After insisting {that a} CEO’s American flag was an eyesore of their metropolis, a council voted to power the businessman to take away the show instantly. What they by no means anticipated was that he would have a giant shock in retailer for them once they arrived at work the subsequent day.
When Tenting World Chairman and CEO Marcus Lemonis places his thoughts to one thing, you may anticipate him to realize his desired outcomes. As an orphaned Lebanese who was adopted by a pair in Florida, he is aware of the onerous work and perseverance it takes to dwell out the American dream.
Grateful for the freedoms and alternatives the USA has afforded him, Lemonis is giving again to his nation in quite a few methods, together with starring within the CNBC present The Revenue, which assists small companies on the verge of chapter. Nevertheless, when he determined to erect an American flag on firm property with a purpose to present his patriotism, he was quickly launched to governmental overreach.
Based on FOX 46, the town of Statesville, North Carolina, voted to power Lemonis to take away the 40 toes by 80 toes American flag, which waves on a 130-foot-high pole at his RV retailer, citing a dimension violation of a metropolis ordinance, which solely permits for flags as much as 25 toes by 40 toes in dimension. Nevertheless, as an alternative of taking down Outdated Glory, Lemonis had a greater thought.
Regardless of a lawsuit and fines totaling over $10,000, Lemonis shocked the town by as soon as once more elevating the huge America flag excessive above the skyline. Though the town has tried every little thing to power him to take down the patriotic show, Lemonis has promised them that the flag isn’t going anyplace, vowing to combat the “unconstitutional” ban.
“Backside line is the flag’s not coming down,” he informed staff. “Give me a motive why this compromises the well being, wellness or security.”
Lemonis has confirmed his seriousness on the problem, securing attorneys to combat the town’s lawsuit and alter the ordinance on flag sizes. Based on their declare, the U.S. and state constitutions clearly prohibit authorities “from inserting arbitrary or unreasonable restrictions on metropolis’s skills to fly the flag.” As a result of his flag isn’t a security hazard, Lemonis and his authorized workforce are citing his proper to fly an American flag of any dimension on his property.
The submitting says the flag “represents the basic values — freedom, braveness and equality earlier than the regulation — that unite all Individuals and transcend occasion politics. … In step with this custom, The U.S. Supreme Court docket has lengthy acknowledged that the act of flying the flag is a kind a political expression protected by the First Modification.”
Based on the Washington Examiner, the town is asking for a wonderful of $50 per day, which might additionally apply retroactively. This might imply that Lemonis can be answerable for paying the town over $10,000, for the reason that flag was first erected months in the past. Nonetheless, he’s not budging and has even proposed a change to the ordinance.
“It actually simply comes all the way down to, in my view, bureaucrats making an attempt to regulate the scale of one thing,” Lemonis stated in a earlier telephone interview with FOX 46.
Proving his dedication and unshakeable place, Lemonis posted a video on Twitter of the huge flag flying over the RV lot. The clip was merely captioned “Nothing extra to say…” implying that nobody can power him to take away the banner.
“The flag isn’t coming down. It’s the one factor I do know for sure,” Lemonis stated. “I do know I’m going to die. I do know I’m going to pay taxes. And I do know I’m not taking the flag down.”
Lemonis has remained steadfast on the problem. He defined that it isn’t concerning the flag, per se, however about his rights as an American citizen. He additionally took to social media to additional specify his causes for defying the town at each flip.
“That is about extra than simply the flag. That is about our Veterans, Army, and the women and men which have sacrificed for this nice nation,” Gander Outdoor posted on Fb this month. “They’re the rationale we fly the flag and they’re the rationale we’ll NOT take it down!”
To date, the mayor has but to try to gather the fines imposed upon Lemonis. Nevertheless, the town is defending its resolution to make him take away the flag, arguing that he ought to accomplish that just because it’s the rule.
“We take our legal guidelines and ordinances very significantly,” the town responded. “Our doorways are open to any enterprise seeking to prosper and develop in our neighborhood. We solely ask that the right channels are adopted. That’s the first and vital step to any potential change in code.”
Many are standing behind Lemonis and his quest to train his proper to fly as massive an American flag as he sees match. As he awaits the courtroom’s resolution, he guarantees that, whatever the ruling, he nonetheless gained’t take down our nationwide image.