# A worn out flag query. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 16, 2007, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-worn-out-flag-query/408274 "2007-06-16T18:43:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-worn-out-flag-query/408274/1 "2007-06-16T18:43:08Z")
From [snopes](http://www.snopes.com/holidays/flagday/burnflag.asp), about the US flag. I somehow got the idea that displaying a time-worn (or battle-worn) flag was honorable. I am, after all, pretty proud of _my own_ wrinkles. Peace, mangeorge, who doesn’t even own a flag. Peace, mangeorge ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 6:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-worn-out-flag-query/408274/2 "2007-06-16T18:46:31Z")
Query? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-worn-out-flag-query/408274/3 "2007-06-16T18:52:38Z")
[QUOTE=KneadToKnow] Query? [/QUOTE] Yeah. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-worn-out-flag-query/408274/4 "2007-06-16T19:03:07Z")
I’ve known for a long time that a badly torn or worn-out flag should be destroyed. I was taught the Flag Code back in my Boy Scout days. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-worn-out-flag-query/408274/5 "2007-06-16T19:21:13Z")
A battle-worn flag may be displayed in a case or on a wall, but any flag that is in tatters in any way should be destroyed in the proper fashion rather than flown. Ditto your wrinkles. They may be praised and admired in private, but don’t put them on public display. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-worn-out-flag-query/408274/6 "2007-06-16T19:35:30Z")
[QUOTE=cochrane] I’ve known for a long time that a badly torn or worn-out flag should be destroyed. I was taught the Flag Code back in my Boy Scout days. [/QUOTE] Really? I must have gotten my idea from museums or the like. My cub scout days are long past. We were far too poor for that. I just read the [code](http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode04/usc_sec_04_00000008----000-.html). Man, what a joke! See (i) and (j). It’s a good thing the code is toothless. As it should be, imo. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-worn-out-flag-query/408274/7 "2007-06-16T20:54:37Z")
[QUOTE=silenus] A battle-worn flag may be displayed in a case or on a wall, but any flag that is in tatters in any way should be destroyed in the proper fashion rather than flown. Ditto your wrinkles. They may be praised and admired in private, but don’t put them on public display. 😃 [/QUOTE] Dang! Wrinkles “should be destroyed in the proper fashion rather than flown?” :eek: “Don’t put them on public display?” Yow! That’s a mighty strict code. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2007, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-worn-out-flag-query/408274/8 "2007-06-17T07:11:34Z")
[QUOTE=mangeorge] Really? I must have gotten my idea from museums or the like. My cub scout days are long past. We were far too poor for that. I just read the [code](http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode04/usc_sec_04_00000008----000-.html). Man, what a joke! See (i) and (j). It’s a good thing the code is toothless. As it should be, imo. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE=silenus] A battle-worn flag may be displayed in a case or on a wall, but any flag that is in tatters in any way should be destroyed in the proper fashion rather than flown. 😃 [/QUOTE] Actually, **silenus** is correct, and thanks to him for making the distinction. A battle-worn flag can be displayed as an historical relic. So, it shouldn’t be flown from a pole, but it is correct to display it as an artifact of historical interest on a wall or in a case. Therefore, **mangeorge** , in the case of a museum, you are correct in that circumstance. Such use would be considered a dignified manner of display.