LA_MERC_Nutria
December 30th, 2004, 09:04 AM
Where do we draw the line? Sad to say this is happening in Houma.
HOUMA -- The American flag means something special to Glynna Witt, whose 24-year-old son was shipped to the Iraq war in October.
The supportive mother has two small flags and a large banner fixed to a 10-foot pole planted in the dirt around the entrance to her Bayou Gardens apartment.
For the Witts, the American flag represents support for their military son, Brian, who is serving as a Navy medic in the war.
For the owners of the west-Houma apartment complex where the family lives, however, the flags have been called an eyesore, a nuisance and a distraction. It’s curb unappeal, and the property owners have given the Witts to the end of the week to remove the "unsightly" display of patriotism.
"They could be given 30 days’ notice," said Edith Johnson, the apartment-complex manager. "We hate to lose good residents, but the owner thinks it’s unsightly and this is private property. He can do whatever he wants."
The American-flag altercation started over the summer when the apartment complex’s owner, Dalton Truax III of Wagner and Truax Real Estate Management in Metairie, paid a visit to the property.
Truax did not return calls for comment Tuesday.
But Johnson said her boss raised immediate objections to the Witts’ flag. He argued the flag should be removed for several reasons.
For one, the couple’s apartment sits at the entrance to the Bayou Gardens complex, so the 10-foot pole with the 3-foot American flag is hard not to miss. Johnson said Truax thought the flag detracted from the apartment complex’s beauty. Upon closer inspection, she said the owner also found the flag oversized, in poor condition and simply not good taste.
"Curb appeal is crucial in this business," said Johnson.
Truax ordered the Witts -- through Johnson, the mediator -- to remove the flag. The couple refused. Their determination to keep their front-door display intact was reinforced last fall as their youngest son was dispatched overseas.
The flag disagreement came to a head last week when Truax told Johnson to send the Witts a letter ordering them to take down their 6-month-old banner by the end of this week. In the letter, the Witts said Truax cited a stipulation in their rental contract that states no political materials could be posted on apartment property.
Glynna Witt, a hairdresser, is afraid of getting evicted. But her husband, Gary, supports her belief that the American flag should never be considered a nuisance or an objectionable political statement.
"I could never see the American flag being an eyesore," said Gary Witt. "It’s an American flag. To me, I don’t see how it’s harming anyone."
While Truax may oppose the size of the display, Johnson said the apartment owner would be OK with a smaller flag.
"They could put up 20 of them as long as they’re not taking up all that room and they look good," Johnson said. "It’s not about patriotism, it’s about the size and condition of it. It’s too large for where it’s located. It’s huge and it’s tall, and it keeps hitting against the building."
The Witts say they have never been presented with such a bargaining position. They said all along it has been either get rid of the flag or risk getting evicted. And that threat is not something they will take sitting down.
"I think this is important," Glynna Witt said. "My son is in Iraq, and I don’t think I should have to take down my flag."
The Witts have until the end of the week to remove their flag. After that, Johnson said it is up to the owners to decide the next step.
Senior staff writer Kimberly Solet can be reached at 857-2209 or at [email protected].
HOUMA -- The American flag means something special to Glynna Witt, whose 24-year-old son was shipped to the Iraq war in October.
The supportive mother has two small flags and a large banner fixed to a 10-foot pole planted in the dirt around the entrance to her Bayou Gardens apartment.
For the Witts, the American flag represents support for their military son, Brian, who is serving as a Navy medic in the war.
For the owners of the west-Houma apartment complex where the family lives, however, the flags have been called an eyesore, a nuisance and a distraction. It’s curb unappeal, and the property owners have given the Witts to the end of the week to remove the "unsightly" display of patriotism.
"They could be given 30 days’ notice," said Edith Johnson, the apartment-complex manager. "We hate to lose good residents, but the owner thinks it’s unsightly and this is private property. He can do whatever he wants."
The American-flag altercation started over the summer when the apartment complex’s owner, Dalton Truax III of Wagner and Truax Real Estate Management in Metairie, paid a visit to the property.
Truax did not return calls for comment Tuesday.
But Johnson said her boss raised immediate objections to the Witts’ flag. He argued the flag should be removed for several reasons.
For one, the couple’s apartment sits at the entrance to the Bayou Gardens complex, so the 10-foot pole with the 3-foot American flag is hard not to miss. Johnson said Truax thought the flag detracted from the apartment complex’s beauty. Upon closer inspection, she said the owner also found the flag oversized, in poor condition and simply not good taste.
"Curb appeal is crucial in this business," said Johnson.
Truax ordered the Witts -- through Johnson, the mediator -- to remove the flag. The couple refused. Their determination to keep their front-door display intact was reinforced last fall as their youngest son was dispatched overseas.
The flag disagreement came to a head last week when Truax told Johnson to send the Witts a letter ordering them to take down their 6-month-old banner by the end of this week. In the letter, the Witts said Truax cited a stipulation in their rental contract that states no political materials could be posted on apartment property.
Glynna Witt, a hairdresser, is afraid of getting evicted. But her husband, Gary, supports her belief that the American flag should never be considered a nuisance or an objectionable political statement.
"I could never see the American flag being an eyesore," said Gary Witt. "It’s an American flag. To me, I don’t see how it’s harming anyone."
While Truax may oppose the size of the display, Johnson said the apartment owner would be OK with a smaller flag.
"They could put up 20 of them as long as they’re not taking up all that room and they look good," Johnson said. "It’s not about patriotism, it’s about the size and condition of it. It’s too large for where it’s located. It’s huge and it’s tall, and it keeps hitting against the building."
The Witts say they have never been presented with such a bargaining position. They said all along it has been either get rid of the flag or risk getting evicted. And that threat is not something they will take sitting down.
"I think this is important," Glynna Witt said. "My son is in Iraq, and I don’t think I should have to take down my flag."
The Witts have until the end of the week to remove their flag. After that, Johnson said it is up to the owners to decide the next step.
Senior staff writer Kimberly Solet can be reached at 857-2209 or at [email protected].