This is exactly the sort of thing I would avoid doing, because god forbid someone else at your company decides to get religion over the flag and chooses to go one of the other routes suggested here by people (steal the flag or involve external organizations like the American Legion and local media). Because then you’re the prime suspect for all of these things, and all the blowback comes back on you.
So I guess you have to ask yourself, is this really the hill you want to die on? Do you think you’ll be able to mobilize the social media backlash to ensure you keep your job if things move sideways, get blown way out of proportion, and management responds in draconian fashion?
We’re talking about a place where the OP works!! I am not suggesting that some random person “steal” or “vandalize” a flag at some random facility. If this is a flag flying in front of the building where I work, and nobody else would replace it, then I would just take it down. Hell, I might even send an email explaining that I took it down.
I would hate to work at a company that would fire or arrest an employee for such a thing. The fact that many of you are so paranoid about your supervisors and how they might react to you taking a little initiative says so much. I am glad I’ll never have to work at such a place
A nuisance? Your job sucks and your supervisors are probably assholes. Taking initiative like this isn’t a crusade. To me it’s about the same as fixing a leaky faucet that you’ve reported to higher but they haven’t fixed 3 weeks later. Would fixing that faucet get you arrested too?
Fixing the faucet? Probably not. But shutting off the water, and then uninstalling and removing the faucet from the premises? I’d expect it would at least get you fired if they could link it to you.
ETA: Because let’s be clear. You didn’t advocate for replacing the flag (which I also wouldn’t bother with, but I grant would be unlikely to have negative consequences for you), but removing it and leaving the flag pole bare.
I actually had a job where I had to deal with a tattered American flag.
I was a bellman at the Holiday Inn in Joplin, Missouri, c. 1995. You could see I-44 from some of our windows, and as such, we had a yuge American flag that could be seen by cars driving down the interstate.
It was a disgrace. Tattered beyond all recognition, faded. A guest complained, so I went to the general manager. He said, “How about that. Go back to your station.” So I went to the maintenance guy, hoping to gather allies in my fight to get a better flag. He was told the same thing.
Within about a week, however, the maintenance guy grabbed me and told me to come with him to the flag pole, he needed my help. Sure enough, we erected a brand-spanking new American flag.
I don’t know what informed the arrival of the new flag – whether general manager made a phone call, or whether the maintenance guy made a phone call, or maybe even a guest.
I’m kind of with ASL v2.0 here. I’ve made sure the relevant decision makers have the information. The ball is in their court now. Just how hard to I want to push this? There’s not much I can do to force the issue without being a PITA to some members of Sr management. I’m certainly not going to fund a replacement out of my own pocket.
Close but not quite. I mentioned this to a friend of mine who just happens to run the local Scout troop. He thought this might make a good field trip and civics lesson for the group. Have them arrive in a group, all in their uniforms and request to see the plant manager. Might be interesting to watch but keep my name the hell out of it.
I mean, if you can get the flag for free… sure. But are the flags actually free, or does someone have to pay for it, in which case we’re right back where we started.
I know they VFW is struggling for dues-paying members (I mean, I certain my have no intention of joining myself).
What does that have to do with anything? I’d be deeply offended if the VFW used their limited funds to replace the flag in front of an industrial facility owned but a fortune 100 company. If the VFW can harass them into at least taking down the tattered flag (while keeping my name out of it), great. Shame is free and can even be fun. Replacing the flag costs money and if corporate wants one then they can bloody well cough up the coins for it.
I guess it just depends on how bad the leak is. If it’s really bad, and can’t be fixed, then shutting off the water might just be the right call.
That’s true. But the scenario in the OP didn’t seem to indicate these people cared for a replacement flag at all. It seems like they don’t care one way or the other about having the flag. Admittedly, we’re all just filling in the information gaps with our own take on the situation, so we all have a slightly different scenario on our heads. If management said something like, “We just don’t have the money to replace it right now” or something like that, then I might be inclined to get a replacement. It just depends. But this struck me as a company that has probably been ignoring that flag for the past decade or so. They don’t take it down or put it up; it’s just kind of there. Nobody is really in charge of it, so it’s never going to be dealt with. In a situation like that, I’d probably just take it down, and let them decide what they want to do from there. If it’s something I’d think they even notice, and especially if there are cameras or whatever, then I’d just send an email saying, “I’m taking down that tattered flag tomorrow and putting it in the supply closet” or something like that. It’s really not a super big deal.
On re-read, this comes off as a lot harsher than I intended. I apologize for any offense.
It’s just completely hideous and unsightly. Unlike albino_manatee’s insinuations, it isn’t a matter of taste, style, or personal preference. We’re not talking about shades of paint or crown molding here. A torn-up, tattered old flag is not viewed positively by anyone, with the small exception of those intentionally trying to make a statement. People–and that includes potential customers–will view that flag in one of several ways, but none of them are positive. They are either going to not care at all, they are going to find it unsightly, or they are going to find it down right offensive. Depending on what type of company the OP works for, this may be more detrimental than neutral. It certainly won’t be looked upon positively. It’s like walking up to a facility with tall grass and weeds everywhere. It gives a sloppy and unkempt impression to the customers. No flag is better than a tattered flag. I personally would not want the company I work for to project such an image to the public.
It’s like if there was a dead raccoon on the sidewalk near the entryway. It’s fucking disgusting. Sure, some customers might not be bothered by it, but plenty will. And none of them are going to view it positively. An besides that, I don’t want to have to look at it every day. Some things–such as tattered US Flags and dead raccoons–are just inherently disgusting and unsightly to look at.
If I told management about a dead raccoon out near the walkway and they still hadn’t removed it a week later, I’d probably just remove it myself. A tore-up old flag? Same thing.
It sure might. But, again, removing the faucet (or the flag) is a whole new ball game that exposes you to a whole new set of responses. It’s property. Don’t take liberties with your employer’s property beyond that which is required or at least allowed by your job. No good will come from making a nuisance of yourself, and nobody likes a busy-body on the self-appointed flag patrol. Especially when the flag goes missing, Boy Scouts show up for a field trip, or a bunch of old guys in VFW hats start railing on bout how their friend has a story about how their great-great-great-great uncle died for that flag at Shiloh.
I just had an epiphany. Aren’t all manatees albino?
And how much do you want to bet that the people pushing for those criminal penalties routinely violate it themselves, by leaving it up at night or in the rain when they could take it down, or by letting it fly so long it gets tattered, or by wearing clothing patterned on it?
I would say a little annoyed. Personally I would figure out a way to access the pole and swap it off myself (a local diner had a drop box for proper disposal) but that could be one of those things that is just me. I don’t mind if people want to disrespect this country; I want to myself sometimes. But I would prefer it to be on purpose and not by accident or laziness.
I don’t think the fact that it hasn’t been done three weeks later means that it’s been forgotten. It’s like any other non-urgent repair, maybe it’s not a priority, maybe it needs to requisitioned through channels.
I’d just stop by the facility department and check on the status of the request. It probably isn’t bothering anyone else the way it does you, most of your coworkers are probably oblivious to it (the way you were until it caught your eye).
Is there any amount of time that could pass after which dramatic action would be warranted for this? I mean, if it’s your last day on the job and you want to go out with a wave of patriotic fervor, okay, but otherwise…