How Important is Our Freedom?

[TPD]

I need some help with flag etiquette and protocol....

As I pulled into my hardware store parking lot this afternoon, I see a customer changing the position of the flag we have mounted on the side of the building to the sideways position instead of the upright position it was in (flag is just mounted on the wall with one of those 2 position flag brackets). I assume he did this because of the fallen firefighter. He never said anything and neither did I or the employees. But it got me thinking about a couple of things:

#1 - With the July 4th holiday this week, what is more important - our freedoms which the flag stands for, or a fallen firefighter which very few people know (when looked as a whole across the state of Maryland). The governor has ordered the flags at half mast statewide until the burial of Mr. Trossbach I believe, which is after July 4th. I doubt there is an exception in the order for July 4th. Should the US flag be flown at half mast on the independence day of our country in honor of a fallen firefighter that was known by what, less than a thousand people?

#2 - Should I be climbing 40 utility poles in Ridge to change the position of the flags I have hung every time the flags are ordered lowered or raised by our governor or president or whoever else has the power to order flags lowered?

#3 - Is it the duty of American citizens to change the position of flags on private/public/government property when said flags are in the incorrect position?

#4 - What is the etiquette for fire trucks and other vehicles that fly the American flag on a pole while driving down the road when there is an order for half mast flags? Should these flags be taken off the vehicles or put in a horizontal instead of upright position? Is it even proper to fly the American flag on the back of a moving vehicle? I see farmers flying them from their combines all the time. I don't do this personally but it is just another question I have concerning flags.

I truly don't know the proper etiquette with this and would like the knowledge of the rest of you to help me out. Is it a crime to hang flags in the wrong position? I assume not since people can burn flags in protest with no repercussions.

What say you? Is our freedom more or less important than a fallen firefighter? Do we have the freedom to hang the American flag in any position we would like?

Before some of you ask me why I am against firefighters, that is not the case! It's not a job a want, but I do respect the job they do. I am just looking for answers and discussion.

 

[Ken King]

No crime as the law is not punitive.

You might want to check out the flag code - https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/4/chapter-1

4 U.S. Code § 7 (i) When displayed either 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. 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.

 

[RoseRed]

I knew Ken would have the answer.

 

[Bann]

Not sure this is what applies, but it's for the flags which are displayed horizontally or at an angle from a window, etc.

(h) When the flag of the United States is displayed from a staff projecting horizontally or at an angle from the window sill, balcony, or front of a building, the union of
the flag should be placed at the peak of the staff unless the flag is at half-staff. When the flag is suspended over a sidewalk from a rope extending from a house to a pole at the edge of the sidewalk, the flag should be hoisted out, union first, from the building.

Same link as from Ken's

4 U.S. Code § 7 - Position and manner of display

www.law.cornell.edu

 

[TPD]

Thx Ken for the link. So based on what I read in the link, half-staff rules don’t really apply to flags on a pole in a bracket mounted to the side of a building or on poles. I don’t believe the pole is long enough for a half mast position. Sounds like the horizontal position is not considered half-staff, so I will return our flag at the store to the upright position tomorrow.

Correct me if I misread the code.

 

[Bann]

@TPD

Interesting video on Flag Etiquette!! Now that I watch this video - I recall that I DID THIS for our home US FLAG after 911

 

[Bann]

Thx Ken for the link. So based on what I read in the link, half-staff rules don’t really apply to flags on a pole in a bracket mounted to the side of a building or on poles. I don’t believe the pole is long enough for a half mast position. Sounds like the horizontal position is not considered half-staff, so I will return our flag at the store to the upright position tomorrow.

Correct me if I misread the code.

check out my video... below!

 

[TPD]

check out my video... below!

Thx - good info!

I knew you forumites would have the info I was looking for.

 

[Bann]

Also, Half-mast is not incorrect, and has become more widely accepted, but traditionally, was used to refer to flags flown onboard a ship or boat, etc. (on a mast) Half-staff is used to refer to flags flown on poles (staffs) on land.

I'm a stickler for following the US Flag Code, because I consider it a sacred US duty, in honor of all of those who gave their lives in defense of that Flag. But, I would NEVER have the audacity to go up to anyone's home, business, private or public building, etc. and change the display of the flag!!!! Shame on that customer for taking it upon himself to do that. He could have just explained that he felt it should be positioned different.

 

[Bann]

Thx - good info!

I knew you forumites would have the info I was looking for.

Also - I texted Thing2 about the US Flag on the Fire apparatus. I asked what they do about flying the flag at half-staff when it is so ordered. He said "we don't". He didn't say why, etc. (he's not wordy, like me! :lol)

An observation of mine is - those flags are typically HUGE and they couldn't be lowered or they'd hang lower than the vehicle, since the ones I've seen are flown from the back of the vehicle and attached to the chassis. (as it states in the Code)

 

[Ken King]

Thx Ken for the link. So based on what I read in the link, half-staff rules don’t really apply to flags on a pole in a bracket mounted to the side of a building or on poles. I don’t believe the pole is long enough for a half mast position. Sounds like the horizontal position is not considered half-staff, so I will return our flag at the store to the upright position tomorrow.

Correct me if I misread the code.

By "upright" I am assuming you mean vertical. As long as the union is to the upper left when viewing the flag it is how it should be.

 

[GregV814]

I'll save this for another day....but have you ever..... nope not going to do it.

 

[spr1975wshs]

I have a small flag in front of the house on a fixed hanger. On Half Staff days I have a black ribbon I hang from the bracket. The American Legion suggests that.

 

[TPD]

Robin Williams playing the part of the American flag in 1982: