CARSON CITY, Nev. — ServiceFlags.com announced today its support of a measure introduced in Congress that would allow service flags to be flown by home owners without restriction. U.S. Representative, John Boccieri, recently introduced this bill that would ban neighborhood or homeowners’ associations from restricting the flying of service flags. To get the word out and to encourage support, ServiceFlags has launched a Web site: ServiceFlagPetition.com that explains how people may write to their representatives to support this new bill.
U.S. Representative, John Boccieri, recently introduced this bill that would ban neighborhood or homeowners’ associations from restricting the flying of service flags.
The proposed bill, H.R. 2546, was the result of one of Boccieri’s constituents who was asked by her condominium association to remove her service flag which she was displaying in honor of her son who was killed; the association indicated that it was a breach of contract.
Service flags are official Defense Department banners for families who have family members serving in the military during periods of hostility. The blue star on the flag represents a service member in active duty and signifies hope and pride. A gold star represents a service member killed in action, or who died in service, and stands for sacrifice for the cause of liberty.
This bill is similar to the Freedom to Display the American Flag Act of 2005 which prohibits a condominium or homeowners’ association from preventing residents from displaying the American flag on or around their homes. It extends these same privileges to the service flag.
ServiceFlags.com is urging people to contact their representatives in the bill’s support; they have already sent more than 30,000 e-mails to their current customers.
“Since we began making the service flag in 2001, I have heard from many families around the country about problems they’ve had with their homeowners’ association rules,” David M. Smith, president of ServiceFlags.com says. “So, the incident that prompted the bill is not an isolated one.”
ServiceFlags.com was the first company authorized to manufacture the service flag after September 11. The company donates a portion from the sale of each service flag to the national organization, the Blue Star Mothers of America, and works with them and numerous local chapters to provide Gold Star Flags to the families of fallen service men and women at no charge.
Today, ServiceFlags.com requests that people support this measure, and set politics aside, in support of the military and their families.
