This may be a stupid question, but why would anybody bother making laws that are not enforceable?
I can see how hanging a flag upside down would work in a boat, but what can of emergency could you possibly have at home that it would make sense to signal it with an upside down flag? And who are you expecting to respond?
I ask in the context of people saying that your town could charge you with a false alarm. Really? I don’t see that sticking in court.
And if the police are coming to tell you to take it down, you can always burn it quick. There is nothing wrong with that.
Sometimes they’re left on the books from an earlier age in which they might have been considered enforceable. Most First Amendment case law is surprisingly recent.
Other times they’re basically just proclamations.
Mindfield as well, I believe. (I think there was also a poster named umop ap!sdn.)
Noted, Colibri. I agree it’s overused now, but this one was just too good not to! Shan’t happen again.
Because the cross of St Andrew would then be interpreted as a “fimbriation” making the cross of St Patrick stand out against the background. By offsetting it, it makes it clear that the cross of St Andrew is actually an element of the flag.
In Iowa, you can be charged with Disorderly Conduct for flying the flag upside down.
If you live in my town and fly your flag upside down to protest the statewide ban on smoking in bars and restaurants, you will receive a visit from the mayor, a former Marine who has no sense of humor about stuff like that.
I had a flag in front of my bookstore, and the top clip broke. The flag flipped upside down, and there was just enough wind to extend it. One passerby called the police saying that something must be wrong in my store. Another called me to make sure everything was okay.
Do as you will, but it certainly can be misinterpreted.
I see cmyk’s particular flag is ridiculously out of date. He must have purchased it during the brief period in 1821-1836 after Missouri became a state but before Arkansas did.
You noticed! hearts
Actually, I purchesed it in the mid 80s, during the heyday of 8-bit graphics.
On US 12 in Michigan there’s a well groomed yard full of lawn ornaments, and an inverted flag.
I guess maybe I should stop and see if they’re in distress. Whatever is distressing them is prolly pretty bad by now, it’s been that way for years.