Retirement ceremony sparks look at proper flag care and etiquette
By RICHARD NEST
Guest Columnist
Headline: American Flag Burned in Bardstown.
I believe the more accurate heading would be, “Dignified Disposal of Unserviceable Flags in Bardstown”. Your local Old Kentucky Home Post 121 hosted this event on November 4th. The Air Force ROTC Cadets of Nelson County High School performed the ceremony and a mighty fitting ceremony I have to add. From all the members of Post 121, we wish to pass on a “thank you” to the “assembly of citizens”, who attended and to the cadets themselves. Donna and Rick, you have done an outstanding job.
Greetings my friends. This citizen’s bit of information is about a sacred object. I’m going to share with you an invented story. It pertains to Constitutional rights and protecting the American Flag. Reference: Texas v. Johnson 1989. Johnson being, Gregory Lee Johnson, then a member of the Revolutionary Communist Youth Brigade. Don’t you just love that little bit of information? In 1989, there was a soldier named Richard. He told his son about a battle going on inside his head. He said, Jason, it is between two dogs. One dog represents “symbolic expression” and non-speech acts. In combination with “freedom of speech”, they all are protected by our First Amendment to the United States Constitution. The other dog represents what some have called “the living symbol of our great republic”. Some say it is a national treasure and deserves to be protected. (NOTE: the United States Flag [June 14, 1777] predates the adaptation of the U.S. Constitution by 10 years. It’s been part of America longer than our most revered legal document.)
The son thought about it for a few minutes and then asked his father, “Which dog wins?” The soldier replied, “The one I feed.” If you have an opinion on this subject, you could email me later today.
As I was researching the different ceremonies, seeing how others performed it, I came across information I did not know, information I had forgotten and just plain good stuff. Here is my take on “did we know?”.
The U. S. Flag Code states “The flag when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning”. In earlier times, most American flags were made of cotton or wool. Burning is preferred for cotton and wool flags. Nylon and flags made from other synthetics can be buried. I did not remember that.
A question that I have been asked, does the flag have to be destroyed if it touched the ground? NO, NO, NO. You do not have to destroy that American flag if it touched the ground. Where did that thinking come from? The magical words here would be touched and soiled. Touched would be a no, soiled would be a dignified disposal.
Should the American flag be taken down during a rain storm? Since most flags today are all-weather flags, they are permitted to fly during inclement weather. Remember fly only all-weather flags and they can be displayed 24 hours a day provided it is “properly illuminated”. I interpret it to mean there should be either a light directly upon the flag or there is sufficient local lighting to make the flag visible at night.
FACT: We here in Kentucky have got to know this little bit of information. There are 27 Official Flags of the United States, and The Betsy Ross Flag was not one of them. The second official flag was known as “The Star Spangled Banner, the 15 Star Flag”. Kentucky was the 15th state on June 1st, 1792 and this flag was to last for 23 years. This flag was the only U. S. flag to have more than 13 stripes. They added 2 stars and 2 stripes.
In closing, let’s get back to the two dogs. Don’t forget, thank a vet.
Yours in friendship,
Richard Nest
“Big Bird”
-30-
