Carefully folding a flag that had rested atop a friend’s casket and presenting that flag to his widow changed my respect for the flag of the United States of America.
Some national holidays seem to draw an over abundance of flags and flag-like decorations; notably Memorial Day, Flag Day, and Independence Day. Some towns decorate their streets with flags on each and every telephone pole the entire length of their main street.
For many people a few summer holidays are not enough. They fly their flags every day and every night continuously for months, perhaps longer. The edges of those flags become frayed often looking like a set of streamers. People decorate their clothing with flags or designs that evoke the flag, plaster their vehicles with flag images, and cover picnic tables with them.
At what point does the flag become mere frippery? Surrendering its meaning? When I see flags used as decoration, when a street is lined with dozens of flags, I suspect a shallow patriotism lies beneath one of the most powerful and widely recognized symbols on earth.
Recall the furor of the flag over the flag being worn as an article of clothing, being stomped on, hung upside down in protest. These were perceived as powerful protests because the flag of the United States of America is a powerful symbol. Dramatic and powerful protests remain necessary because this nation’s stated goal: “a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity” has yet to be fully achieved for all persons over whom this flag flies.
However, when a flag becomes another decoration its power as a symbol becomes diluted. Its significance as marking an outpost of the government of the people, by the people, for the people can easily get lost in the the noise.
I have raised the flag of the United States of America at dawn as part of a color guard and respectfully lowered it at sunset. So that darkness does not fall on it. Respectfully transferring a flag to and from a halyard on a flag pole requires at least two people to keep it off the ground; more for large flags.
Formally placing a flag on a casket and removing it also requires two people. I have observed this ceremony by honor guards from the US Navy, US Army, and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Observing a United States Marine Corps honor guard precisely and formally present the colors to a relative “on behalf of a grateful nation” should swell every citizen’s heart with pride and wet their eyes with tears.
I rue that I do not have a case of flags to carry in my car to replace the shredded flags some people and businesses fly. I regret not having abundant copies of the US Flag code to distribute to those using it for decoration or mar it with other images and colors.
Please, if you wish to proclaim your patriotic stance alongside those who support and defend the Constitution against all enemies, please take a minute or two with the dawns early light to attach a flag to a halyard and hoist it to the top of a flag pole and ceremoniously lower before the sun sets lest darkness cast a shadow upon our symbol of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. And please, please use something else to decorate your clothes, camper, or picnic table.