on the tv this morning, word from florida in the usa tells of how an australian woman, married to an american man, has the australian flag flying outside her home. alongside the aussie flag is the american flag. in unison, side by side.
afterall, we are allies are we not?
well... the neighbours have threatened to sue our aussie sister if she does not remove the australian flag!!!
an ex-patriot american emailed the tv station and stated, "now you know why i now call australia home!"
it appears there's a real "sue you" mentality in the good ol usa!
how very sad.
perhaps next time australia is called to arms by our american allies, we should tell them, "no! sue you!"
given the welcome & friendships here on allnurses, between us aussies and the americans, and the long standing friendship between the two countires over many decades, this threat to sue one of our very own for flying our aussie flag outside her own home! leaves me feeling both outraged as well as angry & dissapointed.
The state of Florida is just packed with regulated Housing situations, to make sure that everything is neat and uniform. Another reason that I left.
True. Sad, but true. My mother, too, lives in a "retirement community" in AZ., and it it much the same there... just as Bob described... the Homeowners Assoc. pretty much calls the shots. Silly, but some folks enjoy such silliness.... (until it goes against something THEY want to do, of course !)
So very sorry this has caused you to be upset (rightfully so)... and certainly your friend ! (((HUGS)))
That being said, what would happen to the average home in France, Germany, Syria, Spain, or a wide variety of nations that has an American flag flying in front?
Be well...
The Mellow One
uh.......... lived there all my growing up years (Europe), and no.... there was NO animosity towards flying an American flag... we had both.. just like Grace's friend in Fla. Of course, back then, we were still considered the "good guys", too. Things have changed recently... so it might no longer be such a welcome sight.
I think we like to "tout" we are the most tolerant.... but actions speak way louder than words.... I (personally) have not found this to be true here, my friend.
I also think the Australia flag is lovely. The thing I don't get about the whole flag-flying thing is that the only ones who are true Americans are the Native Americans. We all have our individual heritage and own countries of origin. Me, I'm 3rd generation from Finland. If we all flew our respective flags out our window, what a sight we'd be. Sad, sad indeed. The people who run the Homeowners Community must have nothing better to do than make rules and enforce them. Course, perhaps that's what keeps them in a job?
Our poor old flag!!! A while back there was "great debate" in this fair land over whether or not we should change our flag - remove the union jack, change the colours to green and gold, add in the aboriginal flag to show our origins. Needless to say the move was thwarted.
Unfortunately we may soon be forced to re-open the debate. As the Northern Territory comes closer to being a state we will have to alter the flag. At present the large star has a point for every state in Australia 6 states = 6 points when the Territory becomes a state we HAVE to change it.
I agree with Grace - if the HN were to come here they might find themselves being the butt of more than one practical joke as retaliation. The midnight delivery of over a tonne of soil on the front-lawn is always a good one as is the midnight transplantation of garden shrubbery - can you imagine the nice begonia suddenly becomes a large bouganvillia:rotfl:
These associations started as "common sense" type things here to prevent property values from being depressed by people putting cars on blocks in their front yard, or painting their house polka dot. Gradually, they add ever more "common sense" rules to the point that almost no area of your life is untouched. Rules range to limiting the type of plants you may cultivate to putting a weight limt on the size of your dog, how long you may leave your garage door open or even the age of your spouse, or how often your grandchildren can visit (in those communities that are retirement orientated). What's more these rules are codified in CCR's which go with the land bascially as deed restrictions. With time there are fewer and fewer places to live that DON'T have these types of rules (not every home owners association is equally ridiculous, but most housing editions built in the last twenty years have them). It is doubtful that in a hundred years that you will be able to buy a home or condo NOT covered by these organizations. What's the point in having rights and freedoms if we have to give them up in order to find a place to live?
It's true you could buy stand alone homes on their own lots, but these are getting very expensive in part due to land use rules that require a minimun of five or even ten or more acres to build. Even then you are subject to zoning regs. Where I live you can't burn trash, grill out with charcoal grills, have a fence over four feet (which my dog can leap in a single bound), have an above ground swimming pool, or any lawn decorations and I own my own lot not covered by an association, just zoning laws. I can however still fly a flag and would be honored to fly the colors of Austrialia, Canada the UK and our other allies. France would be pushing it, but any country that serves wine in their Mcdonalds can't be all bad.
would be honored to fly the colors of Austrialia, Canada the UK and our other allies. France would be pushing it, but any country that serves wine in their Mcdonalds can't be all bad.
LOLOLOL:rotfl: and I agree with this whole statement!
jnette, ASN, EMT-I
4,388 Posts
True. Sad, but true. My mother, too, lives in a "retirement community" in AZ., and it it much the same there... just as Bob described... the Homeowners Assoc. pretty much calls the shots. Silly, but some folks enjoy such silliness.... (until it goes against something THEY want to do, of course !)
So very sorry this has caused you to be upset (rightfully so)... and certainly your friend ! (((HUGS)))