[Minnie Knych]

I was recently told that we should NOT leave an American Flag displayed on a staff in the meeting room at the American Legion. The reason given was that it is not illuminated at night. I thought that the illumination of flags displayed at night was only required for outdoor display. Can anyone clarify?
Can a flag be left permanently displayed in a meeting room?
Thanks for your help.

[Peter Ansoff]

Hello, Minnie -- welcome to the forum!

I was recently told that we should NOT leave an American Flag displayed on a staff in the meeting room at the American Legion. The reason given was that it is not illuminated at night. I thought that the illumination of flags displayed at night was only required for outdoor display. Can anyone clarify? Can a flag be left permanently displayed in a meeting room?

Here is what the flag code actually says:

"It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness."

As you can see from the highlighted words, this applies to flags displayed outdoors on permanent staffs. You don't need to leave the lights on in your legion hall!

Best,

Peter Ansoff

[CLE ROX]

Greetings from Toronto!

I am a US citizen living in Toronto. This past Saturday evening, I attended an event at the General Motors Centre in Oshawa. I was pleasantly surprised to see a US flag hanging from the rafters opposite a Canadian flag. (I was told that this was because "Oshawa is a GM town.").

However, the flag was displayed so that most patrons in the arena would see it such that the union was to the upper right (see attached photo). It is my understanding that the union is always to be to the upper left. In this case, I'm not sure what the protocol is given that it is indoors.

At the Rogers Centre and the Air Canada Centre, the US flag is displayed horizontally, so this is not an issue at those venues.

Could someone please advise on protocol in this case?

Thank you!

[Peter Ansoff]

Hi, CLE -- welcome!

First of all, you are correct that when the flag is displayed against a wall (so that it's only visible from one side) the union should be to the viewer's left. This applies whether the flag is hung horizontally or vertically.

However, your picture seems to show that the flag in the GM Centre is actually visible from both sides. In this case, the flag code says that the union should be to the north or east.

It's interesting that the Canadian flag seems to be oriented in the opposite direction from the US flag. I don't know off hand what the corresponding etiquette for the Canadian flag would be.

Peter Ansoff

[twigt]

Question: I realize that when a flag is being hung vertically, and can only be seen from one side, that the blue field should be to the viewer's left. I was under the impression (from somewhere) that the above also signalled if we were at peace or conflict. For instance: Blue to the left during peace and to the right during conflict when hanging vertically! Or does the blue field always stay upper left from the viewer's perspective???

[Peter Ansoff]

Welcome, Twigt!

I was under the impression (from somewhere) that the above also signalled if we were at peace or conflict. For instance: Blue to the left during peace and to the right during conflict when hanging vertically! Or does the blue field always stay upper left from the viewer's perspective???

The blue field is always to the viewer's left, regardless of whether the flag is displayed horizontally or vertically.

There is no rule or regulation (that I'm aware of) that relates the manner of displaying the US flag to the state of war or peace. At least one other nation, the Philippines, does have such a regulation -- their flag is flown with the blue stripe up in peacetime, and the red stripe up in wartime.

Peter Ansoff

[sportrocgirl55]

Can someone please tell me, I go to the Mississippi Riverkings games in Southaven, Ms at the DeSoto Civic Center. When the National Anthem is sung the DCC turns out all the lights, well, sometimes they take the spotlight OFF the American Flag and put it on the singer putting the Flag in total darkness. This irritates me to no end. When I asked about this I am given an attitude and told that they would have to tire another spotlighter and that won't happen. Someone please give me advice on how to handle this.

[Peter Ansoff]

Hi, Sportrocgirl -- welcome!

When the National Anthem is sung the DCC turns out all the lights, well, sometimes they take the spotlight OFF the American Flag and put it on the singer putting the Flag in total darkness. This irritates me to no end. When I asked about this I am given an attitude and told that they would have to tire another spotlighter and that won't happen. Someone please give me advice on how to handle this.

First of all, there is no legal requirement that the flag be illuminated -- it's customary and appropriate, but not mandatory. If you want the DCC to change its procedure, you'll need to convince them via some sort of publicity -- a letter-writing campaign to the DCC management, letters-to-the-editor in the local press, etc.

It sounds as if there are two possible solutions for the DCC: buy another spotlight, or rearrange things so that the flag and the singer could be illuminated by the same spotlight. The first one is expensive (as you've already found out!), and the second one may or may not be practical depending on the configuration of the center. If you decide to pursue the issue, it would make sense to do some research first and come up with a practical suggestion as to what the DCC should do and where they should get the funding. I'd say that your chances will be much better if you offer a constructive alternative rather than just telling them that they're wrong.

I hope these thoughts are useful. Please keep us posted on how the issue develops!

Best,

Peter Ansoff

[sportrocgirl55]

Thank you for your response. I found out that there are numerous spotlights that are used during other events during the games intermissions with two people on the spotlights. Also, it is up to the Mississippi Riverkings organization to use the spotlight. They are just being lazy which defines this organization. But its okay, I'm not the only one making a stink about it. I'm confident it will be taken care of in a respectful manner.

[phreeper]

Good day folks:
i'm looking at flying both the canadian and american flags at the entrance to our business as a show of respect and welcome to our american visitors. When entering which last is to the left and right????????