Disposal of U.S. Flags at Democratic National Convention (in the trash)

RedState.com ^

[snippy_about_it]

AND BUMP AGAIN. WE TOLD THIS STORY OVER A WEEK AGO.

[CitizenM]

It is also proper to cut a flag up. Cutting it into small pieces so that it no longer represents a flag at all. Then it can be disposed of in the trash. I was taught that when my husband was in military service. It is a practice that is accepted totally. You don’t always have to burn a flag, as sometimes that is dangerous and impossible.

[supercat]

What would constitute a dignified manner? I was in the military, but we never had a disposal ceremony. What would be the proper way for a regular civilian to dispose of old, battered flags?

As noted, the best approach is probably to contact the American Legion or the Boy Scouts, since those groups will be more than happy to help you out.

More generally, I think the idea is that the flag must be kept from touching the ground, or any sort of refuse, until the materials involved in its making are sufficiently destroyed as to no longer be a flag. Even then, the ashes should be kept from touching any sort of refuse until such time as they are no longer distinguishable from earth (typically this is accomplished by burial). I don't think there's any requirement that the place where the ashes are buried be regarded as hallowed ground beforehand or afterward, but I would expect the ashes would have pretty well been absorbed into the soil before a place got reused as a landfill.

[SoldiersPrayingMom]

Oh...don’t you know the flags that were found on 8/31/08 were not touching the ground....they were laying on top of the garbage in the white trash bags....not rolled nice neat as they were in the black garbage bags. The ones that I first saw were definately in the the GARBAGE!!! The idiot kids that support the Big “O” for the most part could probably care less about “Old Glory”! That should tell you where their heads are at!!!