# America - showing the flag has gone too far **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 23, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240 "2003-09-23T03:34:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Race\_Bannon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/5f8ce5/32.png) [@Race\_Bannon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Race_Bannon)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/1 "2003-09-23T03:34:12Z")
I’d like to think I’m as patriotic as any American. I put the flag out on my porch for holidays, or on sunny days when I feel like it. I feel good when seeing it flying from people’s houses, public buildings, and the like. I work on a military post, and when the colors are displayed, I give the appropriate display of respect. In recent times, however, folks seem to be putting the flag everywhere. Stickers and decals on cars, patches on uniforms (not police/firefighters). It’s on almost every pro sports teams’ uniforms or equipment somewhere. While I think this kind of display is well intended, I feel like it generally devalues the meaning of the flag. Here are three examples that I think cross the line: I went to buy a soccer ball for my kid. At the store, there was a bin full of balls that had little flags all over them, one flag in each hexagonal section of the ball. This is a ball that goes on the ground, and you kick it. Not my idea of a respectful display. Some office mates of mine have little scotch tape-like sticky tabs that they use to mark places in paperwork. A little American flag waving at you from the edge of some memo that you’ll read once and throw away. Seems like Old Glory deserves a better job than that. Just last weekend I ran in the US Air Force marathon. This is a good place to show off some patriotism. Lots of flags flying, airmen competing, and with three general officers passing out the finisher’s medals. But, I could not believe my eyes when I saw a fellow runner with a US flag patch attached to his shorts, _on his right butt cheek_ . Now, it could be that this guy was exercising his free speech to show disrespect for the flag, but I don’t think so. I think it was his cute way of showing it off. I was appaled. Let the flag be the proud symbol it deserves to be. Give it a special place. It doesn’t need to be on everybody’s clothes, bumpers, sporting goods, or paperwork. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/2 "2003-09-23T04:39:29Z")
What irks me is the incessant half-staffing done here in Indianapolis. Did people fly the flag at half staff NEARLY EVERY DAY during WWII? Not according to the folks who were alive at the time that I asked. What is up with this ostentation? ---
**Author:** ![Garfield226](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Garfield226](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Garfield226)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 6:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/3 "2003-09-23T06:06:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Dogface \* > \*\*What irks me is the incessant half-staffing done here in Indianapolis. Did people fly the flag at half staff NEARLY EVERY DAY during WWII? Not according to the folks who were alive at the time that I asked. > > What is up with this ostentation? \*\* Right now the flag is at half-staff because the Governor just died. ---
**Author:** ![Seven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Seven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Seven)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/4 "2003-09-23T08:11:27Z")
Wasn’t Abbie Hoffman arrested by the government for wearing an American flag t-shirt? I think having 14 torn and dirty plastic flags on your SUV is akin to buring it. It’s disrepectful. ---
**Author:** ![Dogface](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9d8465/32.png) [@Dogface](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dogface)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/5 "2003-09-23T14:14:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Garfield226 \* > \*\*Right now the flag is at half-staff because the Governor just died. \*\* Was it at half staff because the Governor died THREE WEEKS AGO? Was it at half staff because the Governor died TWO WEEKS AGO? Don’t give me that crap. The flag has been flown at half staff INCESSANTLY for MONTHS. It’s nothing but self-important, stupid, ostentation do to that. ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/6 "2003-09-23T14:34:13Z")
So, how do you people feel about those enamelled pins people are wearing on their lapels? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/7 "2003-09-23T14:52:08Z")
[The lyrics to John Prine’s “Your Flag Decal Won’t Get You Into Heaven Anymore”](http://www.jpshrine.org/lyrics/songs/jpflagdecal.html) ---
**Author:** ![TVAA](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TVAA](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TVAA)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/8 "2003-09-23T15:18:02Z")
Exxxxxxcellent. Our plan to degrade the foolish and pointless symbolism of the American flag continues. [steeples fingers] ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/9 "2003-09-23T15:32:50Z")
Flag worship annoys the hell out of me. Seeing someone wearing a flag stuck to his butt annoys me. Hearing somone bitch about someone who wears a flag stuck to his butt annoys me too. It’s just a flag. It’s not sacred. The world isn’t going to come to an end if it touches the ground. It’s an inanimate object…hence, it cannot be “disrespected”. Do other countries treat their flags with such reverance? Do other countries pledge allegiance to their flags like Americans do? ---
**Author:** ![clayton\_e](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c57346/32.png) [@clayton\_e](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clayton_e)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/10 "2003-09-23T15:39:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Seven \* > \*\*I think having 14 torn and dirty plastic flags on your SUV is akin to buring it. It’s disrepectful. \*\* Not to mention mildly ironic. What bothers me is a commercial for jeans that was aired a while ago. It had CCR’s “Fortunate Son” playing while scenes of people’s asses in their jeans alternated with pictures of a waving American flag. A small section of the lyrics: > [@](#): > > Some folks are born to wave the flag, > Ooh, they’re red, white and blue. > And when the band plays “Hail to the chief”, > Ooh, they point the cannon at you, Lord, > > It ain’t me, it ain’t me, I ain’t no senator’s son, son. > It ain’t me, it ain’t me; I ain’t no fortunate one, no, > Yeah! 😕 ---
**Author:** ![Eolbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d07c76/32.png) [@Eolbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eolbo)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/11 "2003-09-23T15:50:48Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by monstro \* > \*\* > Do other countries treat their flags with such reverance? Do other countries pledge allegiance to their flags like Americans do? \*\* In Australia, no. All that flag waving malarkey isn’t a big deal out here. We’re patriotic enough in our way, but we don’t go around beating the patriotism drum like you guys do. It seems rather crass. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/12 "2003-09-23T16:09:19Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by monstro \* > Do other countries treat their flags with such reverance? Do other countries pledge allegiance to their flags like Americans do? Not in Ireland. We’ve got a lot of very patriotic people but absolutely nothing like the flag culture you guys have over there. We also have nothing like the un-American BS either. If a critic of the government etc was called un-Irish they’d be laughed at. ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/13 "2003-09-23T16:19:27Z")
I meant the person calling the critic un-Irish would be laughed at. ---
**Author:** ![j.c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/73ab20/32.png) [@j.c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j.c)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/14 "2003-09-23T17:44:57Z")
> [@](#): > > ## quote: > > ## Originally posted by monstro Do other countries treat their flags with such reverance? Do other countries pledge allegiance to their flags like Americans do? Some of the countries I’ve visited have a little thing they call the royal family. They put pictures on decals and stuff. It’s really neat. ---
**Author:** ![spogga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ab097/32.png) [@spogga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spogga)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/15 "2003-09-23T18:30:01Z")
As an Englishman and proud of it I would love to see the Cross of St. George flown on a regular basis from our local council offices, I have never even seen it flown ONCE. Stop your bitching Americans and be proud of what you have and also remember your flag is a SYMBOL of your country. Incidentally LATRO I have an American flag pin in my lapel along with both The Union Flag and the Flag of St. George. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/16 "2003-09-23T19:00:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by monstro \* > \*\* > Do other countries treat their flags with such reverance? Do other countries pledge allegiance to their flags like Americans do? \*\* I have to say that I never saw as many flags as I did when I was in Switzerland. In the little towns I passed through there was a flag on nearly every building. The U.S. doesn’t come close. Ed ---
**Author:** ![ruadh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d2c977/32.png) [@ruadh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ruadh)\ **Post date:** [September 23, 2003, 9:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/17 "2003-09-23T21:25:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yojimbo \* > \*\*Not in Ireland. We’ve got a lot of very patriotic people but absolutely nothing like the flag culture you guys have over there. \*\* Having just returned from Belfast, I think you might want to qualify that statement. ---
**Author:** ![edwino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@edwino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwino)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/18 "2003-09-24T02:30:10Z")
What really bothers me is that every politician feels it necessary to wear one of those lapel pins. Does Bush honestly believe that those who question his patriotism will be quieted by a stunning display from a pin on his right lapel? I believe there was an article in Rolling Stone a few months ago about this. I believe it was by Arthur Schlesinger and it was in the “American Icons” issue. He also raised the point about people wearing American flag shirts to funerals for fallen soldiers and so forth. All of this recent flag-waving has seemed to diminish the icon considerably. ---
**Author:** ![Pjen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Pjen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pjen)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/19 "2003-09-24T07:31:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by yojimbo \* > \*\*Not in Ireland. We’ve got a lot of very patriotic people but absolutely nothing like the flag culture you guys have over there. We also have nothing like the un-American BS either. If a critic of the government etc was called un-Irish they’d be laughed at. \*\* The only place in the whole world where I have seen more national flags flying than the USA was Dublin in June/July 2002. No why was that? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![yojimbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yojimbo/32/232_2.png) [@yojimbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yojimbo)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2003, 9:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240/20 "2003-09-24T09:28:48Z")
**ruadh** I did say Ireland 😉 In NI they have a lot of bullshit about what “tribe” they are a member of. And while there may have been lots of flags around for the world cup nobody(well nearly) flies flags as a norm on their house etc. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/america-showing-the-flag-has-gone-too-far/203240.md?page=2)