Ohio Veteran Fighting HOA to Fly American Flag on Pole Outside House

A dispute over whether a 77-year-old Ohio Army veteran can erect a flag pole in his yard and fly an American flag has sparked a heated debate in Macedonia, OH. In fact, the local American Legion post has staged a protest, while the local news reports the issue has turned "neighbor against neighbor."

The controversy centers around Fred Quigley and his fight against the homeowners association (HOA) at the Villas at Taramina in Macedonia. Quigley says the HOA won't let him fly an American flag on his own property. The HOA says it has nothing to do with the flag, and everything to do with the rules that bar flag poles. The association says it has offered to fly two American flags near the entrance of the complex, and also said Quigley can fly a flag as long as it is attached to a holder that protrudes from his house. But both options are not enough to satisfy Quigley.

"We just want the rules and regulations followed," Joseph Migliorini, who represents the homeowners association and owns the property, told Newsnet5.com. He added that homeowners need special permission to install flag poles, and Quigley did not get his pole approved. According to the website, several neighbors have complained that Quigley's pole does not meet HOA standards.

"If they can dictate to me that I cannot fly an American flag in America, then, to me, the country is lost," Quigley told Newsnet5.com.

"Nobody can restrict the right to display the flag," he said, and his attorney, Gerald Patronite, said Quigley has both federal and state law forbidding flag-flying restrictions on his side:

The debate has fired up the local community. The local American Legion post hosted a flag-raising last Tuesday to protest the HOA's decision, an event that drew a crowd:

As Newsnet5.com notes in a follow-up report, the controversy has turned neighbor against neighbor:

Quigley and Migliorini will now fight out the battle in court. Migliorini has reportedly said he will abide by the court's decision if he loses.

What do you think?

(H/T: Daily Mail)