# 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:** 4
**Author:** ![eschrodinger](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschrodinger/32/122_2.png) [@eschrodinger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschrodinger)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/61 "2023-08-13T19:55:12Z")
> **[LGBTQ Veteran Rainbow Gay Pride Transgender Trans Garden Flags](https://printerval.com/lgbtq-veteran-rainbow-gay-pride-transgender-trans-garden-flags-p5122997)** > > View items LGBTQ Veteran Rainbow Gay Pride Transgender Trans Garden Flags: Price, size, color, shipping time on printerval.com now! Rainbow veterans flag? Oops, I didn’t notice the lack of an S. I guess that one is saying a veteran lives there. Can’t find it as an actual flag, but it would be perfect: [https://www.zazzle.com/firefighter\_american\_flag\_lgbt\_q\_gay\_pride\_flag\_fi\_t\_shirt-256022302872804724](https://www.zazzle.com/firefighter_american_flag_lgbt_q_gay_pride_flag_fi_t_shirt-256022302872804724) Same with this one (it’s more aspirational than true, though): > **[3 X 3 We All Have Your Six LGBT First - Etsy](https://www.etsy.com/listing/829169018/3-x-3-we-all-have-your-six-lgbt-first)** > > This Bumper Stickers item by SalvagedSoulDesign has 111 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Lexington, TN. Listed on Jun 25, 2023 ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/62 "2023-08-13T22:31:57Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > I’ve heard shockingly few _good_ stories about them. That’s because the only stories ever posted are about the bad ones. There are over 370,000 HOAs in the US. The vast majority are run just fine. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/63 "2023-08-13T22:34:47Z")
This is true. They mostly just pay to maintain the landscaping and redo the roofs every twenty years. Occasionally there will be a problem with one neighbor being particularly disgusting well beyond a petty grudge. ---
**Author:** ![Andy\_L](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c67d28/32.png) [@Andy\_L](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Andy_L)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2023, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/64 "2023-08-13T22:47:53Z")
It’s honest after all - a surprise attack on an unarmed man by an armed one, with another armed man as backup, is about as representative of prewar Souhern honor as possible ---
**Author:** ![carrps](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carrps/32/2957_2.png) [@carrps](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carrps)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2023, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/65 "2023-08-14T00:34:02Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > This is true. They mostly just pay to maintain the landscaping and redo the roofs every twenty years. Occasionally there will be a problem with one neighbor being particularly disgusting well beyond a petty grudge. Absolutely. I’ve lived in the same townhouse for 40 years, and we’ve two minor issues over all those years. Oh, and the one disgusting neighbor? He lived across from us for about 10 years. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2023, 10:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/66 "2023-08-14T10:17:46Z")
> [@CairoCarol](#): > > I’m living proof that cognitive dissonance is real, which is to say that I completely agree with both @filmore and @BigT. Even I think the better course of action might be to pick a flag that is explicitly about first responders, while also being pro-LGBT. But, at the same time, I see no problem with dragging things out as the neighbor appears to be doing. Nor in continuing to point out that there other people with flags that aren’t for first responders. ---
**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 14, 2023, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/67 "2023-08-14T17:39:35Z")
> [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > That’s because the only stories ever posted are about the bad ones. I dunno about that… Sitting around in the break room at work, whenever anyone happens to mention their HOA, I’ve always heard a chorus of folks agreeing that their HOA is awful, too, and never heard anyone say that theirs was OK. ---
**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 14, 2023, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/68 "2023-08-14T18:57:00Z")
I found the perfect thing! The Gay Pride Florida flag! > **[Gay Pride Florida Flag - Etsy](https://www.etsy.com/listing/1216185202/gay-pride-florida-flag?ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=florida%2Bgay%2Bpride%2Bflag&ref=sr_gallery-1-6&organic_search_click=1)** > > This Garlands, Flags & Bunting item by KiwiVexArt has 15 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Charlotte, NC. Listed on May 11, 2023 ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2023, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/69 "2023-08-15T13:56:06Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I dunno about that… Sitting around in the break room at work, whenever anyone happens to mention their HOA, I’ve always heard a chorus of folks agreeing that their HOA is awful, too, and never heard anyone say that theirs was OK. Kinda proves the point. No one talks about their HOA if all is working as it should. Why would they? People only talk about the bad ones. Also, I suspect people just do not like writing a check every month they think they would not have to if only there was no HOA. So they grumble about them. ---
**Author:** ![phs3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8491ac/32.png) [@phs3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phs3)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2023, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/70 "2023-08-15T15:24:54Z")
Well, I’ve read all the stories, and believe every one of them. But in OUR subdivision, where we’ve lived for 33 years, our HOA has been quiet and seemingly harmless at worst. We’ve had one interaction, in 2010 when our wood shutters were disintegrating. We were in the process of working out a roof/siding/shutters job when we got a letter saying (politely) “fix yer shutters”. We replied saying “Working on it” and that was that. As part of the project, we changed the roof color; that had to be approved, but it was no problem to do so. Clearly we’ve lucked out; just offering this as ONE positive case among the many horror stories! ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2023, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/71 "2023-08-15T15:24:58Z")
For those keeping score at home, here’s the HOA reply > [@](#): > > I could not find any reference to a first responder for some of the colors that appear in the flag you have in your yard. I searched on Amazon under First responder flags and could not find one that matched yours. I did find your exact flag when I searched gay pride american flag. I have attached the page from Amazon, which explains the significance of the flag. It does not appear to be a first responder flag. > > There is no content on Sample 2 and Sample 3 you have provided. > > Sample 4 has different colors for EMS and security that you have on your flag On a first responder flag Security is gold you have security notated on purple. The first responder’s color for Nursing is White stripe with a red center, EMS is a white stripe you have EMS and Nursing as electric Blue. It does not match. > The notations you made on your flag do not match any published first responder flags. > > I do not think we need to continue correspondence on this. > … > Since I drafted this email last night… see below… the On-Line Website has been updated: > > FL Statute720.304 2a 5 has been updated on the Online sunshine website it reads: > [see OP post for the statute] > The flag you have up is not a first responder flag that meets the description above honoring the service of any of the above. Please remove the old glory flag pride flag immediately Nice, huh? Fortunately for my friend, a helpful neighbor had already lowered the flag to the ground; that happened a few days ago. She didn’t get it on camera, but despite being a large backyard, it’s fairly close to MAGA. Her husband had tried to re-hang it, but it was bent. I suspect she’s done. And thus concludes this edition of Maga Stories. (I don’t know about you, but it sort of had an Empire Strikes Back ending…I don’t exactly feel like the writers gave us a happy note to go out on). ---
**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 15, 2023, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/72 "2023-08-15T15:34:54Z")
Wait. Wut!? Someone came in her yard and bent her flagpole to the ground? Am I understanding you? And why was the flag hanging in the backyard? ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2023, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/73 "2023-08-15T16:04:23Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Someone came in her yard and bent her flagpole to the ground? I believe it was anchored into a tree. > [@Beckdawrek](#): > > And why was the flag hanging in the backyard? Dunno. Maybe cause that’s where the flag hanging spot was. ETA: she just texted me that she might hang it in her window like a curtain. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2023, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/74 "2023-08-15T16:49:13Z")
> [@phs3](#): > > Clearly we’ve lucked out… I agree with your post except I would change it to say, “Clearly everyone else was unlucky…” ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2023, 7:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/75 "2023-08-15T19:15:04Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > ETA: she just texted me that she might hang it in her window like a curtain. Yeah, you go girl! ---
**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 15, 2023, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/76 "2023-08-15T19:29:22Z")
Won’t the HOA police window coverings? My Sister got dinged in hers for putting up the wrong mini blinds. Turns out they wanted a particular kind. They were kinda metallic looking. You could choose from a set of colors that matched brickwork in neighborhood. As it was the person who custom ordered these blinds was on the HOA board. So yeah. It’s a captive customer base. My Sister sold that house. Moved into another HOA neighborhood. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2023, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/77 "2023-08-16T05:11:32Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > > [@Whack-a-Mole](#): > > > > That’s because the only stories ever posted are about the bad ones. > > I dunno about that… Sitting around in the break room at work, whenever anyone happens to mention their HOA, I’ve always heard a chorus of folks agreeing that their HOA is awful, too, and never heard anyone say that theirs was OK. My HOA is OK. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2023, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/78 "2023-08-16T11:46:04Z")
We have a very, very lose HOA. We went to a meeting once (pot luck really) and some smart ass friend elected my Wife to be on the board. She found out they have no insurance and ‘resigned’. About all they do is a summer pot luck and a clean up the valley day. We don’t pay to be on it, but if you want to pay $25 a year, I think you can still get a ‘news letter’ every couple of months. I think I saw some by-laws once. Only one cow per acre. We are a high mountain valley, there are no cows here. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2023, 12:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/79 "2023-08-16T12:29:35Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > Won’t the HOA police window coverings? It all depends on what’s in the by-laws. Some HOAs have tons of crazy restrictions, some don’t. Ultimately, though, you signed a contract to abide by whatever nonsense is in the by-laws, your only hope of winning is if your actions are supported by those by-laws. Like, they may have a rule on flags, but no rule on what color you paint a fence, so you can have a rainbow fence but no rainbow flag. ---
**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 16, 2023, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435/80 "2023-08-16T13:11:27Z")
> [@enipla](#): > > I think I saw some by-laws once. Only one cow per acre. We are a high mountain valley, there are no cows here. Looks like a no-overgrazing restriction; depending on the area, that’s a plausible ratio for not damaging the land. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-flaming-florida-first-responder-flag-a-maga-story/988435.md?page=5)