A man in Greeley, Colorado, said his American flag is staying on his apartment balcony after finding a letter from the property manager asking him to remove it.
Samuel Adams
told the local newspaper, The Tribune, that he found the letter from his Sterling Heights Community apartment complex last Wednesday addressing the flag and was surprised by the request.
"Please be advised that it has come to management's attention that you have an American flag on the balcony/patio area," the letter from the management said. "Your signed community policies states, 'The use of balconies and patios for the purpose of storage and/or laundry drying is prohibited.'"
"'Breezeways are not to be used as a patio or storage. Please do not clutter with personal belongings. Balconies and patios must be maintained in a neat, clean and attractive condition. Outdoor and/or patio furniture is welcomed on your patio or balcony only,'" the letter continued.
Adams told the Tribune he was taken aback by the letter. He said that while he is not a veteran, his grandfather was a U.S. Army surgeon in World War I, and his father served as a dentist in the U.S. Navy.
He soon made a video in which he read the letter and posted it you YouTube. The video attracted more than 20,000 views, and also caught the attention of media outlets.
"I have never done anything like this before," Adams told The Tribune. "But it was the right time and it was the right moment. I wanted to be a patriotic American and give tribute to our founding fathers and our veterans, and to have [management] say the flag is inappropriate or comparable to trash is reprehensible to me."
Sterling Heights
issued a statement to KUSA-TV, saying the complex has nothing against flying the American flag.
"However, residents are not permitted to use balconies to display decorations, signs, or flags," the statement said, per KUSA-TV. "Sterling Heights seeks to be fair to residents by limiting displays as there could be signs, flags, or decorations that may be offensive and disruptive to the community. Our communications to the resident in this matter have been consistent with the terms of our lease agreement."
The apartment's senior regional manager Amie Robertshaw told The Tribune that residents will be allowed to display flags on their balconies for the Independence Day holiday but will have to take them down afterwards.
Adams, though, said he plans to continue flying the flag from his balcony afterwards, noted the Tribune.
"I gladly accept the responsibility given to me of standing up for the veterans and families that have reached out to me," Adams said.
Adams found plenty of support on social media.
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