Flag Etiquette

USA Flag Site ^ | 08/31/2009 | P8riot

[P8riot]

I think this is probably my second vanity in my 9 years on FR, so I beg your forgiveness for this one.

I usually try to get to the office early enough in the morning to assist our foreign born security guard to appropriately raise the flag and render appropriate honors. I have been ridiculed in the past by co-workers and managers alike, but as an Eagle Scout for the last 39 years, and a US Navy veteran, I feel that I am qualified to educate those who I come in contact with daily on observing proper flag etiquette.

Today I had to educate our Swiss born facilities manager and our American born Environmental, Health, and Safety Manager (again), because I found the US Flag, the Virginia state flag, and the company flag all hanging over a rail in the shop covered by dirty rags. In addition to that the company flag is a full 50% larger than the US Flag, which is also inappropriate.

To assist my friends here at FR I am providing the above link to some basic flag etiquette appropriate for displaying the US flag.

[P8riot]

There is no excuse for not properly displaying the flag.

http://www.usa-flag-site.org/etiquette-display.shtml

[rockrr]

I refused to dip my flag for teddy the swimmer...

[cyclotic]

Good Job.

In July, I gave about eight one hour sessions to a few hundred Cub Scouts at Day camp about flag skills. Raising, lowering, folding, trivia, burned a few of them for disposal. I left them with a charge to keep their eyes out for improper flag use, especially faded or torn flags on display and to ask the owner of the flag to replace it.

[EdReform]

BTTT! Thank you for your service to our country.

[-YYZ-]

“especially faded or torn flags on display and to ask the owner of the flag to replace it”

One of my major pet peeves when it comes to flags - if you care enough to fly it, care enough to replace it with a new one when it becomes torn, frayed, or faded. If you can’t be bothered to take proper care of it, don’t bother flying it at all.

[pfflier]

Was there a presidental directive to fly the flag at half staff for killer teddy?

Here only two flags were at half staff, many, many weren't.

[envisio]

What is the correct ettiquette in this case?
If the president orders flags at half-staff but you despise the reason why, would that be dishonorable?
On one hand you have a set of guidlines to honor the flag and on the other I have my own flag and I can do however I please with it.
Do I keep my flag up in protest or honor what the president orders?

[P8riot]

Apparently there was. I had to show the guard that you raise the flag to full height quickly, and then slowly lower it to the half-staff position. He thought he could get away with just raising it to half-staff.

I mentally held my nose while doing this for "the swimmer".

[P8riot]

Unfortunately, the president makes the call on this. Just hold your nose. You can do what you want with your own flag.

[LasVegasMac]

Great job!

and thank you!

[Gator113]

This reminds me of something I saw on Fox a few days ago.

During the ‘Kennedy comedy act’ there was a camera shot looking toward the capital building. I could see two flags, one had a torn corner and it looked like heck.

Our own government doesn’t care about or respect our flag anymore.

[Atlas Sneezed]

What is the correct ettiquette in this case?
If the president orders flags at half-staff but you despise the reason why, would that be dishonorable?
On one hand you have a set of guidlines to honor the flag and on the other I have my own flag and I can do however I please with it.
Do I keep my flag up in protest or honor what the president orders?

---

The Presidential directive applies only to those under his authority (executive branch, military, etc.) and those who voluntarily choose to go along (liberal state government employees).

You are under no moral or legal obligation to fly the flag at half staff for Teddy or anyone else you prefer not to honor. Etiquette does not require it.

[RoadTest]

"The flag should be displayed flat, whether indoors or out. When displayed either horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag's own right, that is, to the observer's left. When displayed in a window it should be displayed in the same way, that is with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street." I disagree. Common sense tells us that taking a horizontal flag and rotating it clockwise 90˚ will leave the stars in the upper RIGHT corner.

[rockrr]

I don’t know if an official directive was issued or not.

I would imagine that if it were a government or public flag I would be duty bound to suck it up like P8riot said and comply, but in my case it is a private pole on private property and as much as I try to conform to proper etiquette, I don’t believe the swimmer to be noteworthy enough to deviate from how I conduct business...

[lionheart 247365]

I refuse to fly my American flag until this tyrant is out of office and we take back the country ,,, Til then I’m flying the Gadsden colors .

[nicola_tesla]

And for those who might complain without knowing the facts...everybody should know how the American flag is displayed when the flagpole has a gaff ? Display in Maritime Setting For the most part, the provisions of the Flag Code are manifest in the traditions and customs for the display of the U.S. Ensign (flag) by seamen. The following provisions are made for the display of the flag on a mast located on yacht club grounds. (Chapman Piloting: Seamanship and Small Boat Handling, American Book-Stratford Press, Inc., New York, NY) 1. Single Mast (no Yard or Gaff) • U.S. Ensign (flag) is flown at the truck (#1). • All other flags are pennants flown below U.S. Ensign. 2. Mast with Yard: • U.S. Ensign (flag) is flown at the truck (#1). • Club burgee (flag) is flown at the starboard (right) yard arm (#3). 3. Mast with a Yard and Gaff: • U.S. Ensign (flag) is flown at the gaff (#2). • Club burgee (flag) is flown at the truck (#1). • Flags at #3 and #4 vary depending on the activity at the club. It is display #3 which causes the most confusion. This puts the club burgee in a higher position physically, but not above that of the U.S. Ensign (flag) symbolically. By the normal Flag Code provisions, this would seem to be an incorrect display. The tradition of the seas, however, is to hold the gaff as the position of honor; thus, the intent of this tradition and display is to give proper respect to the flag. Where a yard is involved, rules provide that when a foreign ensign is displayed, the U.S. Ensign (flag) is flown at #3; the foreign ensign at #4; the club burgee at #1; and other flags at #2. The gaff extends aft (to the rear), and a mast on yacht club grounds is faced seaward. Therefore the gaff will (or should) be directed toward the land. The observation point then becomes a point somewhere on the sea side of the mast. This then makes the placement of the U.S. Ensign (flag) in regard to the foreign ensign conform to Flag Code provisions.

[pfflier]

I have found the directive

http://www.whitehouse.gov/the_press_office/Presidential-Proclamation-Death-of-Senator-Edward-M-Kennedy/

I hate the directive but, I found it.

[P8riot]

Thank you for teaching those young men to “do their best”. My late in life son (7yrs old, I’m almost 53), led a flag ceremony during a weekend cub camp back in May, while he was still a Tiger. Our Pack is off for the summer (we are all home-schoolers), but we start up again in two weeks. He’s got his Wolf Badge requirements done, enough electives for three arrow points, his Religious Emblem, and his Conservation Award. He’ll get them all at our first Pack meeting in October. At this rate he’ll be an Eagle by the time he’s 13 or 14, if he keeps up with it. I can barely keep up with him. I’m not pushing him, he’s pushing himself.