About 3 years ago, I put it up for the first time, when the siege of the Alamo started back there about 1836. I was determined to leave it up, till the fall of the garrison, and put up the 'COME AND TAKE IT' flag after the 6th of March, when the flag fell.
We'll, it was a very nice Sunday spring day, Patti and I were composting the front yard, minding our own business, when a Police car pulled up in front of the house, and a 'kid' Police officer, about 21 0r 22 got out and approached me in the yard, and said,' How you doing today?'
Patti and I both said we are fine, and traded howdy's, and I ask him if I could help him, since he came on to private property, he must have a reason, or a warrant? He of course bristled at that, and said.: We have had some complaints from your neighbors that you are flying a MEXICAN FLAG in your yard. I also see that your are carrying a side arm, can I get you to give me that while we talk? ( my sidearm was not visible to him, until he got about 5 feet from me, it was covered by the jacket I was wearing).
Patti looked at me, then him, and me again, and gave me that, YOU NEED TO TALK TO HIM LOOK.
I have to be honest, I may not remember exactly what I said in reply, but I think it went something like this:
Officer, I have the utmost respect for you, but your on private property, and you have no reason, or cause to un arm me on property that I own, or is in my direct control. You came here without an invitation, and you are trespassing, so, no I will not give you my weapon. In addition, my wife will not give up her weapon either. ( Patti had her .22 mag derringer in her pants pocket ) He countered with, do you have a CHL License? I countered with, that has nothing to do with the fact that your trespassing, without a warrant, so let's remember why your here. ( we both have a concealed handgun license.)
He then said something about the flag again, and forgot all about taking my sidearm, and I said something like this, although not word for word I'm sure, as a matter of fact, I was danged mad, I might have forgot exactly what I said, but it went something like this:
I can understand how stupid my neighbors are, but a police department that is hooked up with Homeland Security has no reason to be stupid. No excuse. You go trot back to the station, and ask your Boss what that flag is, and see if he can tell you. I'll give you a hint, IT AIN'T THE MEXICAN FLAG.
It's obvious to me that no one around here knows a dammed thing about Texas History, so I'll leave that flag up there, so you ALL will have to learn something about it, or get the city to make a case that I need to take it down.
He said he was not there to make me mad, just doing an inquiry, and I said, well, you have now got your information, so now what are you going to do?
He got in his car and left without a word, which is what he should have done. We never heard another word from them, or our neighbors about the flag, and it fly's right now.
I am a private property advocate, and I do not appreciate anyone trying to unarm me on my own private property, especially a police officer.
Since this encounter, I have talked to this young officer, and he has informed me that he has studied Texas History, and in fact, knows now that it's not a Mexican Flag, and apologized for the way he handled the investigation at the time. ( He's from Indiana ).
NO EXCUSE.
That's what happened with the flag in my yard, guess it was so close to 911 that the neighbors just wanted to complain that it was not a US flag? They are stupid too as far as I'm concerned, if they wanted to fly a British flag in THEIR yard, I wouldn't call the cops and complain about it.
Try to check in Sunday, time permitting.
Suerte
