A few days ago, I went to a local hardware store to pick up some project material. As I was leaving the store, I was glancing around the parking lot, as is my custom; I check to see what vehicles are moving in which direction, etc. Basic situational awareness before I put my car in gear.
My attention was drawn to a diesel pickup idling at the vape shop next door. It had an American flag on a staff mounted to the back bumper; the flag was drifting in the slight breeze. In Utah, an American flag on a truck is not unusual at all; what caught my eye and disgusted me beyond belief was the condition of the flag. This emblem of our country, which you and I were taught to respect and honor, was torn, dirty, and covered in diesel exhaust. I was tempted to take a picture with my cell phone, but before I could, the driver of the truck exited the vape shop-yes, he had a MAGA hat on. I didn't think it was a good idea to get into a confrontation, so there is no picture.
The United States National Flag Code, which became law in 1942, lays out the rules for the proper display of the American Flag; here are two rules from that Code:
The Flag should not be on display outdoors in bad weather.
Clean and damage-free flags should always be used. Dirty, ripped, wrinkled or frayed flags should not be used. Also, when flags are damaged, they should be destroyed in a dignified manner.
I realize, given the political strife and division current in our country today, that many people feel the need to express their patriotism, loyalty, and virtue by displaying the American Flag.
I wish the driver of that truck would show his respect for the American Flag as prominently as he shows his loyalty to the former president.
Thank you for reading; as always, your comments are welcome and encouraged. Just click the word "comment" in the white box below below.
R.M. "Bob" Hartman
Source: https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/story/Article/1892936/dos-and-donts-for-displaying-old-glory/ retrieved on October 19, 2024
An interesting dichotomy of our national flag and the feelings that surround it is this: Burning a US Flag is actually protected free-speech. And as much as such an act disgusts me, the things that the flag stands for are far more important to me than a banner made of strips of colored cloth. However, it is equally clear to me that any US citizen that would stoop to such a distasteful action truly doesn't understand just exactly what makes the United States of America the special and blessed place that it is.
ReplyDeleteHow many nations are there in the world where the dispossessed, the oppressed, and the distressed are trying to enter? There are others, to be sure. Just read the news about Europe, Scandinavia, and the United Kingdom. But the scale of masses trying to gain entry is off-scale-high in the case of the United States. Why? A significant fraction of our population loudly tells us that the citizenry here is bigoted, misogynistic, warmongering and imperialistic. (Note, that is only a small sampling of the hateful things said by U.S. citizens about the U.S.) And yet, here they come.
I often wonder how it is that the people who say those things about America don't talk to those who have immigrated to America. Social Media is swamped with testimonies from people who lived under autocratic, tyrannical, or criminal regimes. And these testimonials are clear, whether the immigrant is from North Korea, Venezuela, Colombia, Belarus, or Iran (just to name a few), that as flawed as the U. S. may be, it's still infinitely better than where they came from.
The truest test of the principle of "free speech" is whether or not we really believe in the principle when we experience speech that is uncomfortable, or hateful to us. Would my world be easier, more comfortable, or pleasant if I didn't have to sort through this noise in my social media feeds, or read in my newspapers, or see in schools I help fund? Sure! But true "free speech" was never intended to be comfortable. And occassionally, we may hear something worth considering.
That gets me back to flag burning. I assure you that if you do that in my presence, you have insulted me to the point that I cannot conceive of ever opening my mind to your position. But burn away. You may find the police and the fire department are nearly as understanding. Oh, and make sure that when you do, it's your own flag that you are burning. Leave mine alone, because property rights are a THING in the United States.