American Flag Display Quiz

September 19, 2001 11:38 PM

American Flag Display Quiz and the answers for all the ignorant folks out there. When the American Flag is displayed on a wall, the canton (the blue field and stars) should be on the left as you face the wall. Am I the only one in America who knows this?
posted by canoeguide (8 comments total)

Call me what you will, but for the love of everything sacred, if you're gonna do it, do it right. Go forth and inform the ignorant masses.
posted by canoeguide at 11:48 PM on September 19, 2001

First of all, I agree. If you do something, do it right. But realize, "the Flag Code is a guide to be followed voluntarily by civilians and civilian groups." (Q.7)

The question was asked on a local radio station earlier this week to some government employee. (Sorry, I forgot the specifics.) Basically, he said that anything you do is OK as long as you're doing it respectfully.

I actually knew about these and other guidelines when I was younger. The one that's high on my list that many people seem to break (see Olympics and other sporting events) is the one that a flag should never be worn as "clothing" (like as a cape, towel, etc.). Very disrespectful if you ask me.
posted by omen68x at 2:21 AM on September 20, 2001

Well, if the flag should never be worn as clothing, doed this represent a disapproval of clothing meant to look like the flag, like those shoes?
posted by j.edwards at 3:39 AM on September 20, 2001

Actually, the folks who hung one outside the Pentagon the first day had it right -- although you certainly would expect them to.
posted by darren at 5:31 AM on September 20, 2001

I see no reason to pay someone for a copy of the flag code when it is easily found online:
one,
two,
three and
four.
posted by bjgeiger at 7:00 AM on September 20, 2001

I have to admit that I had no idea that the star field was called a canton; I think we now officially have a word for everything.
posted by boaz at 10:45 AM on September 20, 2001

Whoa. I didn't know that it was not considered proper to wear flag paraphrenalia. I suppose literally sitting on the flag (if you have flag patterned pants) sends a probably unintended message.
posted by Charmian at 2:04 PM on September 20, 2001

I always found it ironic that it is in times of staunchest patriotism that the rules for appropriate flag treatment are most flagrantly violated. Recall that the US Olympic basketball team wore flags to cover the logo of the athletic company (Reebok?) who manufactured the uniforms.

Note also the rule that the flag should not be printed onto objects designed for temporary use. Point that out to your local newspaper which printed a full-page flag on page three.
posted by raymondc at 9:27 PM on September 20, 2001