Spring Cleaning Should Include A New American Flag

By Shannon Hicks

With the recent spate of beautiful weather many households are opening windows to let in some fresh air for the first time in months. Countless garages are being cleaned out, tag sales are being held, windows and curtains are getting washed, and lawns are being brought back to life.

Perhaps it’s time to look at something else that may need some care at this time of the year.

Homeowners who have been flying an American flag all winter may want to consider retiring that flag for a new one. It’s probably a good time to offer a refresher on how to properly display and care for a flag, a simple design on cloth or nylon that stands for so much to generations of Americans.

The federal government issued the current existing rules, customs, and etiquette pertaining to the display and use of the flag of the United States of America on July 7, 1976. The full set of rules and regulations can be found in Title 4 of the United States Code, Executive Order 10834. These rules concern everything from how a flag should be displayed on or near speakers’ podiums and where an American flag should be positioned when hanging with a flag of another country to how to fold a flag and even when a flag can be used for advertising purposes (never).

Perhaps the most important rule for homeowners is found in Chapter 1 Section 7i of The Flag Code: When displayed horizontally or vertically against a wall, the union should be uppermost and to the flag’s own right — that is, to the observer’s left.

In other words — and this is where many homeowners make a mistake when hanging a flag — whether a flag is hanging horizontally or vertically, the field of stars should always be in the upper left hand corner for the viewer. Don’t just take a flag from its horizontal state and rotate it 90 degrees, which would result in the flag hanging vertically but with the stars in the upper right corner. Remember to flip the flag around so that the field of stars, or union, is resting in the upper left.

Chapter 1 Section 7i continues, “When displayed in a window, the flag should be displayed in the same way, with the union or blue field to the left of the observer in the street.”

There is nothing wrong with flying a historic flag. Flags with a circle of stars, called a Betsy Ross Flag, or a flag with fewer than 50 stars in its union are perfectly acceptable. Fly them with the same respect a contemporary flag would be flown.

A few reminders: It is a custom to display the flag from sunrise to sunset on buildings and stationary flagstaffs in the open, but a flag may also be displayed around the clock “if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness” (Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 6b). The flag should not be displayed during rain or snow “except when an all-weather flag is displayed” (Section 6c).

When raised the flag “should be hoisted briskly,” and when lowered it should be done “ceremoniously” (Section 6b).

Section 6d of the Flag Code says that the flag should be displayed on all days, “especially on” special holidays. The next special days on the calendar are Mother’s Day, Armed Forces Day (which will be May 15 this year), Memorial Day (May 31, when the flag is to be put at half-staff until noon) and Flag Day (June 14).

Disposing Of A Flag

Section 8k of the Flag Code states “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.”

“There are a lot of flags in Newtown that are deteriorated and torn,” said Newtown VFW Post 308 Senior Vice Commander George Lockwood. “There’s a lot of them, and they should really be retired.”

There is a procedure to disposing of a flag that has seen better days. Old flags should be burned, and even then it needs to be done with respect. Even then they shouldn’t touch the ground, says Newtown’s VFW Post Commander Junie Ingram

“The burning should be done in a can,” Mr Ingram said this week.

The VFW Post on Tinkerfield Road in Newtown is usually open daily between 10 am and 9 pm. Someone is usually around, says Mr Ingram. The VFW will always accept American flags that are ready for retirement.

Members of The American Legion George A. Power Senior Post 202, also at 18 Tinkerfield Road, will also accept a flag for retirement.

“If a flag is all ragged and torn up, it really should be retired,” American Legion Post 202 Commander Bill Saren said. “We’d be happy to take flags in.”

Members of Newtown’s VFW will be taking care of the flags at the graves of veterans in Newtown in the upcoming weeks. The cemeteries usually have fresh flags flying in time for Memorial Day. Once they replace the flags, the VFW members will be having a flag disposal ceremony shortly thereafter.

Boy Scouts are also receptive to flags ready to be retired.

John DiNoto, the Scoutmaster for Newtown Boy Scout Troop 370, says Boy Scouts in town occasionally collect flags from their households and from friends that are ready to be retired. A box for flags to be forwarded to the Boy Scouts is always available at the office of The Newtown Bee.

“We’ll collect them occasionally and will always be happy to properly dispose of them,” Mr DiNoto said.

And don’t worry. When it comes to Newtown, there aren’t any “flag police” who will come to your door to give you a citation for hanging an American flag incorrectly.

“My theory is, if they display their flag with pride, they’re doing just fine,” says Mr Ingram.

“I ride around town a lot and I see some that are backwards,” he added. “I know there are rules and regulations for everything but really, as long as that flag is shown with respect it’s fine by me.”