Ahem.

[Barack_America]

Vietnam veteran Allan Radcliffe, left, holds a US flag upside down as a sign of 'distress' in windy weather, to protest against government spending in Washington, in the spirit of the Boston Tea Party at the Dockweiler State Beach in Los Angeles on Wednesday, April 15, 2009.
(AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

The laws relating to the flag of the United States of America are found in detail in the United States Code. Title 4, Chapter 1 pertains to the flag; Title 18, Chapter 33, Section 700 regards criminal penalties for flag desecration; Title 36, Chapter 3 pertains to patriotic customs and observances. These laws were supplemented by Executive Orders and Presidential Proclamations

<snip>

§8. Respect for flag

No disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America; the flag should not be dipped to any person or thing. Regimental colors, State flags, and organization or institutional flags are to be dipped as a mark of honor.

<snip>

The flag should never be displayed with the union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property...

http://www.ushistory.org/BETSY/flagcode.htm


And I thought Republicans were supposed to be the champions of patriotism.

:eyes:

[graywarrior]

1. Dumber than dumb.

[luvspeas]

2. the guy behind him rubbing his ass on the flag...

Is supposed to be shot by firing squad at midnight, I think.

[Barack_America]

7. Simply draping the flag over the sign is a no-no...

Let alone rubbing your ass with it.

I'm not personally offended by these acts, but I think this picture should be remembered the next time Republicans claim that they own "patriotism" in this country.

[virgogal]

3. Are they Republicans?

[Barack_America]

4. They are at a protest organized by Republicans and promoted by Fox News.

And I don't see anybody in the crowd objecting to this.

[doctor jazz]

5. Hundreds of DUers used the upside down flag as an avatar

during the W years. It was even in the 'official' (available) list.

[Barack_America]

6. And Freepers called them out on it...

...as a sign of "lack of patriotism".

Fair is fair.

[emilyg]

8. How soon DU forgets.

Do as I say not as I do.

[Barack_America]

10. The point is that I have NOT forgotten...

How Freepers like to use the upside down flag thing as an example of our lack of patriotism.

Looks like it's now a "pot meet kettle" situation.

[Bluebear]

18. You poor thing, you just hate it here, don't you?

[MissMarple]

9. And sometimes they drape themselves in it. I wish I had a picture.

They ignorantly subvert the principles the flag stands for.

[TankLV]

11. AHEM - I had one displayed in MY FRONT WINDOW for most of the past EIGHT YEARS!!!

I and many other believed that WE WERE IN DANGER, NOT JUST DISTRESS, FROM THE bush* REGIME.

I will accept that these people, while I disagree with them, feel likewise now, however misinformed they are...

Of course, if you're CALLING OUT THESE FUCKING REPUKE HYPOCRITS (but I repeat myself there) for their complaints when WE did it, then I understand what you're saying...

[Barack_America]

16. Yes, the hypocrisy of it is my point.

Turning the flag upside down isn't my thing, but I respect the symbolism it holds for others.

However, I do not respect criticizing others for turning the flag upside down and then doing it yourself.

Freepers will inevitably question the patriotism of Democrats again and I think this picture should be remembered for when they do.

[TankLV]

17. OK - got it...

[Canuckistanian]

12. Lots of progressives displayed an inverted flag during the Bush regime

Does that imply a lack of patriotism in their case?

I find this "flag etiquette" issue to be overblown.

But at least Liberals had a reason to protest by flying the flag upside down.

These idiots have none.

[Barack_America]

13. According to Republicans, yes.

But now that the shoe's on the other foot, look what they do.

I'm not accusing them of being unpatriotic, I'm accusing them of being hypocrites.

[Canuckistanian]

14. OK,that's true

I've lost count of their hypocrisies.

[Barack_America]

15. self-delete.