[Pharmboy]

I have not yet seen this addressed on FR, although I'm sure it has. Does the fringe really mean martial law? Well, this flag is in all schools, but what does it really mean? Help me out here, Freepers...

[FreedomCalls]

It's a decorative flag. Nothing more.

[KC Burke]

What does the fringe on the flag represent?

The gold trim is found on ceremonial flags, to be used indoors and for ceremonies only. They originally were used on military flags. The fringe has no specific significance, but is considered completely within the guidelines of proper flag etiquette. There is nothing in the flag code indicating that the fringe is for federal government flags only. The Internet contains many sites that claim that the fringe indicates martial law or that the Constitution does not apply in that area. These are entirely unfounded (usually citing Executive Order 10834 and inventing text that is not part of the order) and should be dismissed as urban legends.

[Army Air Corps]

Don your tinfoil hat guys and gals, the old "We are living under martioal law because the US flag has fringe" conspiracy theory has bobbed to the surface again.

[Congressman Billybob]

This is a tin-foil article. However, there ARE circumstances in which Admiralty law applies on dry land. One of the three decisions handed down in this Supreme Court Term to date involved the insurance coverage applicable to a railroad accident that destroyed $1.5 million worth of equipment.

The Court ruled, correctly, that Admiralty law applied to the loss coverage on that accident due to the shipping documents which applied to the shipment "portal to portal" from the manufacturer in Australia to the purchaser in Huntsville, Alabama.

So, there ARE dry land applications of Admiralty law on dry land. Every port city maintains full-time Admiralty courts. However, they do NOT depend on the fold fringe on a US flag.

Congressman Billybob

Click for latest, "Should the Iraqi Election be Delayed?"

[El Gato]

Does the fringe really mean martial law? Well, this flag is in all schools, but what does it really mean? Help me out here, Freepers...

No, it's merely decorative. Such flags have been used in schools, libraries, state and local government offices since at least the 1950s, by personal recollection, and I suspect much longer than that.

[FreedomCalls]

https://www-perscom.army.mil/tagd/tioh/FAQ/FringeOnAmFlg.htm

FRINGE ON THE AMERICAN FLAG

    Gold fringe is used on the National flag as an honorable enrichment only. It is not regarded as an integral part of the flag and its use does not constitute an unauthorized addition to the design prescribed by statutes.

    Records of the Department of the Army indicate that fringe was used on the National flag as early as 1835 and its official use by the Army dates from 1895. There is no record of an Act of Congress or Executive Order which either prescribes or prohibits the addition of fringe, nor is there any indication that any symbolism was ever associated with it. The use of fringe is optional with the person or organization displaying the flag.

    A 1925 Attorney General’s Opinion (34 Op. Atty. Gen 483) states:

"The fringe does not appear to be regarded as an integral part of the flag, and its presence cannot be said to constitute an unauthorized additional to the design prescribed by statute. An external fringe is to be distinguished from letters, words, or emblematic designs printed or superimposed upon the body of the flag itself. Under the law, such additions might be open to objection as unauthorized; but the same is not necessarily true of the fringe."

    It is customary to place gold fringe on silken (rayon-silk-nylon) National flags that are carried in parades, used in official ceremonies, and displayed in offices, merely to enhance the beauty of the flag. The use of fringe is not restricted to the Federal Government. Such flags are used and displayed by our Armed Forces, veterans, civic and civilian organizations, and private individuals. However, it is the custom not to use fringe on flags displayed from stationary flagpoles and, traditionally, fringe has not been used on internment flags.

[506trooper]

The gold trim is found on ceremonial flags, to be used indoors and for ceremonies only. They originally were used on military flags. The fringe has no specific significance, but is considered completely within the guidelines of proper flag etiquette. There is nothing in the flag code indicating that the fringe is for federal government flags only. The Internet contains many sites that claim that the fringe indicates martial law or that the Constitution does not apply in that area. These are entirely unfounded (usually citing Executive Order 10834 and inventing text that is not part of the order) and should be dismissed as urban legends. more here and here

[DBrow]

I have not yet seen this addressed on FR

.........................

A while back there was a FReeper named Michael Rivero who had lots and lots to say about Admiralty Flags, among other things.

It's been discussed a lot and most feel that it is a decorative flag, while to others it is a symbol of some sort of conspiracy to steal our constitutionally regulated judicial system and replace it with something else.

As a conspiracy theory it's one of the more fun ones, there is lots of good stuff to read and it does not carry the kook stigma that "grassy knoll" does.

[derheimwill]

Our official courts today are all operating under admiralty jurisdiction, except the court of Claims in Washington D.C.

Is there any proof that this is the only court without a fringed flag?

[OKSooner]

The gold fringe means this:

Whomever is in charge at the place the gold-fringe flag is displayed has the authority to summon the black helicopters and have you hauled off to the secret prison colony in Louisiana, by way of Tax Court, never to be seen again.

Also, the same person in charge has access to the mine-shaft bomb shelters described in Dr. Strangelove. So do your best to stay on his good side.

[jim_trent]

Don't forget the significance of an eagle on the top of the flagpole.

[Doctor Stochastic]

It's left over from a surrey top.

[inkling]

When gold fringes appear on flags in a given location, it's a signal to the municipality to pump extra fluoride into the water supply. Before you know it, citizens' precious bodily fluids are sapped and the Reds are that much closer to world domination.

[Cultural Jihad]

This whole subject is the perview of militia nutcases. It gets discussed at length by people who had traumatic toilet training episodes.

[Arkinsaw]

This is kind of silly, since if there were a conspiracy of judges and others they would really have no need to advertise the fact with a gold fringed flag.

The concept here is that, if you take away the gold-fringed flag, the conspirators can no longer commit the conspiracy because it wouldn't be legal.

Conspirators who are conscientious enough only to commit their conspiracy if they have the proper fringe on the flag?

"Dang Judge Roy, we will have to stop conducting unconstitutional activities because our flag ain't the right one! Durn."

That's sort of crazy.

[Fiddlstix]

BTTT

[rogue yam]

Crazy for the red blue and white
Crazy for the red blue and white

You look at me
What do you see
Crazy for the white red and blue
Crazy for the white red and blue

Cause I look different
You think I'm subversive
Crazy for the blue white and red
Crazy for the blue white and red

My heart beats true
For the red white and blue
Crazy for the blue white and red
Crazy for the blue white and red
And yellow fringe
Crazy for the blue white red and yellow

[malakhi]

You decide... are these patriots kooks?

Affirmative.

[AnAmericanMother]

. . . IOW, don't sweat it. This one's come up before, it's just a crackpot notion. The last guy who was pushing it here on FR . . . Rivero something . . . had it all tied in with the idea that attorneys using the title of "Esquire" and judges using "Your Honor" meant that they were all taking "titles of nobility" as prohibited by the U.S. Constitution, and therefore they had abrogated the Constitution, and therefore they flew the fringed flags to let everybody know about the conspiracy . . . or something like that (if you have a conspiracy, why would you want to let everybody know about it?)

Haven't seen him around in awhile . . .

[longtermmemmory]

Admiralty Jurisdiction is in the Federal Courts. Even if the court is landlocked. (remember rivers can be navigable waters)

The fringe is treated as cosmetic and "neato". It is amusing to watch the fringe philosophers who try the "I don't understand" BS in the court room. If they would have shown some respect they would have gotten farther.