# Flags on cars

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flags-on-cars/93115>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [November 13, 2001, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flags-on-cars/93115 "2001-11-13T14:43:33Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flags-on-cars/93115/1 "2001-11-13T14:43:33Z")

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When the flag on an automobile antenna becomes frayed, should it be destroyed? Can the average guy respectfully burn a distressed flag, or should it be taken to a military establishment or the scouts?

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**Author:** ![JRDelirious](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jrdelirious/32/9531_2.png) [@JRDelirious](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JRDelirious)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flags-on-cars/93115/2 "2001-11-13T14:53:21Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by carnivorousplant \*  
> \*\*When the flag on an automobile antenna becomes frayed, should it be destroyed? Can the average guy respectfully burn a distressed flag, or should it be taken to a military establishment or the scouts? \*\*

If it’s frayed beyond reasonable mending (and yes, you do mend/patch/hem normal wear and tear on a flag) it should be respectfully disposed of – for which the Scouts and the American Legion/VFW perform appropriate ceremonies: but nothing prevents, AFAIK, an individual citizen from doing so in private.

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**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flags-on-cars/93115/3 "2001-11-13T14:53:43Z")

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[http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html](http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html)

Contact the American Legion or Veteran of Foreign Wars, and they will GLADLY help you out.

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**Author:** ![bare](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bare/32/471_2.png) [@bare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bare)\
**Post date:** [November 13, 2001, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/flags-on-cars/93115/4 "2001-11-13T16:48:38Z")

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What do we do with all the little plastic and paper ones folks have been attaching to their cars?

I fully expect to read in the paper that someone was killed by trying to dodge one of those things that fell off of anothers car.