"Wonder What the Flag Thinks About (A Lesson)" was published on page 5 of the June 14, 1922, issue of The Youngstown Vindicator. A little flag etiquette is good anytime, but especially on Flag Day, right?
The flag's words in the boxes from left to right, top row, then bottom row.
Please Mister - Remember to hang me like this with the blue field in the upper right hand corner - the position of honor - also when I am hung horizontally.
In the first place I should never be draped but hung flat.
This picture of me is wrong because my stars and field of blue are in the wrong position.
And when you use my colors on a shield don't have a thing like this because it is wrong! All wrong! It should have no stars and there should not be seven red stripes.
Now this is correct. The field is blue with no stars!! And just the reverse of the flag it should have seven white and six red stripes.
Please don't drape me. I am not a decoration. If you must use my colors as draped decoration use strips of blue, white and red with my blue on top.
Do not use me as a mere background to set off the picture or bust of anybody - not even Washington or Lincoln. It is an insult to both of us. Don't let storekeepers use me in a window display.
And don't applaud when the National Anthem is sung. It would be just as correct to applaud a minister's prayer. The man who wrote of "the red, white and blue" was merely exercising his license as a poet. Blue comes first. There are as many folks ignorant of my proper use as there are folks who don't know the words to the National Anthem.
Happy Flag Day! May it proudly wave forever.
--Nancy.
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This should be republished every Flag Day. I think there's a little too much use of the flag design in clothing these days. I'm afraid we all really blow the applause rule, but I think it's out of pride for of our country. IMHO
ReplyDeleteThanks, Laura. I agree there's too much flag-related clothing. As the patriotic holidays continue I've begun to notice how often the flag motif is used everywhere -- paper plates, napkins, cups; clothing; banners that aren't really flags; etc. It's made me wonder if appropriate flag etiquette has changed over time or if we've just become more causal with the flag. Interesting.
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