Notes from my Knapsack 6-8-23

Notes from my Knapsack 6-8-23
Jeff Gill

Flag etiquette from my point of view
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Coming up is a modest holiday which no one gets off that I know of: Flag Day.

It was on June 14, 1777 that the Continental Congress included in its business a motion reading "Resolved, That the flag of the United States be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be thirteen stars, white in a blue field, representing a new Constellation." In other words, the original Betsy Ross version of Old Glory.

Often Flag Day falls during Cub Scout Day Camp, and it has always been both a pleasure and an honor to teach young Scouts how to properly fold the flag into the unique triangle that sets it apart from other banners and bunting stacked upon a shelf.

We also work on the protocols of raising and lowering the flag. Certainly that it should not touch the ground, and our nation's standard goes up briskly in the morning, and down at a slower, stately pace at the end of the day.

Just covering the basics takes all the time I usually have, so that's what we practice. Flag folding, and how to present, raise, and lower the flag (then folding it for stowage overnight). There's some history about how we got the star spangled banner we have I often start with.

Where I don't go is the borderline between opinion, preference, and symbolism where I actually have some pretty firm sentiments. After all, these are nine and ten year olds. But you, dear reader, deserve to learn a bit more.

For instance, I really dislike big clumps of flags. You know, the kind that have broken out like a rash in political rallies? The pledge, which we also discuss with the Cub Scouts, notes we are honoring "the republic, for which it stands." The flag stands for the United States of America, in the way the King stands for Great Britain, and they swear allegiance to the Crown. We have the flag.

So I think — this is just one guy's opinion — there's never a good reason to have two, or twelve, or dozens of U.S. flags up on a stage. It confuses the symbolism and meaning. Doesn't bother you? Swell.

But I also deeply regret the sea change we've gone through with 24 hour flag displays. The U.S. flag should go up in the morning, dawn or not too long after, and down at or before sunset, and if it rains, somebody runs out to respectfully take it down.

There used to be just a couple of places (Mackinac Island had one) where guides noted by act of Congress they were allowed to have the flag up with a light 24 hours a day. Yeah. So now, with modern fiber technology and a token spotlight we have all sorts of flags whipping themselves into shreds as they fly all day, all night, all the time. I don't like it.

Flags with gold fringe? Don't like 'em. Backwards patches indicating "we're always moving forward?" A general's whim during the first Gulf War now enshrined on car logos. A flat display flag points right, to its own left.

And unless you're armed, take off your hat, please, when it passes by. My opinion!


Jeff Gill is a writer, storyteller, and preacher in central Ohio; if you read these columns, you knew he had opinions. He's happy to read yours at knapsack77@gmail.com, or follow @Knapsack on Twitter.