Brooklyn, New York, my hometown, has a vast assortment of people. They run the gamut of ethnic and racial groups, political opinions, socio-economic indicators, and more. I'd never expect to agree with everyone in Brooklyn because it's so diverse.

But some people stand out for their controversial opinions. Even in a somewhat loud-and-proud place like Kings County (the alternative name for Brooklyn) there are folks who are particularly vocal, who revel in their abilities to stand out. There is a woman on Ryder Street, in the Marine Park neighborhood of Brooklyn, who is flying two rather outlandish flags outside her home.

One flag is about the "Stolen Election Fraud" of 2020, and the other reads "F--- Biden, Not My President," with a few other nasty things printed on it. No other house on the block displays this. I haven't seen any other house in Brooklyn with flags quite so outspoken as these. 

I saw them this past weekend when I brought my younger daughter to our hair salon, for a haircut. I'd known about this house before, and wondered if the homeowner would outdo herself. She has.

Back in November, after the election results made it clear that Biden had been elected president, this woman was displaying Trump loyalist flags. I'd stopped my car and gawked at her house. She saw me and waved to me, a big grin on her face. I rolled down my window and yelled out "Biden won!" And with that, she began hopping up and down, giving me the middle finger with each hand. She was like a female, 2020 Rumpelstiltskin. 

So I decided to see what this woman had up her sleeve in March. I guess I'm not surprised. She's consistent.

But what makes someone display vulgar, conspiracy-promoting flags? What would inspire this woman (who has to be in her 60s or older) to, quite literally, let her "freak flag fly"? She's certainly comfortable with her role as provocateur, and adamant in her opinions.

Her house is a semi-detached model, and her neighbor is flying a type of "love your neighbor" flag that features a white-skinned hand and a black-skinned hand joined together, forming a heart. This family's flag is a purposeful contrast to the one just a few yards away.

What must it be like to have a neighbor who pushes such bold political viewpoints? Why would an older person put something in front of her house that features a curse word? What motivates someone to be so contrarian, and to bait others?

I snapped photos and semi-hoped that the woman would race outside and have a tirade. Not this time.

It's funny on a certain level, but also immensely sad. Mind-boggling. Scary. What's going on in this woman's mind? Why does she cling to these angry ideas?

Look on Amazon, Etsy, Ultimate Flags, and other sites. These flags are for sale. 

Free speech, eh? More like freely provocative, attention seeking, lashing out.