OCEANSIDE, Calif. - The wife of a Camp Pendleton Marine told 10News she was hurt when her homeowners association ordered her to remove her American flag.
"They are hurting people like me and my husband," said Heather Valenti.
She said the letter from her HOA that demanded she take the flag down "sounded pretty threatening."
According to the letter, Valenti's flag violated rules in common areas.
Valenti said the small flag has a big meaning to her and her family. It's a flag that honors her husband, who is deployed, and her Marine grandfather, who recently died.
"I just watched a flag being folded at my grandfather's funeral and handed to my grandmother by the Marines. It hits home," Valenti told 10News.
Valenti said she believes the country is in crisis. Scenes of flags being burned hurt her.
"Unfortunately, we live in a country where people are burning flags, disrespecting flags," she said.
Valenti was not about to let this battle over her flag go, even though her husband did not want to make a fuss.
"He's over there serving our country and his response was just, 'Whatever, just take it down. We'll get an American flag doormat instead.' I said no," said Valenti.
Valenti said she felt targeted, as several other neighbors have similar flags displayed in common areas.
After Valenti moved her flag less than a foot, the HOA gave in.
"At the end of the day, I won. I'm able to keep my flag up, and that's all I wanted," Valenti said.
10News reached out to Curtis Management Company, who oversees the HOA, but they have not responded as of early Friday evening.
