Neignborhood Nannies

I see in the news today that a homeowner in Georgia had a bit of trouble because of a sixteen foot flagpole with an American flag flying proudly from it in his front yard. The homeowners association didn't like, and unsuccessfully sued in an attempt to force its removal.

Here are a few reflections on the matter.

1. The homeowners association was, as the courts ruled, way off base on this issue. It is well within the moral rights of private property to display an unobtrusive flag, and quite frankly they're simply jerks trying to throw their weight around.

2. You should be careful about signing away your right to property ownership to a bunch of other property owners who really only want to be busybodies.

3. Homeowners associations are ultimately socialists writ small.

4. Sure, there are reasonable exemptions to what even a property owner should be able to do with his property. But note the word reasonable; property owners should never have to kowtow to the neighborhood simply because the neighborhood thinks they should.

5. You aren't protecting your property one bit by dictating every little thing your neighbor can do. You're just being a little Hitler, and a pretty petty one at that.

6. This demonstrates that private individuals acting privately can't always be expected to fully understand property and personal rights issues. That's why property rights should be protected by law rather than, perhaps, shallow local opinion.