Flag Etiquette
Posted By Ardellis on July 2, 2006
It’s Independence Day weekend here in the US, so everyone with a flagpole seems to be hoisting the stars and stripes, even if they don’t do it the rest of the year. Which is lovely. It makes for a festive atmosphere while we celebrate the founding of our country. Whatever is going on politically right now, the US was founded on some pretty keen ideas by some pretty courageous people, and it’s good to remember that.
But (and you knew there would be a “but,” didn’t you?) I have a few pet peeves to air about the way people treat their flags.
The Lord and Lady know how fiercely against criminalizing flag desecration I am. It’s a free speech issue of the highest order, and sometimes it takes some pretty strong symbolism to get people to pay attention to an important issue. I’m also against forcing the Pledge of Allegiance on school kids, especially while the words “under God” remain shoehorned into it. But it really gets to me the way people who think they’re honoring the US flag are actually insulting it.
How? By leaving it up in the dark and in bad weather. Or by letting it hang there until it becomes grubby tatters. The Girl Scout color guard in me just goes livid whenever I see a flag that’s out when it shouldn’t be, or that should have been retired long since.
So, as a public service, for those Americans out there who want to show proper respect for their flag, I give you an explanaton of basic Flag Etiquette.
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