# A flaming Florida first responder flag: A Maga Story **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 12, 2023, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435 "2023-08-12T01:10:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/41 "2023-08-12T17:04:39Z")
I looked up the text of the statute. They do have some limiting language around qualifies as a first responder: [https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=h0437z.CJS.DOCX&DocumentType=Analysis&BillNumber=0437&Session=2023](https://www.myfloridahouse.gov/Sections/Documents/loaddoc.aspx?FileName=h0437z.CJS.DOCX&DocumentType=Analysis&BillNumber=0437&Session=2023) > [@](#): > > A first responder flag, which may incorporate the design of any other flag listed above, and > which honors the services of any of the following: > o Law enforcement officers. > o Firefighters. > o Paramedics or emergency medical technicians. > o Correctional officers. > o 911 public safety telecommunicators. > o Advanced practice registered nurses, licensed practical nurses, or registered nurses. > o Persons participating in a statewide urban search and rescue program developed by the > Division of Emergency Management. > o Federal law enforcement officers One thing I notice is that on the point about incorporating the design of other flags, it uses the word **may** rather that **must**. So I don’t think it would have to resemble a US flag. It seems like any design would work. They also list the specific groups that would qualify as first responders. So to be a legal first responder flag, it would have to represent one of those groups. A natural fit for this situation would be to find a nursing specialty which overlaps with LGBTQIA+ issues, such as the [Nursing Certificate of Professional Achievement in Transgender Health Care](https://www.nursing.columbia.edu/news/columbia-nursing-offer-first-certificate-professional-achievement-transgender-health-care). It would be reasonable to have a flag honoring the nurses in that specialty. Perhaps something like a rainbow flag with butterflies (since butterflies can change their gender). But this neighbor can’t just come up with a random flag and say it’s to honor them. To have more solid legal standing, it would need to be a flag agreed to by an organization which represents nurses in that specialty. Using such a flag would be a better way to fight the HOA rather than hanging a gay pride flag and trying to argue that it’s a first responder flag. ---
**Author:** ![E-DUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/e-dub/32/403_2.png) [@E-DUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E-DUB)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/42 "2023-08-12T17:14:10Z")
Actually, that’s not all that inconsistent. He probably thinks of the HOA as the ideal small, local government. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/43 "2023-08-12T17:49:39Z")
It amazes me the people who are willing to bring a fight right to their front door. Literally to where this person lives. For what? The principle of the thing? I mean you gotta stay there. You surely want you and your family to feel comfortable and safe. This little Napoleon HOA guy is gonna win. If the person has buckets of cash they just wanna throw down the drain why not donate it to the organization the flag honors. This ain’t gonna end well. I’d like to know how it ends. I hope the OP keeps us informed. ---
**Author:** ![CairoCarol](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cairocarol/32/3825_2.png) [@CairoCarol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CairoCarol)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/44 "2023-08-12T18:22:26Z")
I’m living proof that cognitive dissonance is real, which is to say that I completely agree with both @filmore and @BigT. I guess the question I would ask is, “what does this act of rebellion accomplish that is worthwhile?” Obviously, it’s not going to change anyone’s mind about anything - the neighbor is just going to become more entrenched in his loathsome beliefs. If there is the possibility of something good resulting, I applaud Moriarty’s friend, although I’d think twice before doing anything that might endanger my son, and this sounds like the sort of situation that could end up with someone getting shot. But _if_ this is just pissing in the wind, with no possible positive change, I don’t see how it makes sense. Pick a hill to die on where your behavior makes a difference. ---
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/45 "2023-08-12T21:09:51Z")
Here’s a flag for the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association. [https://www.mhalink.org/MHA/Education/Events/2017/2827W.aspx?EventKey=2827W](https://www.mhalink.org/MHA/Education/Events/2017/2827W.aspx?EventKey=2827W) ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/46 "2023-08-12T21:30:03Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > She tried to sell the house once, but the neighbor did what he could to make noise anytime there was a showing. Will someone with knowledge of Florida law chime in on the harrassment-to-prevent-selling-the-house issue? That seems like it’s FAR more important than any flag nonsense. Is that legal? I can see why a MAGA-idiot who gets his adrenaline from conflict would want to keep a Liberal next door, but I can’t see how interfering with the sale of a house would be legal. To my mind, THAT is the thing to document the hell out of, and THAT is the issue to pay a lawyer to write to the HOA about. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2023, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/47 "2023-08-12T22:13:17Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > And if the argument is that any flag can be a first responder flag, then that means that everyone can put up whatever flags they want. Which would be a considerable improvement over the current situation, where her neighbors can already put up as many TRUMP, MAGA, and FUCK JOE BIDEN flags as they want, but nobody who dares disagree with them can do anything. The (incredibly stupid) law is on this homeowner’s side. The problem is her neighbors who have complete disregard for the rule of law, even though the law was created by their own allies. Holding idiots to the standards of the idiotic laws they create is hopefully a first step to improving the law and/or improving the idiots’ relationship to the law. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/48 "2023-08-13T00:13:29Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > It amazes me the people who are willing to bring a fight right to their front door. Literally to where this person lives. > For what? The principle of the thing? > > I mean you gotta stay there. You surely want you and your family to feel comfortable and safe. How can anyone feel comfortable and safe if nobody ever stands up to bullies? It’s the neighbor who brought the issue to literally where this person lives. Where is she to stand her ground, if not there? > [@CairoCarol](#): > > Pick a hill to die on where your behavior makes a difference. It’s often difficult to tell which hill that is. Maybe there’s a LBGTQ kid living in that HOA. Maybe it’ll make a difference to them. The OP’s friend may never know. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/49 "2023-08-13T00:54:42Z")
Maybe it’s just me. I’m thinking poking the tiger may not end well if it gets loose. Homeowner clearly has a history with this HOA. If MAGA guy wants to gather his cronies they could all make grievances to the board about her. If he’s on the board she’s lost before she starts. A kid in the neighborhoods Mom is gonna tell him stay away from that mess. Or I would. Again, why invite trouble _if_ you have to live there? I’ve never lived in a HOA neighborhood but my understanding is you go in knowing vague rules. And they can do a bait and switch and fit them to your perceived wrong doing. You know, for the betterment of the neighborhood. Bullshit for we don’t like you. You’re not one of the cool kids. (I may be totally wrong on this, but I’ve heard horror stories). It all smacks of highschool politics to me. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/50 "2023-08-13T02:59:08Z")
The tiger is already loose. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/51 "2023-08-13T05:45:09Z")
You can’t fight city hall\*. (Or an HOA, it seems) (\*As in the old axiom) ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/52 "2023-08-13T06:44:53Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > > [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > > > I was just shocked that, in this day and age, we have a town name “honoring” him. > > Well, it was apparently named for him around the time of the incident. > > (And you can just imagine the freak out now if we even discussed it, let alone suggested it be revised). I wonder what these folks would think if they knew Hernando County was named after a Hispanic guy. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/53 "2023-08-13T16:43:44Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > A kid in the neighborhoods Mom is gonna tell him stay away from that mess. Or I would. A kid in that neighborhood who’s LGBTQ may well be afraid to tell Mom that they are. But the information that somebody in that neighborhood thinks it’s OK may help them keep going until they find somebody they can tell; even if that’s not the OP’s friend. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > You can’t fight city hall\*. (Or an HOA, it seems) > > (\*As in the old axiom) But people do. Often they lose, yes. But in the long run often they win. How do you think we got to the point at which this is even a topic of discussion – let alone to the point of legal gay marriage? ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/54 "2023-08-13T16:49:18Z")
Okay. Okay. I’ve been schooled. I’m still a chicken and would run far far away. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/55 "2023-08-13T16:56:08Z")
Regardless of the moral aspect of hanging a flag to support gay rights, there are typically restrictions about flying flags in an HOA, along with lots of other restrictions about signage allowed in yards. Typically, only official flags that represent a state or country are allowed. If the neighbor wants to show support for gay rights, there’s going to be many ways to do it which don’t go against the covenants. For instance, she could hang something else that’s not prohibited, like a rainbow windsock or have a rainbow yard decoration. But she should look through the covenants for her HOA to see what’s allowed. A rainbow flag isn’t the only option. She doesn’t have to try to overturn the HOA covenants about flags in order to show support for gay rights. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/56 "2023-08-13T17:30:30Z")
Just a thought, why is she flying a gayrights flag? Is she involved in a group? Does she work for or donate to one? Wouldn’t it be less provocative to fly a flag about the democratic organization she’s actually involved in? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/57 "2023-08-13T17:31:06Z")
The idea of “no flags except to support first responders” was already a very clear sign of which way the wind is blowing in this HOA. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/58 "2023-08-13T17:33:43Z")
The “Except first responders” isn’t part of the HOA’s rules; it’s a state law that supercedes any HOA rules. The part about not actually enforcing the HOA rules when it comes to MAGA flags, though, that’s entirely on the HOA. ---
**Author:** ![thorny\_locust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thorny_locust/32/431_2.png) [@thorny\_locust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thorny_locust)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/59 "2023-08-13T17:37:40Z")
> [@filmore](#): > > Regardless of the moral aspect of hanging a flag to support gay rights, there are typically restrictions about flying flags in an HOA, along with lots of other restrictions about signage allowed in yards. This one, however, is allowing right-wing non-official flags but objecting to others. > [@Moriarty](#): > > For the last several months, maga has been flying a big ole blue lives matter flag in his front yard. The excuse appears to be that state law allows flags honoring first responders. OP’s friend is offering to hang a flag honoring gay first responders; or at any rate a flag specifically honoring first responders, but doing so while showing rainbow colors. If the rules aren’t illegally specifically allowing some political expressions but not others, that ought to be OK. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 5:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/60 "2023-08-13T17:46:08Z")
Ah, thanks. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435.md?page=4)