FLAG PROTOCOL

FLAG PROTOCOL

  

       This morning, Irene and I went to Middlebury’s Memorial Day parade, then we went to the Middlebury Inn to talk about the flags they had on poles facing the green.

       Irene, than whom there are few more observant, had noticed that the American flag was not at the center of the three flags, the others being those of Canada and Vermont. She wanted to talk about with someone in the hotel management, to make sure proper flag protocol was being observed.

       So had a fair number of other people, said the man to whom we spoke, so he looked up the dos and don’ts of displaying the flag, on the Internet. He didn’t say which site.

       What he found was that the Inn should probably switch its Canadian and Vermont flags, but that the American flag was correctly placed on the left of the line—assuming that the town green was the place from where people would be looking. When another country is involved, the American flag takes precedence, then the flags of other sovereign states, then those of smaller entities. Had no other country been in the line, yes, the American flag should be in the center.

       He went on to say that from what he sees and from what he had read, flag etiquette seems to matter less to people nowadays. For instance, you see young people wearing clothing that has the American flag on it, and the flag is not supposed to be worn. (My mind flashed back to Sixties demonstrations, where people would sometimes come wearing Uncle Sam costumes prominently decorated with the red, white and blue—a political statement like the rarer but more-remembered flag burnings.) The young people don’t mean disrespect by it, he said, it’s just that the old rules about flag displays either aren’t taught or they care more about showing their patriotism that way.

Dare I say it? I think our national attention is flagging.

       It’s been a while since I was in Boy Scouts, where the subject is taught, so I, too, decided to look up “flag etiquette,” as Google termed it. I settled on  www.usa-flag-site.org. They had a shorter version of how to show respect for the flag, which I’ll quote here, and a more comprehensive version that I’ll leave my readers to click on as needed.

       The following is said to be based on the section of federal law known as the Flag Code:

--“The flag should be lighted at all times, either by sunlight or by an appropriate light source.

--The flag should be flown in fair weather, unless the flag is designed for inclement weather use.

--The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. It is flown upside down only as a distress signal.

--The flag should not be used for any decoration in general. Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for these purposes. The blue stripe of the bunting should be on the top.

--The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard.

--The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.

--The flag should never have any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind placed on it, or attached to it.

--The flag should never be used for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.

--When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch the ground or any other object; it should be received by waiting hands and arms. To store the flag it should be folded neatly and ceremoniously.

--The flag should be cleaned and mended when necessary.

--When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner.”      

 

       Looking at the May 27 issue of one of Middlebury’s weekly newspapers, to see if any advertisements had misappropriated the flag, I didn’t have far to search. The paper’s own announcement of their Memorial Day deadlines and office hours had the image of a windblown American flag, stars and stripes together, occupying the top third of the space.

      

       To repeat the theme of this morning’s Memorial Day speaker, “lest we forget.”

 

 

Comments

[Bob Areeno]

I think flag protocol is almost completely useless and could be simplified if anything. The level of pomp and circumstance given to it is ridiculous. Just because someone determined a long time ago what was the appropriate treatment of a flag is doesn't make it the only way. It doesn't mean that people don't respect the sactrifice made to show such a flag.

Anyone motivated to wear the stars and stripes obviously doesn't hate this country or they'd probably prefer wearing a hammer and sickle. If leaving your flag out at night without illumination is proof that someone hates this country then so be it. If however, there is anyone left in this country who still has any motivation to show even the slightest inkling of patriotism and it may not follow "protocol" then so be it.

I would urge those who call themselves Christians to consider the fact that such sanctity given to the flag is idolatry and therefore not worthy of such a ceremonious waste of time.

I also hold to the belief that it should be legal to burn a flag in protest and not just when a flag is too old and worn to be used.