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Creating a flag on the ground. Disrespectful?


dito

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I'm way behind on my 4th of July show and thought of putting a "flag" on my lawn. Basically a handful of colored strings to simulate the "stripes" of the flag. Is this disrespectful since you aren't supposed to let the flag touch the ground?!

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A quick answer is yes,

This is the closest answer I can find on the topic

Here's the rules:

Sec. 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.

  1. 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.
  2. The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.
  3. The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.
  6. The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.
  7. 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.
  8. The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
  9. 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.
  10. 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.
  11. 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

How many of these rules can you see are violated everyday.


But, what you are doing is artwork, and if you could elevate your stripes off of the ground just a few inches. you should be fine

Respectfully featuring the American flag in artwork is a wonderful thing and should be encouraged

faq6.gif

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i thought about it "own my own". i know you aren't supposed to let the flag TOUCH the ground, but thought this may be different since it's not a "real" flag, but wasn't sure so was asking. I did not see it n the news, but I am glad I asked. Probably skip it as I have no more vertical space I can use for my show.

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probably the best advice you could give, is pass

I was going to do my sequenced flag supported upright and the bottom stripe was going to touch the ground, well.... now I have this 5ft x 10ft flag pulled off the ground by 3 feet along with 6 LOR controllers, I hope for no major wind storms

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The one thing I will add about the door mat, is that wiping your feet on anything is pretty disrespectful to whatever you wiped your feet on.

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Guest Don Gillespie

PMC wrote:

A quick answer is yes,

This is the closest answer I can find on the topic

Here's the rules:

Sec. 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.

  1. 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.

  2. The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.

  3. The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.

  7. 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.

  8. The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.

  9. 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.

  10. 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.

  11. 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

How many of these rules can you see are violated everyday.


But, what you are doing is artwork, and if you could elevate your stripes off of the ground just a few inches. you should be fine

Respectfully featuring the American flag in artwork is a wonderful thing and should be encouraged

faq6.gif


great info on this but will the young kids of today really respect the flag as what I have noticed over the last decade the kids of today don't have any respect for anything. will be interesting to see how this plays out.
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PMC wrote:

A quick answer is yes,

This is the closest answer I can find on the topic

Here's the rules:

Sec. 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.

  1. 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.

  2. The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.

  3. The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.

  7. 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.

  8. The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.

  9. 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.

  10. 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.

  11. 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

How many of these rules can you see are violated everyday.


But, what you are doing is artwork, and if you could elevate your stripes off of the ground just a few inches. you should be fine

Respectfully featuring the American flag in artwork is a wonderful thing and should be encouraged

faq6.gif



I'm retired military. That's the correct answer, if you are using an actual flag.

I see this type of stuff with lights all the time, I do not have a problem with it. Simply because these are just lights placed in a pattern to REPRESENT a flag.

There are no rules that I am aware of apply to this subject.
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I've asked all my Facebook friends to comment and it seems like only military answered my question and their reply was the same. This is not a real flag and "rules" do not apply and they encouraged it.

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What is a "real flag"?

If I build a flag out of lights and it resembles the American Flag then is it a Real Flag?

But, I don't want this to turn into a major debate. all I will add is just to do it respectfully

I was at Lowes yesterday and I saw all the cups,plates,picnic table cover and more stuff that had the American Flag printed, and if you read the rules none of those are respectful, but are sold and I looked and they were made in the USA.

so go for it, enjoy

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i should have said "cloth" flag or similar material... sorry. i am going to do it. i am going to do it, i'll let you know if i get any complaints or compliments for it...

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Hello, As business owner, ( Midwest Freedom Flags) and maintenance man at our county courthouse.can I make a suggestion? Can you use the Betsy Ross flag instead? It would get your visual across and possibly be easier to sequence. :P:P:P sorry about the shameless company plug:P:P:P It's a small father/ son thing to help him run a 2 person business Neil

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Its not a flag, its just represents a flag which represent pride. So i cant see how this could be an issue. Now with a real flag then all the rules apply, but the two should be seperated.
I think the issue with the floor mat is that you rub your dirty feet on it and people could see this as being disrespectful and I can see why. But having a lit up flag on your lawn has no negative gestures and in fact is showing your pride for your country.

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Just my opinion and view on this.
The question of what is a real flag has been asked several times. Does the flag have to have 50 stars? And does it need to have the strips to be a certain length and width? I say that if what you makes represents the official United States of America flag. Then to me it is the flag of the US of A. And if what I make is to make you the viewer to think that guy has a flag made of lights in his front yard.
Would I get upset that it is layed out in the yard? Probably not. Now if I came up to your front door and you had a door mat that looked like the flag. Ya, I would have a big time problem with that. The main difference is that the one in your yard, I would not be walking on top of. The door mat, well your suppose to wipe your feet on a door mat. Thus wiping the grime off of the sole of my shoes, onto the flag of my country. "I pledge allegiance to the flag". I just gave a scared oath to stand beside and protect the flag. And the flag is of the land that I call home. Aint got much good to say about someone that does not have a problem with a door mat that is done up to look like the flag of the US of A.

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PMC wrote:

A quick answer is yes,

This is the closest answer I can find on the topic

Here's the rules:

Sec. 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.

  1. 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.

  2. The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.

  3. The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.

  4. 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.

  5. 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.

  6. The flag should never be used as a covering for a ceiling.

  7. 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.

  8. The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.

  9. 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.

  10. 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.

  11. 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

How many of these rules can you see are violated everyday.


But, what you are doing is artwork, and if you could elevate your stripes off of the ground just a few inches. you should be fine

Respectfully featuring the American flag in artwork is a wonderful thing and should be encouraged

faq6.gif




And of all those rules posted above, just how many are violated every day now?

Sadly almost every single one of them, because respect of the Flag of the USA has become lost over the last decade. Of all those things I see mentioned in the above rules, I see folks wearing clothing{Shirts, Bandana's, Scarves, Hats, even Pants} that looks exactly like the US Flag, I have seen handkerchiefs and napkins emblazoned with the US Flag and many, many other violations of those very rules.

If the US isn't going to enforce them by stopping this type of abuse of our Flag, then in all reality, what good are those rules?
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I say no, it's not disrespectful

Shortly after 9/11, a civic group here in Plymouth turned a hillside of parkland into a large flag flowerbed (that is, a flag of flowers). I don't think anyone found this disrespectful at all, and it was a full flag (stars, stripes, and all).

I think the lights would be the same sort of thing. And it sounds like you're just doing stripes, not the full flag?

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I don't see it being a problem either. My only question is this, Will the viewing angle be such that you will be able to recogize that it represents a flag?

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