MAT-SU — John Crowder begins each day by raising the American flag outside his home.
A veteran of World War II and the Korean War, the Big Lake resident holds a profound respect for the flag and what it stands for.
 ROBERT DeBERRY/Frontiersman file The American flag flies over the Veterans'€™ Wall of Honor in Wasilla. |
Like Crowder, many Valley residents fly the flag — especially around national holidays, like Memorial Day. However it is displayed, Crowder said he hopes people will treat the flag with respect and proper etiquette.
“We were taught in Boy Scouts how to raise a flag and how to fold it and everything,” Crowder said.
Some of those rules of etiquette are spelled out in the U.S. Flag Code that says, in part, the flag should be lighted at all times, in good shape, never be dipped to any person or thing and that it should never touch the ground when lowered.
“The flag represents the values of our country all it stands for and all that people have endured to make it what it is,” said Bill Mitchell, a Palmer resident and World War II veteran.
Mitchell was 18 when Pearl Harbor was bombed Dec. 7, 1941, and joined the Marine Corps a month later. Now more than six decades removed from the war, Mitchell said his respect for the flag is as strong as ever — especially on Memorial Day weekend.
“My grandfather was in the Spanish-American War and he was a very patriotic person,” he said. “We always had respect for the flag in our family. At this time, you certainly think of those people who have given the ultimate sacrifice — their lives.”
Respect for the flag comes from the heart, Crowder said as he related a story about a visitor he had some years ago.
As he was preparing to leave his house for a fishing trip, a man approached Crowder outside his property and asked if he could talk to Crowder about God.
“Well, my flag is flying all the time,” Crowder recalled. “So, I said to him, ‘salute that flag above you and I’ll let you in. Mister, I put my life on the line for that flag, and if you won’t salute it, I won’t let you in.’”
Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.
KNOW THE CODE
Federal law stipulates many aspects of flag etiquette. The section of law dealing with American Flag etiquette is generally referred to as the Flag Code. Some general guidelines from the Flag Code answer many of most common questions about flag etiquette:
• The flag should be lighted at all times, either by sunlight or by an appropriate light source.
• The flag should be flown in fair weather, unless the flag is designed for inclement weather use.
• The flag should never be dipped to any person or thing. It is flown upside down only as a distress signal.
• The flag should not be used for any decoration in general. Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for these purposes. The blue stripe of the bunting should be on the top.
• The flag should never be used for any advertising purpose. It should not be embroidered, printed or otherwise impressed on such articles as cushions, handkerchiefs, napkins, boxes, or anything intended to be discarded after temporary use. Advertising signs should not be attached to the staff or halyard.
• The flag should not be used as part of a costume or athletic uniform, except that a flag patch may be used on the uniform of military personnel, fireman, policeman and members of patriotic organizations.
• The flag should never have any mark, insignia, letter, word, number, figure, or drawing of any kind placed on it, or attached to it.
• The flag should never be used for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.
• When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch the ground or any other object; it should be received by waiting hands and arms. To store the flag it should be folded neatly and ceremoniously.
• The flag should be cleaned and mended when necessary.
• When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner.
Sources: Federal Flag Code and usa-flag-site.org.
Comments
6 comment(s)Dawn wrote on May 28, 2009 4:19 PM:
jp wrote on May 25, 2009 8:42 PM:
He's not my president!
Governor, i plead for you to exercise the 10th amendment! "
LisaJ wrote on May 25, 2009 11:36 AM:
Patriot wrote on May 25, 2009 10:41 AM:
khbalaska wrote on May 25, 2009 10:24 AM:
Thank you.. wrote on May 24, 2009 11:11 AM: