Marcus Lemonis, CEO of Camping World and the Good Sam Club, says the giant American flag outside a Gander RV store in North Carolina isn’t going anywhere despite calls for its removal. The Statesville City Council voted June 17 to not make any changes to its flag ordinance, which says flags cannot be larger than 25 feet by 40 feet. The Gander flag is about twice that size. Gander RV is owned by Camping World.
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The city has been fining the business $50 a day every day the flag is flown. The charges have been accumulating since last October, when the city told Camping World that it would be fined until the flag was replaced for a smaller one.
Lemonis had said that he understands that Gander RV isn’t complying with the city’s ordinance — but he said the flag would stay even if he’s jailed for contempt of court.
“I would prefer not to (go to jail),” he said. “It’s not a super-favorable outcome. But that’s how big a line in the sand this is for me.”
Some residents have applauded Lemonis’ stance while others see it as a publicity stunt.
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What do you think?
If the flag stays, and Lemonis is charged with contempt of court, will he go to jail as he has promised?
Curious that they hassle and possibly jail someone over a giant American flag, yet no one is bothered by the giant Confederate flag that’s flying and floodlit 24/7 right along side I-95 near Fayetteville. Oh, right – according to sponsors, “it’s a symbol of the south”…. So what is the American flag in question?
After all the over the top shady immoral and illegal practices Lemois has allegedly committed, possibly going to jail over an oversized flag seems absolutely ridiculous. Besides his “lawyers” will find a way to get him off on that too. I will say this, his time is coming and Kharma is a B*tch!!!
It’s probably a publicity stunt, but everyone should be able to fly any USA Flag they desire inside the USA borders.
I have signed a petition in CW’s favor concerning this issue. It is a disgusting thing for a city council, anywhere in the USA, to attempt to regulate the size of a flag. The should be censored and thrown out on their BIG BUTTS in favor of new council members who respect rights and country.
What a horrible city council!!!! Hope they will be voted out. Makes me not want to go to this town. Charlotte has a lot of music venues but we can wait till they come around here.
So this CEO screws his customers and he is making big deal about a flag Our camper has been at camping world now since Feb of this year it’s a 2019 used it 4 times and that was two days on week end ,they don’t give two ***** about there customers our camper is still there and not a part everyone has lied to us from day one and still lieing to us
We sold our camper and plan on staying in hotels,with all said it’s cheaper and much easier.
It’s the law. Why is Lemon above the law?
So they only allow XSmall flags? I’m from Texas, and you go to jail for displaying such small flags.
There is one in Fairfield, Ohio (Greater Cincinnait) and when it’s windy, its one of the most breathtaking sites that I have ever seen and l’m 72 years young.
There is nothing more beautiful than Old Glory flying majestically in the blue sky. I don’t think there should even be a limit on the size of the Stars and Stripes. Long may it wave!
It was settled a couple of weeks ago. Statesville backed down and the flag can now fly! Flying flags is a big deal in this area
After all it is Dixie. If you are correct, God bless the Great State of North Carolina. Oh yeah, I guess Statesville too.
Salaam! Why is jail an option? If the ordinance of the city only states a fine, then the store should be fined it’s daily penalty, collected monthly, as long as it is violating the ordinance. This should be a good revenue producer for this small town, $1500/month!
Put up the correct size flag and then fight the ordinance in court. The size of the flag does not determine the amount of your patriotism just like the size of your head does not determine how much brain you have!
There’s a giant one like that somewhere up interstate 43 in Wisconsin. Nobody has called for it’s removal. He had a store in Appleton Wi. Now closed but a massive flag there also. I say let him fly the flag. Any size he wants.
I love seeing those flags as you travel around the country burning ungodly amounts of gasoline.
This is a great PR stunt for Mr. Lemonis. I suspect he will eventually acquiesce. Most municipalities have sign ordinances to prevent the landscape from becoming Las Vegas-like. Lemonis is somewhat arrogant in his approach. He could comply and still keep the flag on display. This is very much a hot button issue and IMHO, inappropriate to try to leverage his position by using the flag. As a two tour Vietnam veteran I respect the flag and it’s meaning, but disapprove of it being used for commercial purposes.
Thank you for your thoughtful comments, RW. And thank you for your service. Welcome home! 😀 —Diane at RVtravel.com (proud mom of a Marine combat veteran)
You will notice as you drive around the country, that car & RV dealers almost always have a huge American flag displayed to draw your attention to their location and research has shown that displaying an American flag helps sales so, of course, Lemonis would do this attention grabbing sales stunt.
P. T. Barnum would be proud.
Go to jail. Seems Marcus learned from the master! There are 27 ” official” American Flags. The current 50ty Star, is the longest serving flag of the United States of America. Fly it proud Marcus.
Yes! He did. And just who is that master? Why none other than our current great President Donald Trump, who did basically the same thing with Palm Beach county many years ago. Although the size of the flag wasn’t in question but the height. Look it up.
He should go to jail if he doesn’t obey the law. And people that think this is alright are undermining our laws over their fake patriotism.
Was this a law or a suggestion by city? Perhaps a bulletin established flag rule only. In real life-the flag can be flown any size it wants to fly.
We basically said that same thing to the British, when they jailed the “colonists” guess we were right on that one!