I’m a bit ambivalent on the flag issue. I go on a flag to flag basis. A couple of examples:
-One of my friend’s brother got about 50 flag bumper stickers and ringed them around the trim of his car. I feel this is a little excessive, plus it means that everytime he steps into his car he’s stepping on a flag. Tacky, but with good intentions.
-On the night of September 12 I was walking down the street when I saw an SUV go by with “Born in the USA” blaring. The driver had masted a five flag foot pole on top and was flying the stars and stripes there. “Wow,” I thought. “That’s brash, audacious, and arrogant. Its perfect!” As our local paper put it “Our hearts are broken. Our spirit never will be.” That guy was the perfect example of that semiment.
In general: flag flying to lift hearts-good. To lift profits-bad. Take care of your flags as much as possible, but there is no need to go overboard either in your care nor your amount of flags flown.
I can see how leaving the thing out in the rain would wear it down, so it might be a good idea to bring it in.
So explain to me the practical reasoning behind not flying it at night (unlit), or having the goddamn blue on the right? Who the fuck is that hurting? If enough people fly their flag that way, will the Anti-America be freed from its eternal torment to claim us all? And who made up this inane rule anyway, and why should I listen to them?
Also, what about if I leave my bicycle out in the rain? Will you bitch about that? Hell, a wet bike doesn’t just look bad, it’ll eventually stop working. But guess what, it’s my goddamn bike, and it’s my goddamn flag. And if I want to piss on it, how is it your problem? [sub]Though apparently there are people with flagpoles so far up their ass that it’ll give them a stroke to see it rained on or flown at night. Never mind that the owner of the flag could very well be out of the house–or too tired to take it down–as a result of working for the US-fucking-A[/sub]
Which is why I think we should only fly the flag in winds between 10 and 20mph. I wouldn’t want a perfectly colorful and dry flag to “just sort of hang there”.
People who fly the flag are showing, by reason of convention, their patriotism. I think it’s very rude to ridicule someone’s heartfelt patriotism because you don’t like the way it looks. They are not being disrespectful. They are using the symbol the only way they know how.
Me, I don’t put much stock in a peice of colored cloth, but I do understand the people who do. To suggest that the people who fly the flag incorrectly are being disrespectful are completely missing the point.
I can’t believe that people are actually DEFENDING IGNORANCE in this thread with the whiny argument that “it’s the thought that counts!” Are we now idealizing ignorant but well-meaning people?
The flag is a symbol. Rules have been put in place as to how this symbol should be displayed. As has been stated earlier, these rules are not that difficult to follow. It is each person’s choice whether to display this symbol or not. If you do not care to display this symbol, that’s fine and dandy. But those who CHOOSE to display it, for whatever motivation, can reasonably expected to do so correctly.
Well Scarlet, I think those rules are meaningless. I also think it is ignorant to question someone’s patriotism because you don’t like the way the flag looks on the lawn.
People who are draping the flag on their mailbox are not flying the flag in an official manner-- they are expressing their love of country.
Fly the flag correctly or don’t fly the flag at all is a sentiment that I find rude and somewhat hostile.
LOL… rules? That’s a nice attempt at sneaking that one in there. If you want to follow arbitrary guidelines set by some unknown individual(s), then be my guest. Until these mysterious “rule-makers” reveal themselves and their reasoning, I think I’ll just continue to be patriotic in my own way.
Actually the Flag Code was passed by Congress. It’s US Code Title 36, Chapter 10. You can view it at this site http://www.usflag.org/us.code36.html. Hardly arbitrary guidelines from unknown individuals.
Scarlett, to me the flag is a piece of cloth. It’s a banner, a rallying point, a standard . . . but just a symbol.
If you wish to call me names or think less of me for improperly displaying a flag, you’re welcome to. If you want to think I’m disrespecting my nation by “disrespecting” the flag, you’re welcome to. You’d be completely wrong, but go for it.
Did you read this? It says they adopted rules from more than 66 different organizations including the Army and Navy. Which means there were at least 66 different ways of displaying the flag… and doesn’t sounds arbitrary to you?
What the fuck? 66 different groups all had their own standards (which were largely consistent, as a matter of fact), and Congress established a national set of standards based on those.
I can see making an argument for arbitrary, but at least accept that your “unknown individuals” line was complete shite.
So why the fuck are so many people bitching at me about the four rusted out junkers I got behind the trailer? Their my goddamn cars after all.
Paint the trailer? Why the fuck should I, I like the peeling paint.
Mow the grass? Piss off, it’s MY grass and I like it tall.
Got a problem with the way I express myself? Don’t like living next door? Too fucking bad, it’s mine and I can do as I want!
(I hope everyone was able to see that this post is dripping with sarcasm. If not please re-read with that in mind.)
Look, I’m not going out and yelling at my neighbors about their flags. In fact, I’m trying to give them the benefit of the doubt that maybe it is just ignorance - see the first line of the OP. But if you know the symbolic customs associated with the flag, and choose not to use them, you’re saying something. Even then, there are a few possibilities for what you’re saying:
“I want to show my support for America by putting up a flag, but my routine doesn’t allow me to take it down at night or during rainstorms. So I’ll do the best I can within the constraints that my life imposes on me.”
“I put this flag up because everyone on the block had them, but I don’t really give a shit.”
“I think the so-called ‘rules’ about how you’re supposed to treat a flag are stupid, so I’m going to flout them to demonstrate my contempt for them.”
I’ve been trying really hard to assume that my neighbors either are ignorant of the customs associated with the flag or that they fall in category 1. But I’m finding it increasingly difficult as their flags look more and more neglected. Even if you can’t every bring it in out of the dark and the rain, I can’t believe that you can’t take two minutes to adjust it so it flies freely.
As far as I’m concerned, people who fall in categories 2 and 3 shouldn’t have flags. Placing a flag on your house is symbolic communication, like it or not. And how you treat the flag once you’ve got it up there is equally symbolic communication. Category 2 people probably don’t want to communicate the message that others are receiving, so they shouldn’t have flags. Category 3 people do in fact want to communicate, but have selected a method that is easily misinterpreted. Maybe they need a sign, or to write a letter to the editor or to Congress or something. But I really doubt that many people are consciously protesting flag display conventions by leaving their flags out in the rain.
I did indeed read this. It sounds to me like they saw the 66 different ways of displaying the flag, and thought there should be some sort of national standard.
Having been a Boy Scout for a long time, I’m pretty anal about how I treat the flag. If my flag’s not flying it’s folded, correctly, in a closet. If it’s drizzeling I’ll take it in. That doesn’t mean I’m better or more patriotic than someone who flies a flag incorrectly, but it still bothers me when I see it.
No one’s talking about obscure rules. Bring it in if the weather’s bad or it gets dark, as soon as you can. Keep it clean, and if it gets all tangled up straighten it out. Seems like common sense to me. It represents our country, in the same way that the clothes you wear represent you. I wouldn’t show up to a job interview or a wedding in ripped jeans and a t-shirt. By the same token I wouldn’t fly a ripped, faded flag.
I’m surprised there are so many people who seem to be outraged by the OP. I wonder if the responses would be similar if instead of the flag, the complaint was about people mistreating a religious object.
Anyone else find it not quite right that Congress codified how to fly the flag? I know they are not making it illegal to not follow the rules (yet), but it kind of goes against the concept of freedom of expression in this country, doesn’t it? Is flying a flag not considered a form a expression?
Oh please. “Stupid” is your subjective opinion and has nothing to do with knowing the content of the rules. “Meaningless” is also subjective – to those who believe in the symbolism of the flag, there is definite meaning in not allowing it to touch the ground, not allowing it to become tattered, etc. “Arbitrary” has already been discussed. The rules may indeed be arbitrary, but if there is to be a standard set of guidelines, we have to pick one way or the other, no? Or should it be OK for someone to drive all over the road, because they think the choice of “keep to the right” is stupid and arbitrary?
I’m sorry that you object to the existence of the US Flag Code, but there it is. Just because someone chooses to be ignorant and lazy and display the flag by hanging it out of their asshole don’t make it right. If you think the flag is just a stupid piece of colored cloth (and yes, you’re entitled to that opinion), then don’t fucking fly it.