CONCORD — Geri Farnell got a new flag to fly at her condominium Monday as Gov. John Lynch signed into law a bill giving renters and condo owners the right to display Old Glory outside their home.
“I couldn’t be happier,” said Farnell, who was told in March by Samoset Condominium Association administration that she could not fly the flag at her Gilford condo.
After the signing ceremony, Farnell held two boxes — one containing an American flag that had flown over the State House and a state of New Hampshire flag, a gift from House Speaker William O’Brien.
Fourth-graders from North Conway’s John Fuller Elementary burst into cheers and applause as the governor officially made the U.S. Flag Code law of New Hampshire. The children, on a tour of the State House, also got to see the bill’s author, Rep. Lynne Blankenbeker, a Navy Reserve officer and nurse being called up to Afghanistan in three weeks.
Farnell’s husband is serving in Afghanistan. After she was told March 29 that it was against the rules to fly the flag at Samoset Condominiums, she took the matter to a lawyer, who suggested she call the New Hampshire Union Leader.
The story about Farnell’s plight attracted the attention of Blankenbeker, R-Concord, who was already sponsoring a bill to prevent the very sort of difficulty Farnell was facing. The bill was inspired by Vietnam Navy veteran Gary Gordon of Bow, who had called Blankenbeker last fall about making the U.S. Flag Code state law.
Gordon, Farnell and Blankenbeker were at the State House Monday to watch Gov. Lynch sign House Bill 132 into law.
“This ensures anyone who wants to fly a flag outside their home can do so,” Lynch said.
It reads: “No rule, ordinance, or agreement of any kind by a person, municipality, or other entity shall prohibit the flying of the United States flag from a private residence owned, rented, or used by a private person. Reasonable restrictions regarding the size of the flag or the manner in which the flag is displayed may be adopted and enforced.”
Farnell said her 49-year-old husband, Troy, is part of the First Special Forces Group and was deployed somewhere in Afghanistan in February.
He has spent 23 years in the military; she also served.
“The flag represents what he does. It’s his life,” she said.
The condo association apologized in April and told her she can fly the flag.
Farnell said she was able to email her husband about the flag flap and he wrote back that “he was very proud of me.”
http://unionleader.com/article/20110...WS06/706079985