American Flag Etiquette

[Essex502]

Federal law stipulates many aspects of flag etiquette. The section of law dealing with American Flag etiquette is generally referred to as the Flag Code. Some general guidelines from the Flag Code answer many of the most common questions:
The flag should be lighted at all times, either by sunlight or by an appropriate light source.
The flag should be flown in fair weather, unless the flag is designed for inclement weather use.
The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. It is flown upside down only as a distress signal.
The flag should not be used for any decoration in general. Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for these purposes. The blue stripe of the bunting should be on the top.
The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard.
The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.
The flag should never have any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind placed on it, or attached to it.
The flag should never be used for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch the ground or any other object; it should be received by waiting hands and arms. To store the flag it should be folded neatly and ceremoniously.
The flag should be cleaned and mended when necessary.
When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner.

[spectratoad]

Originally posted by Ziggy
Its ok to fly another flag but if memory serves me correct, the secondary flag IS NOT supposed to be flying higher or larger than our Nations Flag, whether on the same lanyard or on adjacent pole.
Bropb16, I agree with you on the ones that fly solo....1st things first, RED/WHITE/BLUE, then go ahead and fly your other flags as governed by the Flag Etiquette.
this is true. When I was in the Navy, ships when we would pass ships of other countries out on the ocean the ships would salute eachother by "dipping" the flags. (lowering the flags on the mast then raising back to top) Our ettiquette though is that our flag is NEVER lowered before the others flag.

[coolchange]

Why wasn't there as much controversey when Bonam (Bonom? crap!) Open his jacket with the Flag in the lining at the Superbowl?

[OMEGA_BUBBLE_JET]

http://www.***boat.com/image_center/...it_006-med.jpg
a fellow board member posted this pic under another thread. see something wrong in this pic. Flags don't make good shop rags
Omega

[mirvin]

Ok folks, I think we need some clarification
A flag, made as a flag, is a flag and the rules apply to it as a flag.
The "likeness" of the flag is not a flag. You can put the likeness of a flag on whatever the hell you want and do with it whatever you want. Put it on a hat or a bikini or whatever but it's not a flag.
Get it? That's why the VFW is all pissed at Kid Rock now because he took a flag and made it into a poncho instead of just wearing a poncho with the likeness of the flag on it.
Omega, maybe that's just a shop rag with the flag printed on it and not really a flag
Mirvin

[Essex502]

Originally posted by mirvin
Ok folks, I think we need some clarification
A flag, made as a flag, is a flag and the rules apply to it as a flag.
The "likeness" of the flag is not a flag. You can put the likeness of a flag on whatever the hell you want and do with it whatever you want. Put it on a hat or a bikini or whatever but it's not a flag.
Get it? That's why the VFW is all pissed at Kid Rock now because he took a flag and made it into a poncho instead of just wearing a poncho with the likeness of the flag on it.
Omega, maybe that's just a shop rag with the flag printed on it and not really a flag
Mirvin
Hate to disagree with you but the following is pretty specific:
The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard.

[mirvin]

Yes, that is pretty clear, but yet vague I understand that to mean you shouldn't take a flag and stick it onto anything or turn it into anything just as you don't stick anything onto the flag or the staff. But the "likeness" of the flag isn not a flag, right? Or how do people get away with making products with the likeness on them. I got a shirt, from lucky 13 with a big "!#" in the middle of it painted like a flag. That's what I mean.
It seems like there's a big grey area in regards to what is or isn't a flag. If I have a shirt painted with red white and blue and I have a shirt with a flag painted on it what's what there?
Mirvin

[B-RAD]

well I am an avid Hot boater an avid off roader and above all else I am an avid AMERICAN. this flag will fly on the back of my Jeep until my buddies get home from Iraq. I mean no dissrespect its my way to honor our troops

[mirvin]

Originally posted by B-RAD
well I am an avid Hot boater an avid off roader and above all else I am an avid AMERICAN. this flag will fly on the back of my Jeep until my buddies get home from Iraq. I mean no dissrespect its my way to honor our troops
B-RAD, nothing wrong with that!! I see a flag being used as a flag I don't think there's anything about where you put it but maybe Essex502 can verify that
Mirvin

[RexRathburn]

What do you guys think about American Flag tattoos? I have seen a lot of them in color and in black/white and have always liked the idea. I don't think I saw anything in the "rules" that said this was wrong.