This makes me sad: 90-Year-Old Medal of Honor Winner Ordered to Remove Flagpole

[link to www2.timesdispatch.com]

Henrico Medal of Honor winner, 90, ordered to remove flagpole

Col. Van T. Barfoot, a local Medal of Honor winner, is under the gun from his Henrico County community's homeowner association.

In a five-paragraph letter to Barfoot that he received yesterday, Barfoot is being ordered to remove a flagpole from his yard. The decorated veteran of three wars, now 90 years old, raises the American flag every morning on the pole, then lowers and folds the flag at dusk each day in a three-corner military fashion.

In a priority mail letter, the Coates & Davenport law firm in Richmond is ordering Barfoot to remove the pole by 5 p.m. Friday or face "legal action being brought to enforce the Covenants and Restrictions against you." The letter states that Barfoot will be subject to paying all legal fees and costs in any successful legal proceeding pursued by the homeowner association's board.

Barfoot's daughter said this evening that news reports about the association order have prompted an outpouring of sympathy and offers of help from people following her father's ordeal.

Tonight, the Sussex Square Homeowners Association issued a statement reiterating its position that Barfoot directly violated the association board's denial of his request to erect a flagpole.

"This is not about the American flag. This about a flagpole," the statement reads.

Barfoot lives in the Sussex Square community in far western Henrico; its board of directors rejected a plea from Barfoot in July to approve the pole, disallowing the fixture on aesthetic grounds.

There is no provision in the community's rules expressly forbidding flagpoles, Barfoot's daughter said. But she said the board ruled against her father's fixture and ordered it removed in July, deciding that free-standing flag poles are not aesthetically appropriate. Short flag stands attached to porches dot the community.

"Dad sort of feels like this is the end," said Margaret Nicholls, Barfoot's daughter, who lives a few doors away. But she said this morning that she and her husband are attempting to generate support for her father's cause, a flag-raising rite that he has undertaken for most of his life.

Barfoot received the Medal of Honor on the battlefield during World War II in Italy and fought as well in the Korean and Vietnam wars. A portion of a highway in rural Mississippi, his native state, was named in his honor this fall. A building at McGuire Veterans Hospital in Richmond also carries his name.

Barfoot began regularly flying the flag on Veteran's Day this year despite the Sussex Square board's decision.

He said in November that not flying the flag would be a sacrilege to him.

"There's never been a day in my life or a place I've lived in my life that you couldn't fly the American flag," he said.

For more on this story, see tomorrow's Richmond Times-Dispatch.

-- Bill McKelway

I am lost for words,,,,i wounder what he must be thinking, a decorated veteran of three wars fighting for freedom,, how very very sad, i hope he tells them to shove it where the sun dosn't shine,,,,,,,,

EGRGIOUS and the VFW ought to show up and help make a point


This is sickening-if this continues much longer this entire country will of sold her soul to the highest bidder and I can tell you they are not American or are they very human-more like BEASTS




He served well and honorably it is more than many can stand-convicting them in their hearts-as they are not like this man!




Disgusting-I hope other Vets seek him out and help him be allowed his human rights-the ones he sacrificed his entire life for-ALL of our FREEDOM





shamed by so many ignoring each of these concrete blocks,like lead weights to the abyss

Sussex Square Homeowners Association


maybe someone will post their number so others can express their views-meaning they are basically trying to make a eunuch of a 90 yr old man that fought in many wars so they could act smug and empowered...this man is quite old-the more that others speak out and starve their interests the more help it may be...



or some could write letters to the paper-these seemingly small battles are worth winning-he is a poster boy of patriotism against tyranny and fascism.



regardless of what some think I support our Veterans even when govt leads them into senseless wars


Keeping the borders secure would of enhanced us immeasurably...instead they are trying to reduce us by force into poverty

by their poor management our Veterans have suffered enough...


this is SO wrong it almost makes me physically sick to my stomach...

Col. Van T. Barfoot




honors to the man with integrity when most sell their souls for mud.

This is exactly why I will never but a home that is in an area that falls under a home owners association. They seem to act like Nazi`s!

that is terrible

Ask and ye shall receive:

HOA SUSSEX SQUARE SERVICE
804-740-8795

PRESIDENT:
GLENN WILSON
11800 N Downs Sq
Henrico, VA 23238-3474
(804) 741-9160
DIRECTOR:
Evelyn L Wilson
(Address same as Glenn Wilson)

TREASURER:
Martha Middleton
11808 Rochampton Square
Richmond, VA 23238

LAW FIRM REPRESENTING THE HOA
Coates & Davenport
5206 Markel Road, Suite 200
Richmond VA 23230
Toll Free: (800) 450-8311
Local Phone: (804) 285-7000
General Fax: (804) 285-2849
Real Estate Fax: (804) 285-3426
[link to www.coateslaw.com]
Lawyer assigned to the case:
[link to www.coateslaw.com]
Alexandra “Sandra” D. Bowen
5206 Markel Rd
Richmond, VA 23230
804-285-7000

Local newspaper comments on the story:

[link to www2.timesdispatch.com]

I just saw this on CNN. It's ridiculous...let the man have a flagpole. What is the big deal? lol

Info on the douche-bags.

SUSSEX SQUARE SERVICE HOA at 804-740-8795

Sussex Square Services is the HOA.

Here are the officers per public records:
GLENN WILSON PRESIDENT
11800 N Downs Sq
Henrico, VA 23238-3474
(804) 741-9160

ANN WILLIAMS SECRETARY
MARTHA G MIDDLETON TREASURER
EVELYN L WILSON DIRECTOR

the law firm representing the home owner association.

Coates & Davenport
5206 Markel Road, Suite 200
Richmond VA 23230
Toll Free: (800) 450-8311
Local Phone: (804) 285-7000
General Fax: (804) 285-2849
Real Estate Fax: (804) 285-3426

You can also visit their site and send them a message [link to www.coateslaw.com]

Time to grab the pitchforks and head to VA. I hope a lot of local people out there can help him out.

What the f*%# is wrong with these people. I hope he hangs his medal around his neck, stands in front of his flag and make them take it from him.

Semper Fi

I'm sure the Home owners ASS think this might hurt there value of homes to have a pole in the front of homes. Some might not want to live in a neighborhood with a flag pole in there yard it would be a eye sore. WHAT A JOKE this is such BS and a disgrace to a vet that served his country so people like this ASSociation can have the freedom to make riduculous rules like this.

I will donate to help this man fight for his right.

I cannot think of anything more aesthetically pleasing than seeing a patriot honoring our flag and country in this manner. I salute you Col. Barfoot. God Bless You! You have given so much of your life for our country, Thank You!

THIS THREAD DESERVES A PIN

If someone from the area could please contact an attorney and find the options. I'm sure he would have support from across the country.

Thank you for this info.

but the link is not working for me...

I think this is the official end of the USA.

he should move away from those assholes...let them fuck themselves.

Mods Pin this so it is on top for the evening

thanks

Try this one [link to www.coateslaw.com] the contact is in the right upper corner.

Bob

Yes I'm sure I hope to find out so I can help.

by the way, if the poor guy loses the case in court the lawyers will charge him costs for every email they read regarding the case.

be careful how you try to help this guy.

and to the poster saying he should flee and live somewhere else, look at this guys history, he doesn't flee he stays and fights and kicks ass and takes names.

Hold strong Col. Barfoot and give 'em hell!

+100

"The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing"- Edmund Burke

Whoever complained about the flagpole needs to get shipped off to NK or Iran. You said this makes you sad, well this just makes me mad! I hope the traitors living within the United States are exposed for the assholes they are.

go to love rich people or the sheep who lick the asses of the rich,
after all it's some rich person who owned this stuff, no matter who may manage the place.

lols, at the association,
sorry big fail,

ive seen lots of place that use to try to do shit like this,
in my home tawn most of those place change after all the old people die off,
it like it whole point is to contol the old people like it's a rest home.

never mind i need coffee, i guess even my bad writing is worse today.

On one side, I agree that this is ridiculous...

On the other hand, don't move into a place that has these covenants and restrictions in the first place...

I kind of hope he fights against and everyone fights with him, hell take them all into the court room too ..screw those who would stop him taking pride in the country he fought for while these jerk law makers sat at home safe and sound and blowing money and screwing the country up while people like this guy was out fighting and dying for..