Men and women in the United States Armed Forces, what would you do in this situation?

Question

While you're driving, you see a business fling the American flag incorrectly (whether it’s waving a state flag or another flag above it, fling it in the rain, or anything that is in any way disrespectful) Would you..

1) Think nothing of it & drive by wondering how they can be so stupid and still survive
2) become angry/frustrated yet continue on your way, fuming
3) (If it’s on your side of the highway/interstate) pull over & politely ask them to fly it correctly
4) Fly across the median, through the other side of the road, dodging traffic, come bursting through the door & immediately demand to talk to the manager.

If not one of these, what would you do? I ask because, yesterday, I was riding in the back seat of the car during the ride home from vacation & my mom noticed that a business had not lowered the state flag after fling the American flag half-staff in honor of President Ford's recent death. My parents did nothing about it except say how stupid the people were.

i agree, 4 is way out of line, but it also seems sort of wrong to not do anything at all.

ok, if they are going to fly the flag, and they have nothing against the U.S. and they are not trying to make a statement or rebell, they are JUST FLING THE FLAG,

they should fly it correctly, agreed?

Answer 1

Speaking as a member of the U.S. Air Force (11 years active duty, 5 years reserve) I would stop and say something about it if I had time to do so, but I wouldn't go in breathing fire -- I would simply tell them what I observed, explain the problem, and ask them politely to correct it. We had a similar situation a couple of weeks ago right here -- there's an AT&T building right across the street from where I work, and they were flying the American flag at half-staff but flying the state flag at full staff (that's a no-no -- no flag can be flown above the American flag on U.S. soil), so I went across the street, told the receptionist in the lobby about it, and she contacted the facility manager who came down and apolgized for the mix-up before going outside to lower the state flag. I think most businesses would have no problem correcting such a problem, but in some cases they need to be told.

Answer 2

I'm not in the armed forces but I will say that the business you and your parents drove by did nothing wrong. They are not obligated to lower the flag whenever a former president dies. It's really not a big deal because he was old and it wasn't a tragedy. People die and we move on.

I'll tell you something. If every flag had to be put at half staff everytime when a tragedy just took place, EVERY flag in the US would have to be at half staff, every day of the year for the past 6 years because for the past 6 years, servicemen and women have been dying in war. Now, isn't an 18-22 year old dying in war far more tragic than a 93 year old man dying in his bed after he's lived like 20 years longer than the national average?

Lets be realistic. Gerald Ford dying isn't any more tragic than all of the young mid-20s America soldiers dying in Iraq every day. In fact, it's less tragic because he's already lived his life and death was the last thing on his to do list in life. You may disagree, but that's just how I feel.

Answer 3

When is the last time you and your family drove by a recruiting station and saw the flag at half staff? I will tell you this, it's pretty rare. Why, you ask? Because a flag at half staff is a reminder that someone has died. Recruiters try and keep at arm's length of any subject having to do with death, especially military death.

As you can see, there are double standards, even for the military ! Citizens who fly American flags often fail to follow protocol. Most of these violations are ignored, because people realize their heart is in the right place even if their brain is not.

Answer 4

The requirement to fly the flag at half staff only applies to government agencies. Citizens are "invited", but not required, to do the same.

I am no longer in the Army, but I am a veteran. While I am a patriotic American, I don't believe in harassing or assaulting those who don't feel the same as I do. I have called the city in the past to complain that a flag they were flying was tattered, but I doubt that I would take any aggressive action against anyone. After 9/11, I saw hundreds of cars driving around with tattered or dirty flags, but I didn't confront the drivers.

Answer 5

Well, since it is flying, I don't care if someone has the state flag higher, could be the way you are viewing it. There is nothig disrespectfull about flying it in the rain. The last part is to vague for answering. All 4 answers are kind of silly and why just military. Any American who sees the symbol of their country being abused should at least stop and say something if it is obvious. None of your reasons are obvious disrespect so I would just continue on my way.

Answer 6

I'd just call the business and tell them in a nice, very polite way that they are flying the flag incorrectly.

About 26 years ago, in San Diego, I got into a pi$$ing contest with a public school that flew a Mexican flag over the US flag every day. The school authorities blew me off a couple of times when I called them. I got the Federal Marshall's Service involved and the school put the Mexican flag where it belonged, at the bottom level, and kept it there.

Answer 7

I don't practice 3-4 that's childish and so is part of 1 I thing improper usage of the flag is disgraceful, And that struck a nerve I walked into the fire department because they were flying a tattered flag they asked me what gave me the right to complain I said if everyone had your outlook this fine country would be in the toilet worse than it is now and walked out. The next day there was a new flag in its place.

Answer 8

Chances are it was just a mistake and not an outright insult to our country. Your parents could still write them a letter and inform them of the proper order in which to lower flags when flown with the American flag.

Answer 9

ignore it...

Its not worth scaring some one over...

as long as you fly your flag in your heart high, it doesnt matter where you are.. your still with america.

Even if there was no flag over america, it would still be america in the hearts of men. Try and take that flag away...

isnt that america... allowing people to do things you dont agree with freely?

Answer 10

there have been 2 substantial rationalization why President Truman desperate to drop the bomb on Nagasaki: a million. It became predicted that as much as a million million American infantrymen could be needed to to a land invasion of the eastern homestead island. Too many American casualties became unacceptable at that factor. 2. Japan became not likely to provide up and the US didn't want Russia to attack and occupy Japan. On Hiroshima a million. Japan became not likely to provide up even after the 1st bomb. It needed to get the eastern protection stress to provide up.