Flag burial appropriate

[EmailPoster]

Is burial of a flag appropriate?....

I was hoping that you could help me. I read in your website the following:

When a flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner.

But, as a child (I am now 39), I remember reading something that it was appropriate also to bury a flag, just as you would an American soldier that has served our country. All the other information that you listed I completely remember, especially that of not dipping the flag - which became very important during the first Olympic games - which we would/refused to do.

I really enjoyed your website and appreciate your assistance in helping to pass on the importance of a wonderful symbol of our nation.

THANKS SO MUCH!!!


julie bucci

Why Wait? Move to EarthLink.

[aaron]

Julie,

Thanks for your question! While the burial process could certainly be considered dignified, the key word to consider here is "destroyed." Once the flag has been cut into its component pieces and laid to rest in the earth...the parts are still there and would be left to decompose. Given how the Flag Code seems to take a dim view on the flag ever coming into contact with dirt, I would have to say that burning is still the best method of destruction.

Good luck!
-Aaron

[agabus1]

When an American Flag is so worn and frayed or soiled or faded that it is unsightly, it is disrespectful to fly it unless it has historical significance i.e. the flag that flew over Fort McHenry or the flag that flew at Ground Zero. So when the flag needs to be destroyed, the proper etiquette is to burn it and dispose of the ashes as appropriate. An old Army custom was to cut the field of blue away from the rest of the flag, then burn the 2 pieces and scatter the ashes on the parade ground.

[Just George]

I would like to share our last flag burning with you. I was at the fire department in my town the other day. I saw an American flag sitting on the counter with a note on it that said, "Torn". I asked the captian what he was going to do with the flag. He said he was going to take it to the local VFW. I asked him if I could have it for proper disposal. He gave it to me, with his thanks. LAst weekend my friends and I attended a large off road race held every year in our town. We live in a "Navy" town. There were thousands of people there. I gathered our group in front of the camp fire. I explained what we were going to do. We said the Pleg of Aligence and then slowly placed the folded into the flames. We stood there for a moment and watch the flames consume our flag. I noticed several people were wiping something from thier eyes. It wasn't smoke.

God Bless America. And thank him for our rights as Americans.

[Soberholt]

My family is very active in the Boy Scouts and the BSA is a group honored to retire the US flag in the most respectful way. We camp and have a campfire every month (weather permitting) and when we have been given a flag to retire we set up a solomn ceremony where the sets of stripes are cut from the stars and a boy gets a stripe and parades to the fire and drops it in, one after another, in complete silence. Then the senior patrol leader drops the stars in. the metal hole is cut from it then given to the scout who has displayed the Scout Law and Scout Oath the best that weekend. The next morning before leaving the State Park, the ashes are gathered and scouts share digging the hole and the ashes are dropped in and buried. We say the pledge of allegiance before each activity and sometimes sing the patriotic songs quietly while the ceremony is going on. One night when the last piece of flag was dropped in, the boy backed up and saluted and everyone stood (if not already) and saluted the fire. There wasn't a dry eye in the camp. I love the reverence the boys are learning. So, if you need a flag retired you can look up your local BSA troop on the web and give it to them. I have cards made up to give to companies to give us their old flags when they look worn. Thank you.

[Adam-Smith]

Hi! My name is Adam!

[american_flag_uk]

hi adam my name s amanda welcome to the flag forum.. anything i can help you with?

[Peter Ansoff]

Soberholt: My family is very active in the Boy Scouts and the BSA is a group honored to retire the US flag in the most respectful way. . . . I love the reverence the boys are learning.

Like most patriotic Americans, I think that the flag should be treated with dignity and respect because it is a symbol of our country. However, I think that the retirement ceremony that Soberholt describes sounds rather creepy -- more like a pagan religious ritual than anything patriotic. The idea of cutting the flag apart, and slowly burning it a piece at a time, strikes me as grotesque rather than dignified.

Regards,

Peter Ansoff

[american_flag_uk]

i agree. i really dont like the thought of the flag being cut up before being burned... just burn it as a complete flag.

when i burned my american flag last year (old one obviously!) i kissed the flag before letting it go into the flames and i did put it in stripes first then dropped the canton is last.

[girdham]

All,

This might be a bit late for this thread, but I was looking for a flag disposal ceremony and I came upon this link from the scouts which clearly talks about seperating the colors of the flag for disposal. Of course there is also this link from the American Legion which doesn't say anything about seperating the colors. I think that as long as the ceremony is held with dignity and that the flag isn't being cut up just for the sake of cutting it up, either way would be appropriate. Thanks.

-Matt Girdham
mattgirdham@yahoo.com