Who Protects Your Rights?

Interesting story in the news over the past few days about a man in Arizona who wants to fly the Gadsden flag -- the one with the rattlesnake and "Don't Tread on Me" -- from his house. This flag is popular with Tea Partiers and also with Marines, who fly it from some of their bases in Afghanistan. But display of the flag is banned by his neighborhood association, which threatened to fine him if he didn't take it down. Apparently there have been several similar cases around the country. Lots of predictable froth is being spouted about denial of rights and what all. But who is denying his right to fly the flag? A private neighborhood association. And where has he turned for relief? To the federal courts. Who is paying for his suit? The ACLU.