeowner shit...and i could have asked for that book ahead of time, but i really didnt care to read it.

yeah my condo had that no satellite dish thing, but there was a lawsuit (nto at my condo complex) but somewhere else that people won, about having the dishes (as long as they were on your porch or something similar).

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » April 9, 2004, 12:49 pm

Voronwë wrote:when i closed on my house, i signed a document saying i would comply with the homeowner shit...and i could have asked for that book ahead of time, but i really didnt care to read it.

yeah my condo had that no satellite dish thing, but there was a lawsuit (nto at my condo complex) but somewhere else that people won, about having the dishes (as long as they were on your porch or something similar).

Same here we found out the developer put in that restriction to have the cable company to lay Cable cheap.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » April 9, 2004, 12:51 pm

hehe building homes is like printing money. their profit margins are fucking huge.

nobody · Post by **nobody** » April 9, 2004, 1:26 pm

what gets me about the American flags flying everywhere is the fact that they're trying to show their patriotism but half of them dont even know how to display them correctly.

Raistin · Post by **Raistin** » April 9, 2004, 2:47 pm

The same area was on the news about 1 year ago. They also made a guy take down the American Flag. Im not sure if anyone remembers it, but it was on CNN and also the Daly Show. They both gave him money to pay the fines for 1 year, or try and defeat it in court.

So its not like they are saying the Aussis are evil or anything. They just dont want _ANY_ flag up .

Estrosiath · Post by **Estrosiath** » April 9, 2004, 2:49 pm

That's just weird. I guess you'd really need more information about this - although it might be base bigotry. But I do think there has to be some reason apart from that; you don't just wake up one day and say "Hey, let's ban all flags apart from the US one" . And like she mentioned... It's Australia. Now, If it had been France...

I bet it's not exactly a very popular flag at the moment in the US.

As for flags... Well, living in Europe I see tons of foreign flags every day. Don't really pay much attention to it anymore. As far as the flag doesn't represent an illegal institution, I don't think anyone cares.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » April 9, 2004, 2:50 pm

depending on the way the flag is displayed i think a neighborhood can have a point, and of course the size of the flag.

i would be irritated if my neighbor laid a big concrete spot, put up a 50ft flagpole and hoisted one of those giant 'car dealership" American flags, hehe.

Aslanna · Post by **Aslanna** » April 9, 2004, 2:57 pm

Cartalas wrote:Im sure the flag displaying was buried on Article 99.1276472 of sub article 78.747023A and was not read So your saying if Article 47820.4734602 said I would have to take it up the ass on the first monday of every leap year I would either take it or move?
\

Well if you read the article you'll see that it wasn't buried anywhere. It was added after the fact.

Last year -- two years after Mrs Hogberg and her husband Clarence, 82, moved into their home north of Tampa -- the Windermere Garden Villas Home Owners Association board passed a community bylaw banning any flag apart from the US Stars and Stripes.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · Post by **Midnyte_Ragebringer** » April 9, 2004, 2:58 pm

Raistin wrote:The same area was on the news about 1 year ago. They also made a guy take down the American Flag. Im not sure if anyone remembers it, but it was on CNN and also the Daly Show. They both gave him money to pay the fines for 1 year, or try and defeat it in court.

So its not like they are saying the Aussis are evil or anything. They just dont want _ANY_ flag up .

Hmmm, I thought I read in the article that American Flags were okay. Banning American Flags is wrong no matter what the fucking contract says.

Siji · Post by **Siji** » April 9, 2004, 3:04 pm

Kelshara wrote:I find it hillarious that a country built up of immigrants would have issues with somebody wanting to show off their heritage.

Guess it's just a pet peeve. Right up there with people who move to <insert country name> and are too lazy to learn the language of their new "home".

Kelshara wrote:Also Siji, ever tried to deal with American tourists abroad? Believe me, they are far from innocent when it comes to showing off their heritage.. ugh.

I haven't.. but I believe you definitely.

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » April 9, 2004, 3:21 pm

Guess it's just a pet peeve. Right up there with people who move to <insert country name> and are too lazy to learn the language of their new "home".

Oh this I agree with definitely. It truly annoys me when people don't bother to learn the language of the country they move to. If I did not know English but moved here, I would work damn hard to learn it ASAP. Been cases back home where the mother of a child did not know English or Norwegian so they could not call emergency services for help with their children.

valryte · Post by **valryte** » April 9, 2004, 6:22 pm

The one in my neighhood was " No direct Tv dishes"

Too fucking bad it's against the law to ban Direct TV dishes.

Telecommunications Act of 1996

Within 180 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Commission shall, pursuant to Section 303 of the Communications Act, promulgate regulations to prohibit restrictions that impair a viewer's ability to receive video programming services through devices designed for over-the-air reception of television broadcast signals, multichannel multipoint distribution service, or direct broadcast satellite services.

...

(1) an antenna that is designed to receive direct broadcast satellite service, including direct-to-home satellite services, that is one meter or less in diameter or is located in Alaska; or

So basically, go make a copy of the Telecommunications Act of 1996, send it to your HOA, tell them to go fuck themselves, and put up your dish like a proud American!

Arundel Pajo · Post by **Arundel Pajo** » April 9, 2004, 6:31 pm

Kelshara wrote:Also Siji, ever tried to deal with American tourists abroad? Believe me, they are far from innocent when it comes to showing off their heritage.. ugh.

Heh. That's funny...it reminded me of one time when I was told in all seriousness by a friend from Europe that you could always pick out the American (U.S.) tourists abroad by looking for the Canadian flags plastered all over their backpacks, etc...

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » April 9, 2004, 6:37 pm

You know, I have actually heard from Americans who travel a lot that they often prefere to be taken for Canadians.. that is pretty sad really.

Disclaimer: These comments aren't really meant as anti-American in any way. In fact, it seems like the American tourists that are hard to deal with are those that don't travel a lot. They seem to expect everything to be like it is at home or they will complain.. a LOT. But why travel if you expect things to be like home??

archeiron · Post by **archeiron** » April 9, 2004, 6:53 pm

Kelshara wrote:You know, I have actually heard from Americans who travel a lot that they often prefere to be taken for Canadians.. that is pretty sad really.

Disclaimer: These comments aren't really meant as anti-American in any way. In fact, it seems like the American tourists that are hard to deal with are those that don't travel a lot. They seem to expect everything to be like it is at home or they will complain.. a LOT. But why travel if you expect things to be like home??

I was born in California and raised in The Netherlands, France, and the United Kingdom. Ditching my American accent and blending in to the international community (read: hiding my American nationality) was the first thing that I learned. It took years to recover some love for my country again, and it continually embarasses me in the time since my return. God, I hate talking about America to people in countries like the UK, France, Belgium, and The Netherlands... *sigh*

Bojangels · Post by **Bojangels** » April 9, 2004, 7:00 pm

As far as us being a country full of immigrants, who gives a shit? We came here because it's better, and we're Americans now. That being said I don't agree with them banning foreign flags.

Truant · Post by **Truant** » April 9, 2004, 7:12 pm

Kelshara wrote:You know, I have actually heard from Americans who travel a lot that they often prefere to be taken for Canadians.. that is pretty sad really.

Disclaimer: These comments aren't really meant as anti-American in any way. In fact, it seems like the American tourists that are hard to deal with are those that don't travel a lot. They seem to expect everything to be like it is at home or they will complain.. a LOT. But why travel if you expect things to be like home??

It's actually something given out as advice to Americans travelling out of country.

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » April 9, 2004, 7:13 pm

Yeah Truant but then it is considered a security issue. That is not what I am talking about

Truant · Post by **Truant** » April 9, 2004, 7:36 pm

Well, yeah I guess it is from a security standpoint. But even before then, if you needed any kind of assistance, directions, whatever...it was advised to quickly eliminate any doubt that you might be american, in order to actually receive any sort of assistance.

Drasta · Post by **Drasta** » April 9, 2004, 11:51 pm

she should burn the american flag on her lawn in protest ! its legal !

nobody · Post by **nobody** » April 10, 2004, 1:03 am

Quiz: Do you know who burns more American flags than all other countries combined?

Estrosiath · Post by **Estrosiath** » April 10, 2004, 1:08 am

Yeah, it's not exactly a security issue when you are in Europe. But you're really better off passing yourself as a Canadian if you expect to get assistance. The politics of your current administration has done wonders to piss off the rest of the world. This being said; a lot of Europeans can and do dissociate administration from the people who elected it... But even then, all they have heard about Europe from the Bush administration recently are not exactly nice... Especially when the US is encouraging a split in Europe along foreign policy lines ( not that we need any help

). Or saying France and Germany are "old Europe"... Or supporting tariffs on steel... Or raising prices on certain French products... Etc, etc.

I'm not exactly sure how much all these actions are publicised in the US, but trust me, we do hear about them a lot over here.

Whereas Canadians... Well. They're like the nice neighbor. A bit like the French treat the Belgians ( damn the French; yes, I am Belgian ). So they attract sympathy.

Siji · Post by **Siji** » April 10, 2004, 4:43 am

Kelshara wrote:You know, I have actually heard from Americans who travel a lot that they often prefere to be taken for Canadians.. that is pretty sad really.

I'm heading to Italy later this year and I've already been thinking about that. Besides doing my best to learn some Italian as best I can in the next 6 months, I definitely won't be carrying around an American flag or expecting things to be like they are here. If they were, why would I bother travelling?

kyoukan · Post by **kyoukan** » April 10, 2004, 7:37 am

It varies on where you are going. I've read that in scotland they like to roll american tourists as a sporting activity. It's not too bad in the rest of the UK. Americans are pretty much universally disliked in Paris, but they are quite loved in the outlying towns and villages. I wouldn't sport a US flag in Italy but in Germany most don't care one way or the other. Belgians love US tourists.

Living on the border in a pretty touristy city, and having shared a tour bus with what I can only describe as a herd of fat, obnoxious US tourists in Paris, I don't blame them in the least. US tourists are surpassed only by Germans for their complete lack of anything coming close to represing manners or decorum. They seem to forget that they aren't in the US anymore and continue to be pushy, rude and loud despite their surroundings.

archeiron · Post by **archeiron** » April 10, 2004, 9:37 am

kyoukan wrote:It varies on where you are going. I've read that in scotland they like to roll american tourists as a sporting activity. It's not too bad in the rest of the UK. Americans are pretty much universally disliked in Paris, but they are quite loved in the outlying towns and villages. I wouldn't sport a US flag in Italy but in Germany most don't care one way or the other. Belgians love US tourists.

Living on the border in a pretty touristy city, and having shared a tour bus with what I can only describe as a herd of fat, obnoxious US tourists in Paris, I don't blame them in the least. US tourists are surpassed only by Germans for their complete lack of anything coming close to represing manners or decorum. They seem to forget that they aren't in the US anymore and continue to be pushy, rude and loud despite their surroundings.

Native Parisians hate EVERYONE. They are generally not liked by their countrymen anyway.

The BenLux countries are generally friendly to Americans, moreso than any of the more southern countries I have visited.

The Germany seemed largely indifferent to Americans several years ago when I was last there.

One of my closest friends is from Genoa and in his recent trip back (to Genoa, Milano, and Roma) he said he was surprised that there is a recognizable anti-American presense in Italy now.

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » April 10, 2004, 9:47 am

Where you go makes a huge difference to say the least. Even a comfortable space between you and another person changes from country to country as is general hygeine.

I guess since I've always preferred to walk around a city than view it through a tour bus, I've never really run into a preponderance of the fat, loud, obnoxious people that are my ilk. Back when I was working in downtown Manhattan, my office was right across the street from the Bull and I'll be damned if not every single person of every nationality tried to do something with the Bull for a picture. It was captivating entertainment while smoking to be honest. I will say, though, that Asian and Euro women and American men would always try to do something to the Bull's balls for a picture. Go figure

Lalanae · Post by **Lalanae** » April 10, 2004, 2:08 pm

kyoukan wrote:It varies on where you are going. I've read that in scotland they like to roll american tourists as a sporting activity. It's not too bad in the rest of the UK. Americans are pretty much universally disliked in Paris, but they are quite loved in the outlying towns and villages. I wouldn't sport a US flag in Italy but in Germany most don't care one way or the other. Belgians love US tourists.

Living on the border in a pretty touristy city, and having shared a tour bus with what I can only describe as a herd of fat, obnoxious US tourists in Paris, I don't blame them in the least. US tourists are surpassed only by Germans for their complete lack of anything coming close to represing manners or decorum. They seem to forget that they aren't in the US anymore and continue to be pushy, rude and loud despite their surroundings.

The towns in Provence I went to treated us much the same as those in Paris, like crap. And we were just a couple of shy, quiet kids who tried really hard to speak French to everyone we talked to. I loved France for everything else, but hated how I was treated.

Xzion · Post by **Xzion** » April 10, 2004, 3:41 pm

Euros DO NOT LIKE AMERICANS in general(heh, italians and scandinavians especially!), in some places they'l wave and smile to you but then call you assholes behind you back. Most americans are uncultured, segregated to there own society, close minded, and ignorant, that is a blatant fact(proven by the presedent we elected

). Some are open minded and will treat you on an individual basis, and in that case if you are not a steryotipical american you will be treated well

Boogahz · Post by **Boogahz** » April 10, 2004, 7:43 pm

I never had any problems in Germany except with one person who stayed with the same family I was living with while I went to school. He was from France. He spoke German, but he refused to speak anything other than French while he was there. It was kind of sad seeing how only 2 of the total of 6 family members spoke French. I had only one or two situations come up where it seemed things were going to go downhill due to me being American, and one was in Bonn and the other was in Berlin. Both of those groups changed their attitudes 180 degrees when they found out I was from Texas which baffled me. I have actually heard the same from most people I know that go to Europe on a regular basis. One friend is in the military, and he commented on how they didn't really like the American soldiers too much (other than the influx of money being spent in the area he was in), but the people would be a lot friendlier with Texans. We both thought this would be different now, seeing as how Bush is seen as being "from Texas."

Siji · Post by **Siji** » April 12, 2004, 12:11 pm

You couldn't pay me to visit France. I don't dislike them or french people in any way, but I have absolutely no illusion about how I'd be treated as an American tourist there. I've heard the same about Greece as well. Italy, Ireland/Scottland and Denmark and pretty much the only places I currently want to visit.

I'm kinda sad to hear that there's much of an anti-American attitude in Italy, but I guess I'm not surprised either.

Cartalas · Post by **Cartalas** » April 12, 2004, 2:19 pm

Siji wrote:You couldn't pay me to visit France. I don't dislike them or french people in any way, but I have absolutely no illusion about how I'd be treated as an American tourist there. I've heard the same about Greece as well. Italy, Ireland/Scottland and Denmark and pretty much the only places I currently want to visit.

I'm kinda sad to hear that there's much of an anti-American attitude in Italy, but I guess I'm not surprised either.

Go to Epcot you can knock them all down in a day.

Krimson Klaw · Post by **Krimson Klaw** » April 13, 2004, 3:42 pm

Every country I visited in Europe had very nice people and I was treated with as much respect as I gave. Although you could tell I was military from a mile away...jeans, button up shirt, belt, and crew cut, walking with a group of at least 2 other guys (buddy system). Maybe I was treated nice because I had money, I dunno, but in a couple of places I visited I would get embarrassed by fellow American tourists being totally rediculous and boisterous. I heard the term "BUT I'M AMERICAN!" many times, and it made my skin crawl. This was during the Bush Sr. and Clinton era, prior to the crap storm America is in now. Spain/Portugal had very nice people. I did not even notice the curtness some people speak of about France (although they have more sex shops than black neighborhoods have liquor stores).

One country that really stood out was Russia. Those people went out of their way to be as cordial and hospitable as possible to Americans.

Albania downright hated Americans, they did a drive by shooting on a couple of our marines right when they stepped off the ship. We cancelled liberty and promptly left port. I saw some straaange things there, never go there.

Kelshara · Post by **Kelshara** » April 13, 2004, 4:21 pm

I think.. notice think is the key word here.. that a lot of people in Europe will be reserved once they notice you are American. But if you behave like a decent human being (aka, not the screaming Krimson commented on or the arrogance that some show) you'll be treated fine in most places. I know for a fact that there is some immediate coldness involved, but once you show you're ok you'll do fine.

Drolgin Steingrinder · Post by **Drolgin Steingrinder** » April 13, 2004, 6:31 pm

Euros DO NOT LIKE AMERICANS in general(heh, italians and scandinavians especially!), in some places they'l wave and smile to you but then call you assholes behind you back. Most americans are uncultured, segregated to there own society, close minded, and ignorant, that is a blatant fact(proven by the presedent we elected ). Some are open minded and will treat you on an individual basis, and in that case if you are not a steryotipical american you will be treated well

Actually, I think that most scandinavians are critical of the role of the US in the world - and *not* of american people. We might say, 'why the hell did you vote that assclown into office?' but we won't call you a dirty imperialist pig in our native tongue (*cough* frenchmen *cough*) and snicker behind your back. YMMV, of course, just from personal experience.

An american tourist who visits a Scandinavian country with arrogance as his or her shield, however, will be treated quite coldly. But if the first impression is one of interest and not one of robber-baron, then most doors are open. Oh, and if you feel you're being nice and still get the cold shoulder, that's just because we're like that, even to our families...