[N-N-E-S-I-US]

I have a set of flag patches (6) that represent the path of my ancestors to the USA. Some of them are historical (no longer representing a nation), and some of them are currently used.

I'd like to show the chronological path. (The path they came from to get to me), but this is problematic.

If the Flag is supposed to be displayed at equal height of current national flags, and above outdated flags or flags no longer representing a nation, then I may be dishonoring The Flag if I display them chronologically.

Do I have to choose between heritage and respect?

(The rant----)
I appreciate family, and as I become a minority within the US, I want to represent my heritage, like every other ethnicity. I will not apologize for descending from Europe instead of Africa, Asia, South America, Arabia, India, or the Antarctic for that matter. I do not think these are bad places to come from, but they are not my places. White is not a place.

I worked to trace my family back to the time of William the Conqueror before he claimed birthright to rule Britain. My family is not blue blood, but mostly blue collar, people of skilled trades, and enlisted soldiers. We don't have a pedigree to maintain.

My family has outlived nations, yet they serve and have died for this Nation. I can avoid this problem by not telling the story, but that is how we were cut off in the first place.

This Great Experiment is not a jewel of opportunity without consequence. But it seems that, along with those who were cut off from their past, we have lost something. (----Rant Finished)

[Peter Ansoff]

Hi, welcome to the forum!

If the Flag is supposed to be displayed at equal height of current national flags, and above outdated flags or flags no longer representing a nation, then I may be dishonoring The Flag if I display them chronologically

Well, it really depends on the context of your patch display. For example, if the patches are mounted on a display board with a title like "My Ancestry" or something, I can't see how anyone would object. The key is that you don't want to imply that one nation is subordinate to another -- that's the reason for the equal height rule.

Your point about flags of formerly-existing nations is interesting. As far as I know, there is no definitive guidance on that subject. When I display a mix of current and former national flags (for example, I fly the British, French and Prussian flags on the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo), I usually put them in alphabetical order without regard to "currency."

BTW, I assume that your username is the first letters of your ancestors' nations. Who will be the first to guess them all correctly? (-;

Peter Ansoff

[NAVA1974]

Originally Posted by Peter Ansoff

BTW, I assume that your username is the first letters of your ancestors' nations. Who will be the first to guess them all correctly? (-; Peter Ansoff

NNESIUS
Norway
Netherlands
England
Spain
Italy
United States

Close?

Nick

[N-N-E-S-I-US]

Thanks, and thank you Mr. Ansoff for your thoughtful answer.

Originally Posted by Peter Ansoff

Well, it really depends on the context of your patch display.

Originally, I was planning to attach these to a coat. This runs into its own problems. I'm either considering...

• breaking with guidelines/tradition/rules
• Placing the U.S. Flag patch over the heart, and sorting the rest.
• foregoing the U.S. Flag entirely, so not to place it in a subordinate location
• not using any of the patches at all on this coat

And... this is not a uniform for a patriotic organization.

Originally Posted by Peter Ansoff

The key is that you don't want to imply that one nation is subordinate to another...

I considered trying to find a period U.S Flag patch, to give some context, but this is breaking with the rules as the flag is still a "living" representative of a nation (Though not the same, this reminds me of Transubstantiation vs. Remembrance).

And yes, my username is roughly the letters of my ancestors nations/nationalities.

Good luck guessing!

-Robert (N-N-E-S-I-US)

[N-N-E-S-I-US]

Originally Posted by NAVA1974

NNESIUS
Norway
Netherlands
England
Spain
Italy
United States

Close?

Nick

Nick, Very Good, three left

Norway
-
England
-
-
United States

It is really not that unique, but I'm mixing territories, nation-states and nations

[NAVA1974]

Originally Posted by N-N-E-S-I-US

Norway
-
England
-
-
United States

Hmmm, how about:
Nepal
Switzerland
Ireland?

[N-N-E-S-I-US]

Norway

Territory

England

Nation, Nation-State

Ireland
United States

[N-N-E-S-I-US]

RE: Do I have to choose between heritage and respect?

Resolution:

Since there is no way around giving proper respect to national flags, I've resolved to use territorial flags, and omit the U.S. Flag entirely, to avoid any disrespect.

At this point I feel relatively free to place them in chronological order, and attach them with respect on my own jacket.

So, I have the Hrafnsmerki, the Normandy Flag, The St. George, The Saltire, then The Four Provinces.

One could argue that the St. George and The Saltire (St. Andrews) are national flags, but since they now fly under the Union Jack, and not equal to it, they are nation-states (or confederated states).

I'm probably breaking some rule somewhere. At least the U.S. Flag is given utmost respect by not breaking the U.S. rules and guidelines.

Seems odd that I would have to exclude the U.S. Flag, to give it respect. But as I understand it, since I am not wearing a uniform, the guidelines exclude placing the patch on my jacket at all.