Police have ticketed a Michigan man for violating a local noise ordinance after his neighbor complained about the sound made by the man’s American flag, reports the Macomb Daily and WDIV-TV in Detroit.
According to the report, a police officer came to the Chesterfield Township home of Ray Saelens, 51, on Monday night and handed him a citation.
“He could hardly look me in the eye,” Saelens told the Macomb Daily.
Following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, Saelens reportedly had a 50-foot flagpole installed behind his home on which he routinely flies an 18-by-12-foot flag.
“To me, the noise of the flag is the voices of everyone who’s died for this country,” Saelens commented.
 Ray Saelens and his flag. (Courtesy: Macomb Daily) |
According to the paper’s report, Saelens swapped out a nylon flag for a polyester one, having been told it would not fly as well, but would make less noise. But next-door neighbor Mark Grucz told police he couldn’t sleep over the noise of the flag.
Chesterfield police spokesman Jim Gates said the flag flap is unprecedented.
“Never in a million years did I think I would bother someone by flying a flag,” Gates told the Macomb Daily.
He said the department had no choice but to issue the violation when someone complains about noise.
According to the report, the case is expected to be reviewed by a township attorney.
