Is it ok to display our American Flag from a concrete airiel light?
My wife and I visted an outlet mall that had an American Flags on conrete airiel lights at each end of the parking lot. It did not look right. Maybe some "sales" or " 1/2 off " style of banner would be ok , but The American Flag?
Can someone tell me if this is correct. Thanks.

[american_flag_uk]

well there nothing in the flag code about not putting flags on light poles... how exactly were they dislayed?? something tied around the pole?? did it look stable without the flag lookin like it would fall? was the flag allowed to be free? was it touching the ground or in a degraded state? - mucky torn etc... ??

[Robin Hickman]

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Greetings !

I realize that this is a relatively "old" thread. I mean, being over two years "old" is pretty "old" for a thread, right ?

Anyway, the reason I am adding a reply here is that there is a similar situation with a company here in Springfield, Oregon.

The "back" end of the comany's property runs along the side of one of our local freeways. There are, I believe, four or five lightpoles spaced along the property line. Each lightpole has an American Flag flying from it. I don't know how they "attached" the Flags to the poles. I couldn't even tell you if the lights are left "ON" overnight.

Actually, it's been awhile since I was over in that area. Maybe I should say something more along the lines of there "has been" a similar situation...

I think what I'll do is take my little digital camera with me the next time I'm going to be somewhere near there. Then, I'll take a couple of pictures of the Flags & Lightpoles and post them here !

Now... ALL I have to do is remember to do it AHEAD of time !!!

Robin Hickman
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[jshotwell]

A city displays flags on telephone poles all along main street during special events and holidays, They are on metal poles similar to what you would display from your house. However they are not lighted at night. To do so would be cost prohibitive and prevent the displaying of flags during special times. Does anyone have a problem with this??

[Robin Hickman]

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Hello, jshotwell !

Welcome to the USA-Flag-Site Forums !


QUOTE : "A city displays flags on telephone poles all along main street during special events and holidays, They are on metal poles similar to what you would display from your house. However they are not lighted at night. To do so would be cost prohibitive and prevent the displaying of flags during special times. Does anyone have a problem with this??"


IF it were MY city, then I MIGHT have a "problem" with it. IF it happened to be that way and I found out about it, I would call the Mayor's Office to find out if it happened to be by "accident" or on "purpose".

Either way, I'd want the Mayor and the people working in the Mayor's Office to know about it.

IF they don't KNOW there's a "problem", then they can't do anything to "fix" it. IF they already know that there's a problem and they aren't doing anything to fix it, then they'll ALSO know that there is somebody ELSE who knows they are NOT doing anything to fix it.

Usually, the "direct approach" works best, especially if it's done in a courteous manner. If starting off "quietly" and "low key" at the beginning doesn't get the problem "fixed", you can always incrementally escalate later.


Is this a real problem where you live, or is it more of a "hypothetical" question?


At any rate, Thank You for brining your Flag-related question to our Forums !


Robin Hickman
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[dmgr157]

I work at an airport and there has been a heated debate over the proper display of the US Flag and State Flag on 2 poles. Which pole does the US Flag go on, the right or left pole??? We have had Military Personnel comment about the impropper placement of the US Flag no matter which pole it is on.

Terminal Building

=============================== < Front of Terminal Building
----------------------------------------
----------------------------------------
---------------------------------------- <4 lanes of one way traffic
----------------------------------------
___________________________________ <Curb Line

X X <Planter area with two poles
___________________________________ (indicated by "X")

<Parking Lot

[dmgr157]

Here is a drawing of the post dated 11-10-09

[Robin Hickman]

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Hello, DMgr157 !

Welcome to the USA-Flag-Site Forums !


You have presented a very interesting "problem" of proper Flag placement.

I presume that you've read at least a few of the threads here that deal with "proper" Flag placement. If so, then you already know that in a two flagpole situation, the American (U.S.) Flag is always placed on the flagpole that is to its "OWN right" (viewers' left) and the OTHER flagpole (to the U.S. Flag's own left - viewers' right) is for any OTHER flags (State, County, Municipal, Company, etc.).

The flagpoles are "usually" placed near the entrance at or near the front of the building or structure that they are there to "represent". (In other words, the flagpoles and Flags are there BECAUSE the building is there, and NOT the other way around. The building's flagpoles are, in effect, "attached" to the building.) So figuring out which pole is to the Flag's "own right" (viewers' left) is pretty easy. Since the flagpoles are "out front", that means that the building is to their "back. In "effect" the flagpoles are in front of the building and they are "looking" out, away from the building. BOTH the building and its "attached" flagpoles are stationary so their positions relative to one another never change.

The American Flag would be flying on the flagpole to its "own right" with the building behind it. As the "viewers" approached the front of the building and its "attached "flagpoles, the American Flag would be flying from the flagpole on the "viewers' left" as they looked at it.

It is relatively simple decision to make in THAT particular situation. For the most part, the building's "attached" flagpoles are between the front of it and the majority of the building's and Flags' "viewers". The "orientation" of the U.S. Flag's "own right" is determined by the building and its "attached" flagpoles. (See the "Example #1" below)

EXAMPLE #1 :

B U I L D I N G _ F R O N T
______ USA _ State _____


_V__I__E__W__E__R__S_


In your case, there's a FOUR-lane, one-way street BETWEEN the flagpoles and the airport terminal (building) that they belong to. I believe the "confusion" as to which Flag should be on which pole is caused by deciding that where the viewers ARE (IF one assumes that most of them are in the steet most of the time.) takes precedence over the terminal building and its "attached" flagpoles.

In "Example #2-a" (below) the terminal building and its "attached" flagpoles take precedence when deciding "where" the "Flag's own right" is (regardless of the viewers location or their movement). So that the Flag's placement (to its own right) is the SAME as Example #1 (above).

EXAMPLE #2-a :

B U I L D I N G _ F R O N T
_V__I__E__W__E__R__S_
_V__I__E__W__E__R__S_
_V__I__E__W__E__R__S_
_V__I__E__W__E__R__S_
_
______ USA _ State _____


In "Example 2-b" (below) the location of the viewers and the "viewers' left" takes precedence in deciding what is the "Flag's own right".

EXAMPLE #2-b :

B U I L D I N G _ F R O N T
_V__I__E__W__E__R__S_
_V__I__E__W__E__R__S_
_V__I__E__W__E__R__S_
_V__I__E__W__E__R__S_
_
______State _ USA ______


It is MY OPINION that the Flags' placement as shown in "Example #2-a" is the "correct" one, as the terminal building and its "attached" flagpoles determine the orientation of the U.S. Flag's "own right". It is the same reasoning and the same result as shown in "Example #1" (above).

Remember that the terminal building and its "attached" flagpoles are always stationary and their relative locations, one to the other, never change, and that the "viewers" are always moving around. Another way of looking at it is to REMOVE the perceived location of the "viewers" from the decision-making process.

In that case (without viewers), both "Example #1" and "Example #2-a" would look the SAME as shown in "Example 3" (below), but "Example 2-b" would NOT.

EXAMPLE #3 :

B U I L D I N G _ F R O N T
______ USA _ State _____


See ???


I hope this helps clarify the situation for you at least a little bit. There are other members here who are more knowledgeable about these kind of things than I am. For all I know, I could be wrong about it.

But with your situation I don't know if "opinions" and "discussions" are going to "cut it". The only way out MIGHT be to take some drastic action!

There are at least TWO different things that you could do to "fix" things.

#1 Remove one flagpole and fly the U.S. and State flags from the remaing flagpole (U.S. Flag on top). This will look the same no matter what angle the "viewers" look at it !!!

#2 Place a slightly taller flagpole between the two existing ones and fly the U.S. Flag from the center flagpole. Then, of course, you'll end up trying to decide (discuss & argue) which one of the end poles is the "correct one" to fly the State flag from so that IT is on its "own right" !!!

I suppose another way of "solving" your problem would be to remove BOTH existing flagpoles and not fly any Flags at all. Of course, THEN you'd have to put up with people constantly asking you WHY there isn't an American Flag flying out in front of the terminal !!!


Well, however you folks work things out, GOOD LUCK with it, and HAPPY LANDINGS !!!


BTW : WHICH airport are we talking about anyway ???



THANK YOU for bringing this very interesting Flag-related question to our Forums !!!



Robin ( My Homeward-Bound Luggage Tags Read : EUG !!! ) Hickman
Eugene, Oregon, USA
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[dmgr157]

Robin,

Thanks for the input! This is at Meadows Field in Bakersfield Ca.