Yeah, but probably 20% of them can’t vote.

Disgraceful and stomach-churning to see our flag treated that way.

I learned about care and handling of the US flag in Boy Scouts with reinforcement through years of military HS, college ROTC and active duty in the Air Force. The minimally acceptable handling with this (if unable to actually lower the flag in a traditional fashion), would be to have folks stationed to catch the flag as the pole is brought down, keeping it from brushing the ground.

But lowering it in a traditional fashion and folding it with an honor guard would have been far better. They couldn’t find a local VFW/American Legion/High School ROTC detachment/Police Honor Guard/Boy Scout or Girl Scout Troop to deal with this? Boy McCain folks must REALLY hate America

Goopers in my neighborhood love flags- so they all fly em- but they’re too fuckin lazy to take em down at night so we have midnight flag flappin all around the neighborhood.

Sort of like the napkin flags that get used to clean up dog doo off the floor and baby puke.

I think the image should be underused, not overused to the point of triviality.

-G

They just don’t fucking care.

Everybody that grew up in the Scouts knows better.

When they do it it’s ok because they are the only true patriots. OR My tribe is always right and yours is always wrong.

John McCrea and his band Cake agree with you:

in a seedy karaoke bar by the banks of the mighty bosphorus
is a japanese man in a business suit singing “smoke gets in your eyes”
and the muscular cyborg german jews dance with sexy french canadians
while the overweight americans wear their patriotic jumpsuits

wheels keep on spinning round, spinning round, spinning round
wheels keep on spinning round, spinning round and round

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUi723etXAU

just noticed they had it wrong…it’s “…German dudes…”

It’s surprising how shocked I am by that. And I’m a flaming liberal who doesn’t believe in flag worship.

It has always been my understanding that you never let the flag touch the ground. Isn’t that not true?

I don’t go much for flag worship myself.

But if this incident had happened at an Obama rally, cable news would be discussing it 24/7.

Here’s hoping Keith or Rachel pick this up, Spencer. (Or even Tweets or Wolfie)

Isn’t that true? geez

Why does the John McCain campaign hate our flag?

This is very disrespectful of the flag and those responsible should be ashamed. On the other hand, this is what happens when “patriots” hijack a symbol instead of living the real thing, namely, “the Republic for which it stands.”

Along with this is my other pet peeve about flag wavers: Sports teams that have the flag on helmets and uniforms. When I see a flag on a football player I wonder if it is just a matter of minutes before Old Glory gets ground in the grass and dirt, hit with player’s blood, sweat or snot. On uniforms, it means that the Stars and Stripes will get laundered with the jock straps. Why the “patriots”, Boy Scouts, VFW, AMVETS, right wingers, etc. are not losing it over this practice never fails to amaze me. But let one stinking hippie sew it to the seat of his jeans, then all hell breaks loose…

True

That is correct. That’s why I stated that the minimal acceptable handling is to have folks available as the pole is lowered to catch it and keep it off the ground.

May I give some completely OT good news?

In the district around Ausin, one of Tom Delay’s warped design that stretches in a skinny line over to Houston, the Austin paper (American Statesman) has today endorsed the Dem opponent of the Repub Mike McCaul who opposed things like the S-Chip program. Very good news. Larry Joe was on the Lake way back when…months ago. An interesting, bright man. Very good news indeed. The Lake had a role. Thanks.

”When the flag is lowered, no part of it should touch the ground or any other object; it should be received by waiting hands and arms. To store the flag it should be folded neatly and ceremoniously.”

http://www.usa-flag-site.org/etiquette.shtml

Not looking very ceremonious, there, McCain…

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‘Jes drop thet rag on the ground so’s I kin wipe mah Ballys, boy…Oh, yew wanna automagraph?’

Same as it ever was

New watertiger at the Mothership

Although I’m decidedly not for any law to ban flag burning (I consider that an infringement on freedom of expression), but I would never, ever treat a flag that way or let it be treated that way if I was in a position of authority. This was unacceptable and inexcusable. A definite no-no by any definition.

The steel mill where I worked had a daily ritual of putting up the flag at 6:00 AM and taking it down at 6:00 PM and they did it properly. Always at least two security guard in uniform and the flag never was allowed to touch the ground and it was folded in the same way the military flags are folded.

Even if you cannot fold it until later….

This flag - as beautiful as it is - should be burned.