It appears from the photo below that President Bush’s support for a Flag Amendment to criminalize the desecration of the flag could be a cry for help. In this photo, Bush is seen clearly writing on a small American flag.
For the picture, click here
Unless small flags are excluded, Title 4 clearly prohibits such acts, particularly under subsection G. Fortunately, Bush is free to write on or burn the flag at future events under the first amendment.
§ 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.
(a) 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.
(b) The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.
(c) The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.
(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker’s desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.
(e) The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.
(f) The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.
(g) The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
(h) The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
(i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkins or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard. Advertising signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.
(j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.
(k) 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.
Great article. Love to follow the US Flag Code and etiquette in any case possible.and especially when our President was doing it! Enjoyed the read.
I thing you cant drop it no matter what.
hey like cant you like try not to like drop the flag.
Jay:
You’re a gentleman and a scholar and, best of all, a fine judge of humor.
Mespo my friend, that is actually a very funny comeback. Thanks for the chuckle.
Jay:
I would personally welcome an autograph of Bush or Cheney — on a plea agreement.
Susan,
I would guess that an actual deed is unnecessary, since he already has an OLC memorandum or two (classified to be sure) that assures him that in wartime he has full powers to commandeer anything he likes in pursuit of war aims. If he decides that my vacation home in the mountains is important to the war effort, he can seize it….. 🙂
Patty C,
I agree. It is a generational thing I think to some degree.
True story: when I was younger, I ran a marathon and some spectator had dropped one of those little flags on sticks on the race course. I couldn’t bear seeing it on the ground so I stopped, picked it up, and ran the last 16 miles or so holding it. People probably thought I was making a political statement…but it was just a respect issue.
Me either, DW – especially to this President.
Bush’s disrespect is also reflected by his ‘graffiti’, in the way of his signature upon our national symbol – which, given his behavior in the last near eight years, is also like spitting on our flag, in my view.