Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Flag handling rant...

If you didn't already know this, I was a United States Marine.  I served 8 years on active duty.  During that time I developed a great passion for our flag.  I guess it comes with the title Marine.  We are taught how to handle the flag and protect everything it stands for.

After 9/11 everyone was displaying their flag.  I wondered to myself if everyone knew the rules for the flag.  How to put it up and take it down and store it.  I wondered if they knew that it had to be lit at night or taken down at sunset.  I saw flags displayed that were torn from weather.  It honestly hurt me to see it.

Now for the rant. 

I love the Olympics.  I hate. Absolutely HATE, they way our flag is treated during the Olympics. 

Here are a few of the regulations as found in Section 8: Respect for the Flag
 CRS Report for Congress 
The United States Flag:
Federal Law Relating to Display and other associated questions.

-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.-The flag should never be used as wearing apparel...
-No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform.





As I watch the Olympics, I cringe every time a flag is thrown from the stands to an athlete so they can drape it around their body like a cape as they take a victory lap or wave wildly to the crowd. 

Don't get me wrong...I know they are proud of their country and proud of their achievements for our country, I'm proud of them too, but this is getting out of hand. 

People have died for that flag.  People have put their lives at risk to raise that flag proudly! 

Take the flag raising on Iwo Jima for instance.
This photo was taken in 1945 as 5 Marines and a Navy corpsman raised the flag on top of Mt. Suribachi during the battle of Iwo Jima.


These are real people putting their lives at risk to raise our flag! 

Please treat our flag with respect.  Don't wear it, throw it, write on it, crumple it up or use it as a blanket. 


Rant over.

Crunchy Katie




27 comments:

  1. I agree Katie! When we purchased our first American Flag to hang proudly from our porch it came with a list of rules. I had to read them cause at first, I hate to admit this, I didn't know the rules. We tried to follow them to the best of our ability but I wondered why all my neighbors whom had flags too didn't follow the rules. Did they just throw the rules away when they bought the flag, or maybe read them and just didn't care......

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    1. Agreed! As an Army brat and wife to a soldier, I cry every time the flag is raised and it bugs me to no end when the glad is not properly respected.

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  2. I love your patriotism and the love and respect that you have for your Country! God Bless America! God Bless Katie Rain! I am so proud of the woman that you have become!

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  3. I agree with your post. Unfortunately, I don't think people 1)Know the rules and 2)Don't stop and think about what they're doing.

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  4. Thank you for bringing this to attention. My husband is in the United States Army and just returned from his second tour in four years to Afghanistan. We too watch the Olympics and are also appalled by the treatment of our beautiful flag!! This has to stop!!

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  5. I knew there were rules like it couldn't touch the ground and you had to have a light on it at night, but I had no idea about the other ones.

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  6. My husband is a veteran still in, it gets him going too!

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  7. I don't think most people know the rules.

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  8. Thank you for your service to our country!

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  9. I couldn't agree with you more. I was thinking the same thing the other day!

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  10. I honestly never would have known about this until I read this post. Thank you for educating me!

    Sadly, it's now going to bug me! :(

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  11. Love this rant! You know how I feel, as an Army wife, and vet! Great post! Way to raise awareness!

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  12. Thank you finally someone else who gets it. I was never a marine or in any branch of the military but both my grandfathers were and they taught us respect for the flag. It is irritating seeing these people who represent our country know completely nothing on how to respect the most recognized symbol of their country

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  13. I've always think about the rule of not wearing the flag as apparel when I see American flag bikinis.

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  14. I agree as well! In addition to people not knowing the rules, I think a lot of people have forgotten, or sadly just don't care what the flag stands for and what it means to be a FREE American! Thank you to you and your husband for your service!

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  15. Wow, I never thought about this being an issue, but I totally see how it goes against the regulations. Thanks for sharing an eye opening issue :)

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  16. i completely agree with this! anytime i see anyone sporting an american flag on their clothing, or wrapped around their shoulders i cringe!

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  17. I agree! It is disgusting to me that some people leave it flying tattered and torn. If the flag is treated properly that really shouldn't happen and if it does start to fray from display it is time to have the respect to replace it. My husband is in the Navy and he is very particular about the flag rules. I've learned a lot from him over the years about the respect it deserves.

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  18. I am most likely in the minority here but I don't see the problem with the way the flag is treated at the Olympics. The athletes are not disrespecting their country, they are proudly displaying their flags for all to see. I think the intention is more important than the actions. Just my opinion though.

    (Rachel N on raffelcopter)

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  19. I always knew there were guidelines on how to display the flag, but for some reason had not thought about it in this context. But now that you mention it, I agree with you -- it makes sense to me. I wonder if the athletes are ever made aware or 'reminded' of these guidelines?

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  20. I agree! So many people don't treat the flag with respect! We have a flagpole, but it's not easy to get the flag up and down, so I know we need to get a spotlight for it, but we haven't done that yet, so the flag is folded and waiting.

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  21. Katie, I'm with you! I deliberately avoid purchasing clothing with flag print on it for that reason. It's not an actual flag, but there are other emblems to use.

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  22. While I totally agree with disrespecting the flag being a huge no no I don't see this as being disrespectful. Things like burning the flag, stomping on the flag, etc. are disrespectful. Wearing your flag proudly as I see in these pictures I just don't see as disrespecting it. They are proud of their country, their freedom, and part of that freedom is being able to express their love for their country in a way they see fit. We are a Military family too and looking back at each and every painful deployment I would hate to think that my husband is just defending an object, the flag STANDS for Freedom and that is what they are exhibiting here and that is what our Military fights to preserve.

    Thank you for your service <3

    Andrew L. or Alisha L. on Rafflecopter.

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    1. I agree with you Alisha, I know there are rules of decorum. The ones that make me angry are when someone displays a tattered or faded flag, or doesn't fly at half mast when appropriate. I also don't think it's appropriate to use as a tablecloth, towel, etc. I don't have issues with american flag clothing as long as it is tasteful.

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  23. I think there are many people that do not know about the rules. I remember in school or scouts they taught the basic ones like the light and not letting i touch the ground.

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