The Flag

[Lazarus401]

IMHO.....Disagreeing with the administration is one thing. Blatantly disrespecting the Country, ie.. Flying a flag upside down, is another. Yes, I am a Vet. and I know that I served so that all that live here may enjoy their civil liberties and freedoms. But, when it comes to our national emblem, the Stars and Stripes, I draw the line. Proper respect for the Flag is a pet peeve of mine.

That guy is lucky he doesn't live on my street, as I know I am not the only person that feels this way. My neighbor is a Vietnam era Navy Seal.

 

[PierCed_3]

The thing that gets me is that they hang the flag upside down to make a statement but what is it actually going to change? What point are they trying to make? I don't understand the logic of it all. If you have a problem... address it. Raise awareness, don't just hang a flag upside down and show other citizens that disrespect.

I don't mind if you have a problem with the country as long as your problem is something you are willing to address and try to change. Who knows, it might be for the better!

I just find it disrespectful... as others have stated.

I was too young to care about anything when Clinton was in administration so the only thing I have against him is that he liked his women "plump".

 

[Herzog]

The thing that gets me is that they hang the flag upside down to make a statement but what is it actually going to change? What point are they trying to make? I don't understand the logic of it all. If you have a problem... address it. Raise awareness, don't just hang a flag upside down and show other citizens that disrespect.

I don't mind if you have a problem with the country as long as your problem is something you are willing to address and try to change. Who knows, it might be for the better!

I just find it disrespectful... as others have stated.

I was too young to care about anything when Clinton was in administration so the only thing I have against him is that he liked his women "plump".

Anything that anybody does to raise awareness to their own agenda will cause others to see it as disrespectful.

At a time like this, there is a huge political split between people... almost 50/50.

As for the flag - it is very symbolic... but that's where it ends. It's a symbol. Because a flag is hung improperly, or burned, or whatever the case does not mean that we lose our freedoms and our right to live free. I understand the historical meaning it holds and the lives it represents, but that is all something that we should know and remember by heart.

An upside down flag is not intended to disrespect those who it represents. The flag represents us, the citizens. Hanging the flag upside down represents disapproval of government actions. Do you remember that the gov is supposed to be there to serve our intentions and not it's own?

This is like calling the patriot act patriotic.

 

[PierCed_3]

I see your point, but as for symbols..... I would feel the same about someone hanging a cross upside down in a highly religious neighborhood. It is still an act of disrespect and although it might not be intended to show disrespect to the people who love that symbol, it is percieved as a show of disrespect for displaying it at your front window for all to see.

 

[Herzog]

I see your point, but as for symbols..... I would feel the same about someone hanging a cross upside down in a highly religious neighborhood. It is still an act of disrespect and although it might not be intended to show disrespect to the people who love that symbol, it is percieved as a show of disrespect for displaying it at your front window for all to see.

What if somebody hung a cross in a neighbor hood full of people who were not religious at all? Just messing with ya.

I definately understand the anger of other associated with the upside down flag. But harassing this person (shooting pellet guns, vandalizing, etc...) is definately not the way to go about it. They have the right to express and represent their thoughts in anyway that doesn't afflict physical harm on others, especially on their own property.

I'd say, go over there and ask them why they are doing it and maybe give them your point of view as to why you think it is disrespectful. I think that is more "The American Way" of going about it.

 

[Badcop]

IM not going to read through all the moaning, but after serving for 11 years now and seeing things in places like Bosnia, Afghan, Iraq, etc that make me happy as a pig in stink to wear that flag on my uiniform, you send me his address and Ill drive down and say hi.

I dont give a rats ass what the intention is, you dont claim duress and fly MY flag in a manner that is improper. This is only one person of many, and yes, I have stopped at each and every home Ive seen do this and explained the the luxery they have to have the ability to fly the flag the way they do. I then politly ask them to fix it or I can fix it for them.

Those who know me know my mouth is big and what I say usually comes out without thinking and is more emotionaly guided.

However this is absolute BULLSHIT! I dont want them to leave nor do I want to imply they have less right to be here than I or you. I do want them to respect the fact that they are here, support the president in whatever his decision is, support the route that has made this country what it is and made it appealing for them to WANT to be ehre in the first place. Noone has ever had a gun held to there head and been forced to become a US Citizen.


SSgt Brian C. Thomas
75 SFS/Hill AFB, UT

 

[ALF]

IM not going to read through all the moaning, but after serving for 11 years now and seeing things in places like Bosnia, Afghan, Iraq, etc that make me happy as a pig in stink to wear that flag on my uiniform, you send me his address and Ill drive down and say hi.

I dont give a rats ass what the intention is, you dont claim duress and fly MY flag in a manner that is improper. This is only one person of many, and yes, I have stopped at each and every home Ive seen do this and explained the the luxery they have to have the ability to fly the flag the way they do. I then politly ask them to fix it or I can fix it for them.

Those who know me know my mouth is big and what I say usually comes out without thinking and is more emotionaly guided.

However this is absolute BULLSHIT! I dont want them to leave nor do I want to imply they have less right to be here than I or you. I do want them to respect the fact that they are here, support the president in whatever his decision is, support the route that has made this country what it is and made it appealing for them to WANT to be ehre in the first place. Noone has ever had a gun held to there head and been forced to become a US Citizen.


SSgt Brian C. Thomas
75 SFS/Hill AFB, UT

WHERES THE CLAP SMILEY?

 

[reddevil]

I love the flag and it makes me mad to see some one fly it upside down. I however have not taken the time to fly a flag outside my house :-\ . So what should I do first? I think I will start by hanging up a flag, then maybe ask all my nieghbors to do the same. Then paint my truck red, white, and blue (no flag on the truck, I might roll it upside down and get beat up .)
Then when all I can see is flags showing love of country, I might go talk to my nieghbor with his upside down flag and let him know that he reminded me how much I love freedom. Let him know that all these flags flying proud are because of what he started.
I guess I have to stop being part of the silent majority, and start being louder that the yelling minority

 

[TRNDRVR]

may enjoy their civil liberties

We still have these???

 

[Herzog]

support the president in whatever his decision is

I'm not going to blindly support any decision anybody decides to make. And I am thankful that the veterans of the of the past have given me that freedom.

People didn't go to war so that everybody would support the president and his decisions. They go to war to protect the world and keep the USA free. How does this tie in with recent afflictions? I'm not bandwagon, I've been skeptical from day 1.

 

[Herzog]

Noone has ever had a gun held to there head and been forced to become a US Citizen.

No one should ever hold a gun to their head and tell them how to walk, talk, and think. JMO.

*I'm not picking on you or trying to start arguements... let's keep this as a healthy discussion.

 

[Herzog]

I dont give a rats ass what the intention is, you dont claim duress and fly MY flag in a manner that is improper.

Oh, and by the way... It's THEIR flag too.

I know I'm going against the grain of a lot of people here, but don't get the wrong idea. I'm an idealist. I'm not Republican or Democratic. Both parties can suck it for all I care. I'm not a "I'll vote for the lesser of two evils" kind of person either. That train of thought to me is just as un-American as it gets.

 

[Herzog]

We still have these???

Civil Liberties:
Fundamental individual rights, such as freedom of speech and religion, protected by law against unwarranted governmental or other interference.

I'm wondering too.

So if we still have civil liberties, then would harrassing an individual for flying a flag upside down be a violation of said liberties? I think so.

Oh the irony.

 

[PierCed_3]

I'm wondering too.

So if we still have civil liberties, then would harrassing an individual for flying a flag upside down be a violation of said liberties? I think so.

Oh the irony.

I never said it was condoned that they threw rocks through his window or that his window got shot out with a low pressure pellet gun, but if he wanted to make a statement... apparently someone responded to it.

I WOULD have an issue with a neighbor if they had a flag hanging upside down in thier window. It is thier right to do so but I would definately have a problem with it.

Would is a wierd word

 

[Meat_]

Exactly. It really pisses me off, but it's thier right.

 

[Herzog]

Would is a wierd word

Don't you hate when you say a word too many times and then all of a sudden it sounds really foreign?

 

[TRNDRVR]

Would is a wierd word

My house was built out of would...... :redneck:

 

[PierCed_3]

Don't you hate when you say a word too many times and then all of a sudden it sounds really foreign?

It even looks like it's spelled in a foreign language... who thought of that word??

 

[Ken]

This is America the flag doesn't mean crap anymore. It's really sad.

 

[ZUKEYPR]

Flying the flag upside down is both a sign of stress and a sign of anti-gov protest. It has been done far many years dating back to WWII. Yes, if you read old news articles , folks even thought that we should not medal in Hitler's business (hard to believe now).

Are there rules and regulations, yep. Would they ever being enforced, Nope. Why, because the agency involved would be deathly afraid of being sued for restricting someones freedom of speech.


Do I agree with it, NOPE. Is it their right, yep

The true sad part is that they probably have no clue how well they got it in this country, nor would they be willing to ever serve to protect and defend that freedom of speech that they are so willing to express. I hold these folks just a few notches below the folks who plaster "we support our troops" all over their vehicles yet they do nothing of the sort. They would never serve their armed forces, they would never take the time to send something as simple as a care package, or write a little letter to a soldier that's in harms way 24/7, or even serve their community in one shape or another as a firefighter, or LEA, or Medical professional, etc. It's use to amaze me when I would go into High Schools for speeches in Utah and other states. I would ask two questions; Who believes that we need a military and who has an immediate family member serving or has served. Without fail all but 1 would agree that we need a military yet out of an average class of 30 only 3 to 5 folks would say that one of there immediate family members served or have served. What's wrong with that picture?

I know where I originate from the flag would of never flown upside down for more than a day, but then again that was then and this is now and this definitely isn't the hills of Pennsylvania, the largest veteran state in the union.


Signed;
JR
US Army Full Time Retired 21+ years of service.