Well, Thank Heaven for That...

Bush Frees Up Flag Displays

WASHINGTON - President Bush on Monday signed a bill that would bar condominium and homeowner associations from restricting how the American flag can be displayed.

Sponsored by Rep. Roscoe Bartlett, R-Md., the resolution would prohibit those groups from preventing residents from displaying an American flag on their own property.

It was passed unanimously by both the House and the Senate.

"Americans have long flown our flag as an expression of their appreciation for our freedoms and their pride in our nation," Bush said in a statement. "As our brave men and women continue to fight to protect our country overseas, Congress has passed an important measure to protect our citizens right to express their patriotism here at home without burdensome restrictions.

Yes, those damn burdensome restrictions. I'm sure they're making life not worth living for millions, millions of Americans. Thank goodness they got right on this... if there's one thing Americans don't deserve, it's burdensome restrictions.

Update: Shakes said it for me:

So much for the free market, eh? If your corporation (which, especially in many urban condominium situations a homeowners' association is) wants to make a rule restricting the third floor tenant from draping a masssive flag into the view of the second floor tenant, which just makes good business sense, I guess you're just screwed.

This whole thing is such disingenuous bullshit, because the primary motivation of these rules is not anti-patriotism, but aesthetic continuity. It's the same reason some of them restrict satellite dishes. They're not anti-entertainment.

One of the main functions of a homeowners' association is to protect the property value of the neighborhood or building, which is why they busy themselves with these kinds of restrictions. Someone who wants to display 50 flags lining their driveway on both sides might affect the value of the homes on either side, which is why they makes rules such as "one flag per home, standard size." It's about business and the market, which just goes to show you what integrity-free dipshits Bush and the current GOP are that they would impinge on that supposedly conservative tenet for a stupid bill to play to their wingnut patriot base.

(Cross-post, are you queer?)