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Trump flag controversy in Cape Coral neighborhood

Posted at 1:20 AM, Oct 18, 2019
and last updated 2019-10-18 06:31:43-04

CAPE CORAL, Fla. -- A Trump flag is causing some controversy in a Cape Coral neighborhood. A neighbor wants the owner to take it down, calling it disrespectful. But the owner refuses, saying it’s a freedom of speech.

Marlene McDade proudly displays a Trump 2020 flag in her front yard along NW 36th Place in Cape Coral. On Wednesday, she got an anonymous letter from one of her neighbors asking her to take it down.

“It’s my freedom. This is my yard,” said McDade.

McDade argues taking the flag down is against her First Amendment right.

Part of the letter says, “Flying the Trump flag, you tell all your neighbors that you disrespect them.”

“I don’t disrespect anybody in my neighborhood, I treat everybody the same,” said McDade.

The letter goes on to say that removing the flag will bring peace to the neighborhood. “People have to understand I don’t stop them from doing what they want to do,” said McDade. “They have no right to stop me from what I want to do in my yard.”

Bottom line, she thinks the letter is foolish. “Quit being so negative about everything, everyone has a right to their opinion and I usually keep my opinion to myself but that’s my flag and it’s staying,” said McDade.

She said everyone has a right to their own opinion but what she puts in her yard is her business.

“Even if my neighbors wanted to put a Hillary sign or an Elizabeth Warren sign in their yard, I don’t care. They can do their thing, and I can do mine,” said McDade.

Fox 4 went around the neighborhood asking who wrote the letter, but no one owned up to it.

McDade said she’s standing up for her rights and the flag is staying.