Hey YOU! You there with the American Flag flying on your car!

[ghostsinthemachine]

I know you think you are being patriotic, but to me, you are really being the exact opposite of that. You are being disrespectful to the flag, and the USA, and you are in reality the symbol of exactly what is wrong with America.

The flag I know, the one that draped the coffin (Died during World War II) of my Mother's brother (And my namesake), was made of cloth. cloth made right here in the USA. it was sewed right here in the USA. My Grandma used to bring it out of the display case on special occasions and let us touch it and feel it, the silk stars and the satiny fabric of the stripes. To this day, I can remember how that flag felt and I and my Brother considered it an honor to fold and place in the case that she proudly displayed on her mantle. Grandma took especial care to see that it was always in perfect condition.

The flag I know, the one that I folded time after time in the Boy Scouts, and as a special student activity in school, was made of cloth. Cloth made right here in the USA. The flag I know was sewed right here in the USA. By people that were employed right here in the USA. By a US company that paid workers well and paid taxes in the USA. I always took special delight in the fact that how you fold the flag is how you also fold a paper football. And I would take extra effort to make them perfect every time too.

The flag I know, the one that I saw draped over my friend's coffins during the Vietnam war, was made of cloth. Cloth made right here in the USA. The flag I know was sewed right here in the USA. By people that were employed right here in the USA. By a US company that paid workers well and paid taxes in the USA. In my middle class neighborhood, seeing these flags was commonplace. The flags that fly over the Vietnam Memorials, in both Washington and Sacramento and containing my friend's names, are made of cloth.

The flag I know, the one that draped my Uncle Gene's coffin, (first man on the beach at Normandy as an unarmed medic who lived until 1999 bust seldom talked about himself and the war) was made of cloth. Cloth made right here in the USA. The flag I know was sewed right here in the USA. By people that were employed right here in the USA. By a US company that paid workers well and paid taxes in the USA. That flag was put on display in the family home, along with my namesake's and both are a cherished keepsake of the family.

The Flag I know was a keepsake something special, something to care for. And we knew the rules. Taken down at sundown and put up at sunrise (many times with Taps playing) and hats off during the anthem. Never to touch the ground. RESPECT THE FLAG.

I may have disagreed with the policies of the country, but when the flag was shown, I gave respect to the symbol of the country. Hats off, Hand over heart, no talking. The flag was special, and still is, no matter the squabble with policy.

The flag you are flying? Well that flag is made of OIL. (nylon you know) OIL that came from another country. It was made by slave labor in a foreign land (China, Bangledesh, or some other third world country) by a company that more likely than not does not contribute in any way towards this county the USA. Not via taxes or anything other than selling cheap ass crap at a stores across the country.

The same stores that do not pay living wages to the people that work there. The same stores that evade taxes by sending billions of dollars overseas in order to avoid taxes.

That, to me is disrespectful, not only of the flag, but the country you profess to love when I see your foreign merchandise flapping in the breeze as you ride around town, at all hours of the day or night. Please stop disrespecting the flag and the country.

[IggleDoer]

1. It is disrespectful to let the flag get rained on.

Do these RWNJs remove the flag decals and their little mini flags from their cars each time the weather gets bad? Doubtful!

[SwissTony]

2. Interesting comment. I'm not American...

so I'm asking a question from a position of ignorance.

Are US flags lowered and removed during rainstorms?

Thanks.

[jwirr]

3. They used to be. Not so much any more. When I was

small the veteran's from WWII would have said something if the flag were not used correctly.

My grandmother flew her flag every holiday and she knew how to fly it. She lived across the street from the county courthouse and jail and was in a constant battle with the country sheriff. He was not a veteran and often forgot to take the flag down in the rain or even at night. She would call him and demand he take it down. Needless to say they were not friendly neighbors.

On Monday our small community held a Labor Day parade which is always led by a military color guard and military units all carrying the flag. I was with my great grandchildren as we watched the parade. As the parade began I said "All right girls it is time to stand." They obeyed but impatiently. Finally about halfway through the military displays the oldest asked why are we standing? They are 8 and 10 years old.

I explained that we were standing to honor our flag and the military. No more questions. I also told them that some people also place their hands over their hearts but since no one else was doing it the girls decided that was a little much.

[Capn Sunshine]

22. if you respond to this post, you will have 33,333 posts.

Not sure why but that seems pretty neat.

[jwirr]

41. LOL

[w0nderer]

4. flag code

in short
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Flag_Code

in long
http://www.usflag.org/uscode36.html#USFC

I've never seen anything about it being lowered during rainstorms (just being immigrant...i dunno though..but law seems not to require it) ..wouldn't make sense either (then again flag codes rarely do)


I've been in Florida where we had tropical thunder storms daily...and the flags stayed up

[jeff47]

9. Realistically, the law requires nothing.

Yes, the flag code exists, but the First Amendment trumps it. So legally you can do anything you want to an American flag.

(Can legally do not necessarily equating to what you should do)

[w0nderer]

15. since i recently got slammed on this

(Can legally do, not necessarily equating to what you should do)
Commas save lives

[IggleDoer]

35. Copied from the Flag Code ...

..."If the flag is being used at a public or private estate, it should not be hung (unless at half mast or when an all weather flag is displayed) during rain or violent weather."

That explains why military bases can keep the flag up from sunrise to sunset.

It was generally understand that if the flag cannot be ruined by rain (such as a polyester cloth rather than cotton), then it can be left up in the rain.

My problem is that many of the so-called patriots wear flag shirts or pants, let torn flags hang, etc, and say they love the flag.

[Jamastiene]

38. The flag should not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement, except when an all weather

flag is displayed.

https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/4/6#c

A lot of people did take it in when it rained, a long time ago. Nowadays, hardly anyone does.

[One_Life_To_Give]

14. Not on a Military Base

Colors go up at 0800, and are taken down at dusk.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

19. Raise the flag at 0800? I wish!

It was still dark when we stood in formation in front of our quarters, while the flag was raised. Way before 0800. Or maybe things have changed ...

[CajunBlazer]

30. The actual rules and how I feel

http://www.cajunscomments.com/we-no-longer-show-proper-respect-the-american-flag/

We have national standards set forth in law, but they are not enforceable because the because the (ill) treatment of an American flag is protected our free speech constitutional guarantees.

[sarge43]

32. No, the protocols don't call for it n/t

[WinkyDink]

64. The U.S. flag is not supposed to fly in inclement weather. Period.

[hollysmom]

17. my conservative neighbors used to keep their flag out in front of their house in all

kinds of weather and through the night without a light on it, the rain would make the flag so heavy it would drag in the mud in front of their house. they thought my ideas were cute but wrong, I could never get through to them that the flag was to be treated with more respect, they thought flying it was respect and I was flawed because I only flew mine during the day.

[hack89]

20. No it is not

Flags fly on military bases from sunrise to sunset regardless of the weather.

[jwirr]

5. Maybe in our efforts to bring manufacturing back to

America it would be a great move to once again start to manufacture our flag here in our own country.

[Sissyk]

29. You can purchase plenty American FLags

made here. We do it all the time.

Just google flags made in USA.

[jwirr]

42. Thank you.

[nichomachus]

6. A guy in my neighborhood has four flags on his car

On the back window in HUGE letters is:

"If my American flags offend you

Dial 1-800-GET-OUT-OF-THE-USA"

Very 1930s Germany

[ghostsinthemachine]

8. Wow.

That scares me.

[GoneOffShore]

25. I'd be playing this everytime I passed his house.

[haikugal]

27. Yep....John says it all...we've seen all of this before. LOL

[BlueJazz]

7. You see them a lot in the Southern States. The "Patriots" driving the streets with Flags-a-flying!

They have that smug-ass look on their face that looks like they just "Out-showed" everybody.
I usually give them a look like I'd like to puke on them.
Ignorant, uneducated, hillbilly bags-of-mostly-water.

[bvar22]

31. Do you tour The South often?

Curious about the broad brush insults.

Here in rural Arkansas, I don't see American Flags on cars too much,
and I don't see the Confederate Flag hardly at all.
What we see are "Go Razorbacks" flags, everywhere... Huge ones in the backs of Pick-ups, antennas, back windows, and a couple of weeks ago, someone had painted Razorbacks on his/her hubcaps.

Our rural Volunteer Firehouse doesn't fly the flag, except on Voting Day.
(Firehouses are common voting stations).

[BlueJazz]

39. Most of the ones I've seen are in Jacksonville through northern Florida, southern Georgia, ..

...Alabama and parts of Mississippi. I live in Sarasota, Florida and there's even a few here..

[xmas74]

58. I see them on a regular basis where I live in Missouri

The newest thing recently has been to fly both the American flag and the confederate flag from the back of their pick up trucks at the same time. I saw this all summer long from people of all ages.

[BlueJazz]

59. Yes!...I've seen that also a lot more lately. Let me tell you, I'm quite impressed.

[xmas74]

61. The American flag will be faded and tattered

while the confederate flag (lower case on purpose) is crisp, bright colors and brand new.

[LiberalElite]

57. In the weeks after 9/11 in NYC in

midtown Manhattan, several times I saw a pickup truck with Texas plates festooned with so many American Flags the driver could not have been able to see clearly from the side or back. Idiot.

[Throd]

10. I have an American flag on my American car.

Conservatives think they own the flag. Fuck that. Fuck them.

[Brickbat]

11. I love it when it's stuck on a foreign car.

[cherokeeprogressive]

12. I don't give a fuck where it's made. It's a SYMBOL.

Fly it when and where you want. Don't mean nothin'.

[punguin54]

33. All I would hope to see is that people secure their flags to their rigs at high speeds.

I see flags that have been blown off.... in the gutter. Very patriotic.

[cherokeeprogressive]

44. I don't remember ever seeing that.

It does bother me though when I see a large flag flying behind the cab of a pickup and it has been shredded by the wind.

[PasadenaTrudy]

13. I even see a few of these

here in Los Angeles. Usually elderly people that live in areas with lots of Asians. Gee, I wonder what that means...

[Person 2713]

43. I have always taken the flags on cars to mean that.

[doc03]

16. If you look you can find flags made in the USA

WWW.valleyforgeflag.com

I believe there is also a company in Ohio that makes flags.

I hate to see those a--holes that drive around like General Patten, that is against the flag code and wearing the flag as apparel is also.
I would say that the a--holes that like to display the flag of the Army of Northern Virginia are unknowingly disrespecting it too.

[doc03]

18. Something that puzzles me, the flag is supposed to be displayed with

the stars on the left but our military uniforms have them backwards with the stars on the right. Did the government buy a million flag patches from China that were backwards or what?

[hack89]

21. Army regulations mandate it be worn that way

Army Regulation 670-1, “Wear and Appearance of Army Uniforms and Insignia,” updated most recently September 5, 2003, addresses explicitly the proper and lawful placement of the U.S. flag patch on the Army uniform.

The regulation states that when authorized for application to the proper uniform the American flag patch is to be worn, right or left shoulder, so that “the star field faces forward, or to the flag’s own right. When worn in this manner, the flag is facing to the observer’s right, and gives the effect of the flag flying in the breeze as the wearer moves forward. The appropriate replica for the right shoulder sleeve is identified as the ‘reverse side flag’.”

http://www.usflag.org/flagpatch.html

[doc03]

24. Wow it gives the effect that the flag is backwards to me, well at least I know now. I

have asked a couple die hard VFW and American legion guys that and they didn't have a clue. Next time I see someone in the military
I am going to ask them to see if they know.

[hack89]

26. Think about a flag being carried in a parade

one side will always look backwards.

[doc03]

28. This could support my theory that the government bought a million

flag patches from China so they made that up as a cover story. Why would they suddenly come up with that in 2003?
This should be investigated. If Bill Clinton was president or Hillary was SOS in 2003 there would already be an investigation.

[Duckhunter935]

55. Look on aircraft

same thing

[AlinPA]

23. Another thought on flags on cars:

[MisterP]

34. it's an accessor, a way to get a leg up over anyone else

[Spitfire of ATJ]

36. They aren't being patriotic, they're being trolls.....

Their dream is to get a Liberal pissed off so they can make them cry.

[pinboy3niner]

45. I know Liberals who fly the flag

I even put one on my car to go with my Kerry placards and Purple Heart plates when Kerry's service was being attacked and disparaged during the '04 campaign.

The stereotyping here of people who display the American flag is disappointing.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

48. No kidding...

Especially when someone assumes too much about a post.

[jtuck004]

37. That flag is stuck into a pile of bones from our founder's genocide, so there is that.

Draping my friend's coffin with it didn't make the useless war they killed him in any better.

"The flag I know, the one that I folded time after time in the Boy Scouts" < Have they stopped teaching young men to be bigots? I couldn't stand the hypocrisy, and left. Everyone has different standards, I guess.

Btw - You left a couple of examples out of your list

1. The American flag flying out front of the schools in the 70's, while white parents taught their children how to beat up on black kids, turn their buses over, scream at them. (They were the Democrats I grew up around, btw. They shot at Republicans, before they became them).

2. It flies out front of the government offices that send kids and their parents only enough relief for 2 or 3 weeks of the month, the ones who deny people of color jobs to keep the deficit low, and leaves them to the mercy of the bank$ter/donors who those same bureaucrats are making wealthier every day.

I could point out that it is quite often on the uniforms and cars of police that commit homicides of unarmed black folk...or at least flown at the press conference where the police tell us how they did no wrong...but is that piling on?

Seems like not taking it down before doing such things might be disrespectful as well. But I guess everyone has their priorities.

That flag looks pretty in the breeze. I am much more concerned about disrespect to my neighbors than I am some 25 cent piece of cloth.

I smell the by-product...

[Desert805]

46. Oy vey.

feel better?

[jtuck004]

50. I feel just fine.<G> I'm not the one who has to be reminded that they have a LOT more

privilege than others, and when they try to be all self-righteous, they often just sound like very passionate people.

[A Simple Game]

40. The "patriots" fly or wear the flag everywhere and paste it on anything to the point that

they have made the flag almost meaningless.

[Arugula Latte]

47. I think the reverence shown to red, white & blue fabric/plastic here is weird and creepy.

Flag worship freaks me out.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

49. It's not the flag, It's the rampant nationalism they display with the symbol.

[Arugula Latte]

60. Right. It often seems to be a package of nationalism, jingoism, U.S. exceptionalism, and

ignorance/antipathy of/toward the rest of the world. They are the type of people who need to identify with the "winning" team -- USA #1! -- despite mounds of evidence to the contrary.

I'm not saying that everybody who displays a flag is like this, and I know some open-minded liberals fly it, but there is a large element that falls into this category.

[Spitfire of ATJ]

63. I swear, the Right was in heaven seeing tanks with the American flag tearing through the desert.

[underahedgerow]

52. TOTALLY agree. While worthy of respect, the worship thing is just way over the top.

But I was never a herd mentality type person to begin with.

[Purveyor]

51. Oh hell. I thought this was going to be a Pink Floyd knockoff...

[pinboy3niner]

53. Don't you mean 'Pinko Floyd'?

[CBGLuthier]

54. We really have become a world fueled by outrage over other's actions.

Even meaningless mindless actions like flying a flag on a car.
I don't worship pieces of cloth and I don't worry what others do that has zero impact on anyone else.

BTW, that old flag you worshiped was probably made out of cotton picked in the south by African Americans who were paid shit wages to do so.

[ghostsinthemachine]

62. Actually, probably by slaves that were owned by members of my family....

Being South Carolina, cotton and tobacco farmers and all. And our family had slaves, descendants of which still work for my family. At poverty level wages.

[Lars39]

56. Slightly off-topic, but I've been noticing

something interesting here in TN. When the little impromptu confederate flag parades started up, there seemed to all of a sudden be more vehicles flying US flags driving around, kinda like a counter protest.
Gives me hope.

[WinkyDink]

65. I'm a flag nut; I went around on 9/12/01 educating neighbors who had hung a flag backwards. BUT-----

stickers and decals do not count, nor do flag-depicting picnic napkins or plates, or bandanas, or postal stamps, etc.

Let us get a grip.