The College Fix

It’s not just the nation’s most-overturned appeals court that thinks the American flag is so offensive to foreigners that you can’t show one in their presence.

It’s also an apartment building near San Diego State University, which told a student who just moved in to take down his American flag from the balcony, local ABC affiliate 10 News reports:

[Sophomore Brad] Smith asked the apartment community managers why.

“We were then told that it was for political reasons and that the flag could offend foreign people that live here, foreign exchange students,” Smith said.

The lease says “no signs or other personal property may be kept outside the premises,” but Smith said that was “never brought to my attention, saying this is the reason right here.”

Now that the media’s paying attention – San Diego has a large Navy presence – the apartment complex owner is contradicting the community managers:

Melanie Flaherty, the vice president of marketing for Carmel Partners, said, “We allow state and country flags.”

She said there was a “misunderstanding” between the tenant and the community managers and the rules will be changed.

Well, if all it takes to clear up a “misunderstanding” about your offensive flag is telling the local media and hoping it’s outrageous enough to make the evening newscast, that’s not a problem, right?

Greg Piper is an assistant editor at The College Fix. (@GregPiper)

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IMAGE: 10 News screenshot