Here in Louisiana and even across the country, the removal of several monuments in New Orleans has left many of us dismayed. After all, their removal won’t erase the city’s or state’s history, and it seems to have only incited additional conflict. But most of us could never dream that the display of something unquestionably symbolic of our history and our freedom, such as the American flag, could be threatened. Some Georgia residents have been forced to think again.

The Homeowners’ Association at the Village at Towne Lake in Woodstock, Ga., recently established a limit on precisely when the residents are allowed to display the American flag. They devised a random list, a modest 23 total days out of the year including 20 holidays, on which the flag may be flown. 11alive, a local news station out of Atlanta, pointed out just how arbitrary the list is, stating that it includes Mother’s Day but excludes Father’s Day. According to the source, the HOA refused to comment on the matter.

11alive also reported that this new rule has upset several veterans in the neighborhood. This comes as no surprise – these people put their lives on the line in honor of that flag and what it represents, and naturally they’re appalled at its being treated as mere decoration. It certainly merits more respect than that, and one can’t even fathom why it’s being treated as such.

Are we living in a world so preoccupied with being politically correct that the American flag is now objectionable? It represents our country – each and every one of us – but more importantly it represents our freedom. To say that’s controversial is plainly nonsensical.

Hopefully these people fight this idiocy. Especially with Memorial Day approaching, we (and especially the HOA in Woodstock) should remember those who laid it all down for that flag. It represents so much more than what we often give it credit for.