U.S. Flag Becomes Issue In Burr Ridge Family

BURR RIDGE, IL — Burr Ridge resident Aristotle Halikias says his displays of the American flag at his house on Burr Ridge's Pinecrest Court has upset his two daughters, who are Chicago residents.

For safety reasons, Halikias said his daughters opposed the display of his two U.S. flags — one with a police-supporting blue line. He spoke about the issue while advocating for a gate in his small subdivision at last week's Burr Ridge Village Board meeting.

"This past year, I was particularly saddened because my daughters, upon coming home for the weekend, told me they were fearful of what I did and calling attention to my home. What I did was put up two American flags," Halikias told the board. "They asked me to remove (the flags). Otherwise, they would have to stay where they were at, which is downtown Chicago."

He did not say at the meeting whether he complied with his daughters' request.

"That's saddened me a great deal that in my home in Burr Ridge, my children felt threatened by the fact that I was raising an American flag in my front lawn," he said.

Halikias said his subdivision has seen car break-ins, suspicious vehicles constantly driving past and his sister being accosted by a driver. (A village trustee says the police only have one crime report since 2016 from the subdivision.)

Halikias said his daughters' feelings are based on the past incidents in the neighborhood, "not because they have anything to fear."

He also cited the "events of the past 18 to 20 months," but did not say what they were.