flag etiquette

[Battis]

Here's a flag question that I cannot find an answer to, and it might not even be a good question.
I have two flags on poles jutting out from the front of my house. Looking from the street, the regular American flag is on the left, and the Betsy Ross flag is on the right (a liberal neighbor has stopped talking to me ever since I hung the "racist" Betsy Ross flag - screw 'em.)
Anyways, is that the proper way to display flags, or doesn't it matter?

[Omega]

The current US Flag is always right (the flags right, so your left), or higher than any other flag on US soil. So yours is just fine.

[bakerjw]

Sounds like your neighbor did you a favor.
the correct answer is put that racist Betsy Ross flag as close to that neighbor as possible.

I am not sure on the etiquette answer as they are both valid American flags.

Many years ago, I was pulling a bamboo cage in a Viet Nam veterans parade. The person in the car with me made reference to a yellow ratty looking flag on the front of one house. I pointed out that it was a 48 star flag. Cool to see things like that.

[jsizemore]

You got it right.

[Battis]

Good to know. A month or so ago, while I was out, the wind blew down one of the flags onto the porch. A guy and his wife passing by stopped to fix it. I pulled up as they were doing it, and they looked hesitant, not wanting to interfere in someone else's property. Of course, I was fine with it. Good for them.

[dragon813gt]

The Betsy Ross Flag is racist? Where do people come up w/ this garbage? It’s commonly flown by many around here since Pennsylvania was one of the thirteen colonies. People need to stop applying modern sensibilities to the past. You absolutely cannot do this. Can’t wait to rub one up the flag pole at our vacation home next weekend. I’m positive I will see many others.

[Battis]

I bought my Betsy Ross flag when all this happened:
https://nypost.com/2019/07/04/nikes-pathetic-colin-kaepernick-bungle-turned-betsy-ross-flag-into-racist-symbol/

[Geezer in NH]

I look on a liberal neighbor not talking to me as a GOOD thing.

[Winger Ed.]

t (a liberal neighbor has stopped talking to me ever since I hung the "racist" Betsy Ross flag - screw 'em.)


Next time they need something, all sins will be forgiven.

[dragon813gt]

I bought my Betsy Ross flag when all this happened:
https://nypost.com/2019/07/04/nikes-pathetic-colin-kaepernick-bungle-turned-betsy-ross-flag-into-racist-symbol/

I am dumber for reading that article. The Betsy Ross flag has nothing to do with/ racism and Kapernick didn’t make it so people think it does. I’m so tired of history being rewritten by fools.

[osteodoc08]

US Flag to the persons right shoulder. The way you described it, sounds correct. Also, no flag higher than US flag, not sure if you mentioned that.

[MaLar]

https://www.almanac.com/content/us-flag-etiquette-rules-and-guidelines

https://www.mentalfloss.com/article/547248/rules-displaying-american-flag

Just a few.

[Battis]

no flag higher than US flag
So, should the Betsy Ross flag be a little lower? They're both American flags.
It is illuminated at night and taken down in bad weather.

[jonp]

American Flag is always on the "marching right" when displayed like that. In other words, you display it as if holding it and marching forward as the Flag never retreats and it's always on the right when going forward.
As for height, it can be the same as the Betsy Ross as long as it's on the right.

[wch]

I guess anything and everything can be "racist" depending on the political bent of the observer!

[NC_JEFF]

The flags are absolutely being flown correctly and your neighbor's opinion doesn't matter.

[Lloyd Smale]

The Betsy Ross Flag is racist? Where do people come up w/ this garbage? It’s commonly flown by many around here since Pennsylvania was one of the thirteen colonies. People need to stop applying modern sensibilities to the past. You absolutely cannot do this. Can’t wait to rub one up the flag pole at our vacation home next weekend. I’m positive I will see many others.

ya i dont understand that one. I can even see how some idiots get riled up over the confederate flag but how was bettsy ross racists? Or us trying to win our freedom from england?

[Lloyd Smale]

I guess if you wear cotton under ware your a racists. that god im usually commando! :oops:

[bedbugbilly]

jonp - as I was reading down the posts - some explained it but IMHO, in a somewhat confusing way - no criticism intended. Your explanation was a good one. I found them a bit confusing as to from what position a person was standing. As i understand it - if the OP is on his porch, looking out towards the road, the flag's proper position is to his right. If the POTUS is speaking and there is one flag behind him - it would be to his right. For those looking at the OP on the porch or the POTUS at a podium with the flag behind him, it is to his right but as we face them, it would be to our left. Is that correct?

Source: Military.com

"When flags are displayed in a row, the U.S. flag goes to the observer’s left. Flags of other nations are flown at same height. State and local flags are traditionally flown lower."

[Omega]

jonp - as I was reading down the posts - some explained it but IMHO, in a somewhat confusing way - no criticism intended. Your explanation was a good one. I found them a bit confusing as to from what position a person was standing. As i understand it - if the OP is on his porch, looking out towards the road, the flag's proper position is to his right. If the POTUS is speaking and there is one flag behind him - it would be to his right. For those looking at the OP on the porch or the POTUS at a podium with the flag behind him, it is to his right but as we face them, it would be to our left. Is that correct?
As I explained above, it is the Flags right, not the viewers. So if a Flag is in front of your house, those who view it from the yard or street would see it on the left. If the flag is moving, such as in a parade, then forward would be the "front" and if viewed from the front, it would appear to the viewer on his/her left. Also, the stars and blue field are always forward, so flags on soldiers right shoulder are "backwards" because the blue field and stars are on the right side instead of the left.

[blackthorn]

When I was a teenager my Dad and i discovered a Pidgeon that had attached itself to our flock. It had an identification band on its right leg. We were going to run a "found" add in the local paper but we got into a bit of a discussion about which (right or left) leg had the band. My argument---assume the Pidgeon is "right handed, as are we. Face the Pidgeon. Shake hands with the Pidgeon. Done!

[jonp]

jonp - as I was reading down the posts - some explained it but IMHO, in a somewhat confusing way - no criticism intended. Your explanation was a good one. I found them a bit confusing as to from what position a person was standing. As i understand it - if the OP is on his porch, looking out towards the road, the flag's proper position is to his right. If the POTUS is speaking and there is one flag behind him - it would be to his right. For those looking at the OP on the porch or the POTUS at a podium with the flag behind him, it is to his right but as we face them, it would be to our left. Is that correct?

Source: Military.com

"When flags are displayed in a row, the U.S. flag goes to the observer’s left. Flags of other nations are flown at same height. State and local flags are traditionally flown lower."


A flag is always displayed as if you are holding it and going forward. If there are two flagpoles of equal height the rule applies, marching right. If one is higher than the other or two flags are on the same pole like the POW flag then the American Flag is always on top. If more than two poles of equal height, marching right.

The American Flag never retreats and is always above all others and displayed as if marching forward when you are in formation.

This is why proper flag stickers for cars have one normal and one backwards. The backwards one is for the passenger side because as you move forward that is how the flag looks if on a pole from that that side.

Just remember, the flag is always displayed as if you are holding it marching forward and is always higher than any other flag if one pole is taller. If displayed vertical like hung on a wall the field is top left. If you grabbed the flag and ran forward the flag would be right side up like on a pole.

I just stopped near a customer at a small BBQ place that had a flag hung vertical on the outside of it, big kudos for that!, but it was backwards. I talked to the owner and asked him if I could turn it around so it was displayed improperly and he was mortified it was wrong and helped. I've yet to find anyone who cares enough to hang a flag not grateful to someone helping them display it correctly

[bedbugbilly]

blackthor - loved your story!

I think we are all trying to explain it but in different ways. The thing I have found thru the yers is that many folks get screwed up on the proper position to display it due to confusion in how it is viewed - i.e. as if you are marching as explained or if you are on the other side "looking at" - if that makes sense. The same as for the proper position of the stars / blue field when hung vertically.

The important thing is that people "want" to display it properly.

Where we have our place here in AZ, I fly the flag everyday from my pole on the garage. It is not always a 50 star flag - I sometimes fly the Betsy Ross flag - as a tribute to my ancestors who took part in the Revolutionary War - I sometimes fly a 35 star flag - in honor of my g-g-uncle who was a Sgt. in Co. B, 7th Michigan Volunteer Cavalry - he was mustered in with the regiment - fought at Gettysburg - captured on July 6, 1863 while in pursuit of Lee's retreating army - was eventually paroled as a POW and rejoined the regiment - in 1864 he was wounded near Cedar Creek, Va., and died several days later - buried in the National Cemetery at Winchester, Va. Regardless of if it is a Betsy Ross flag or a 35 star flag - or a 48 star flag - they are all American Flags and deserve the same respect as a 50 star flag. I can look up and down our street and pretty much tell you which house is owned by a veteran or Republican as there is a flag on display - it's sad. I can be in my garage working and when people walk by, hear their remarks. We have a number of "left thinkers" and I have heard them make nasty remarks when I am flying the Betsy Ross flag - and I then hear them talking wondering what the 35 star flag is - obviously they never had a history class nor can recognize it as an American Flag due to the 35 stars - and at the time of the 35 star flag, there were a number of different versions in how the stars were arranged o the blue field.

IIRC - we first learned the Pledge when we started in the 1st grade - more years ago than I care to remember. I went to a rural public school. We started every day with the Pledge and a prayer. Yes . . there may have been one or two who did not stand for the Pledge because of their religion - they sat quietly during the Pledge and we respected their right to do so just as much as they respected our right to stand and say the Pledge. In the 2nd grade, members of our local Legion came to the classroom and gave us a lesson on the American Flag - the respect that should be shown, how it should be displayed, how to properly fold it and what each fold meant. These were not the veterans of WWI who had reached middle age, these men were the "young" veterans who just a few short years before had served in North Africa, Europe and the Pacific. They did not tell a group of youngsters "war stories" but instead, they taught us how precious our Flag was and what it represented. My own father did not serve during WWII as he was too old, but these me were the fathers of my classmates. Going through the grades, it was an hour to be assigned the task of raising the flag each morning on the school flag pole and at the end of the day, lower it with dignity, fold it as we had been taught and retire it for the evening until the next day. In each classroom the flag was proudly displayed thanks to the efforts and generosity of the Legion's Ladies Auxillary. In our small lunchroom and small gym, the flag was proudly displayed and at the beginning of each event or game, the Pledge was always given. We were taught to stand, place our right hand over our heart when the Pledge was recited just as wee were taught to STAND during the National Anthem. And, we were taught that we were not just showing respect for the flag or the anthem - we were shooting respect for what each of them represented - our country, our community and most of all, the sacrifices of so many who sacrificed their lives as well as their health for the freedom we all had. Sadly, I wonder just how many learn these lessons in school anymore? Is it any wonder that things are like they are right now in our country? I learned many lessons from my parents, but perhaps the most important one was "To get respect, you need to earn respect; and to earn respect, you need to show respect." That applies to just about anything in life - the Flag, the National Anthem, your spouse, your friends and your neighbors . . . unfortunately, that is something that many never learned.

[luckyday]

I cringe every time I see the Flag used not as a symbol of our country but as a mere decoration. My wife and I went for a walk the other night and I found a small American Flag on a stick (the type waved while watching a parade, about a foot long) stuck in the bottom of a muddy ditch. Someone took the time to pick up and post this little flag in the bottom of a mudhole and couldn't be bothered to take proper care and respect for it. No, it wasn't posted there in remembrance of a car accident. Flags hanging in tatters will also bother me quite a bit. Years of Scouting and living on U.S Air Bases will do this.

[metricmonkeywrench]

Heres the formal guidance:

https://uscode.house.gov/view.xhtml?req=granuleid%3AUSC-prelim-title4-chapter1&saved=%7CZ3JhbnVsZWlkOlVTQy1wcmVsaW0tdGl0bGU0LXNlY 3Rpb242%7C%7C%7C0%7Cfalse%7Cprelim&edition=prelim

[Drm50]

The people tearing down statues and burning flags don’t have any idea what they are doing or why.
This stuff comes straight out of our universities. It’s no accident. The Commies figured out a long time ago that racial trouble would be key to attacking the American way of life. I don’t believe in tearing down anything or burning any of our flags including Stars and Bars. The soldiers that gave their lives for Confederate States where just as brave as those from the North. Slavery was not the main issue for most.

What we have is a collection of Liberals coming up with the latest issue to be offended by. Many of these people’s families weren’t even here until after WW2. Many after that and are 1st generation or naturalized citizens. Many coming or fleeing dirt hole 3rd world countries. Many got educated on American taxpayers dime while they struggle to put their own kids through school. We have got problems that need solved with common sense.

[Idaho45guy]

My company has three flag poles in front of the HQ building. The American flag is on the highest one, along with our state flag and some nonsensical flag for a company or product we are whoring ourselves out for.

I caught on video camera, our facilities people removing the recently damaged US flag. They lowered it, then removed it, tossed it on the ground, then wadded it up and threw it in the back of a pickup truck.

I sent an email to the person in charge of the people that did such an injustice. He replied with a flippant response basically telling me it was no big deal and to mind my own business. I then forwarded his response to the CEO. He then apologized and said he would include flag handling training for his employees.

I put up an American flag on my front porch a couple of months ago. It is always illuminated and I take it inside when the weather get's bad.

[Longshank]

Nike pulled their product.

Looks like another victory for Caepernick.

[Battis]

Trivia - where is the one flag located that Congress said did not have to be illuminated at night?

[Battis]

The flag on the moon.