Moser: No Respect for the U.S. Flag? Who Would Respect Us?

Is respect for the American flag a vanishing concept? It is still a U.S. code, with many stipulations, yet everyplace I look I see the flag used as advertising to sell products. I am mindful that not everything dressed in red, white and blue represents the flag. Red white and blue are simply three colors, commonly used to represent patriotic themes.

I’m also aware of free speech and I understand the U.S. code is not a law, but rather, a guide, intended to be followed on a voluntary basis to insure proper respect is allocated to the flag.

I am deeply offended and distressed about the disrespect I see most prominently around holidays such as Independence Day. If you are wearing a flag as a cape, if you throw your souvenir flag on the ground, if you are wearing a flag patch on your butt, or even if you stick those cute little flags in your toddler’s pigtails you are showing disrespect to the U.S. Flag.

In 2008, the U.S. Senate commissioned a report to address federal law relating to display and associated questions. Has so much changed since those codes were updated? Maybe it doesn’t matter anymore. Perhaps the world has changed so much that standing with your hand over your heart and removing your hat when the flag passes you in a parade have become pointless.

Certainly it seems to me the word “respect” has been stretched to the breaking point. People both young and old refer to the President of the United States using a variety of derogatory terms. The President! I don’t care who you are or what your politics. You need to show respect for the President of the United States.

This downward spiral may well have begun in the 1960’s when we were all clamoring for our rights. We fought and rioted for women’s rights, civil rights and human rights. We needed to right those wrongs and we did, but we lost something in that bra-burning, flag-burning era. We lost respect.

Is it any wonder most of the world no longer admires us or wants to emulate us? If we don’t respect the leader of our country and we don’t respect our flag, we don’t even respect each other, why would the rest of the world respect us?

Those of you who respect our flag should not allow trash talking about the President, any other politician or just an ordinary citizen. I am not talking about dissent. I am talking about disrespect.

Oh, yes, I agree with you that some of our current policies are questionable and divisive, but surely you still love our country. If you call yourself a patriot you should educate anyone who does not understand respect for the flag and you should show respect for all, whether you agree with them or not.  That’s what the 14^th amendment was written to address, and it is your job to help pull us together, not push us apart.