Thursday - May 08, 2008
Not Your Usual Aarrgh, Pirates
A suburban London man said he will not take down a pirate flag he erected for his daughter’s birthday party, despite threats of legal action.
David Waterman, 41, a firefighter from the London suburb of Ashtead, said he purchased a $10 Jolly Roger and put it up outside his house for his daughter’s pirate-themed eighth birthday party, The Daily Mail reported Tuesday.
However, he said he left the flag flying after the party, and seven weeks later, on April 21, he received a letter from a Mole Valley council official warning him that he had seven days to remove the flag before he would face legal action.
“I find it ridiculous that the council are fighting me over this,” Waterman said. “It’s a 5 pound ($10) flag, not hurting anyone, and they’re probably spending hundreds of pounds of our cash getting me to take it down. That could be spent on improving the local area it’s disgraceful.”
Local laws only give homeowners the right to fly the country’s flag or a flag advertising a business.
A Mole Valley council spokesman said officials have not yet decided whether to pursue legal actions against Waterman. However, the firefighter said he will not back down from the issue.
“This is a point of principle and I’m standing firm,” he said.
When governments set rules that manage even the smallest aspects of your life, like this case, then you’ve got too damn much government. That they then go and enforce such pissant laws shows that they are focused on the wrond set of priorities. Here in the Land of The (mostly) Free, an entire industry has sprung up in the last decade or so, selling all sorts of seasonal and thematic flags for people to fly, either from poles or from the front of their homes. Flags for all reasons, from your favorite sports team to your children’s birthday parties. It’s a basic form of expression. So sad that some anal retentive bunch of twits have got their knickers in a twist over something so innocuous. The local laws are wrong. Period. Stick to your guns Mr. Waterman; and stand by to repel boarders! Aargh.
Posted by Drew458
on 05/08/2008 at 05:40 PM
Filed Under: • Pirates, aarrgh! • Stoopid-People •
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