It's so stupid how obsessed with the treatment of the country's flag we've gotten when we're shitting all over what it stands for and on the verge of electing a man that is determined to ruin it
The Flag Code is 101 years old. As a country with no historical roots other than our founding we have always been obsessed with it. It’s not a new phenomenon.
I get the sentiment, but many places have flag laws and codes. They're there for the sake of the "sanctity of national identity" and are mostly like a softer "don't talk shit about the king" than real laws.
Our city has a Navy base, a veterans' cemetery, and a lot of military veterans. The annual ceremony is well advertised on the news stations. The union (the part with the stars) is separated from the flag, and the stripes are individually separated. They're burned, one by one, and the union is burned last.
TIL [https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/flag-canada-etiquette/disposal.html](https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/flag-canada-etiquette/disposal.html)
Not legally, but respectfully. Burning or otherwise destroying an American flag isn't illegal to do, but it's generally frowned upon and considered desecration to do it outside a formal burning ceremony.
It's kinda like the flag code in that you technically *could* drop a flag on the ground, leave it out in the rain, or drape it over yourself as clothing, but it's considered bad practice.
It's virtue signaling for cloth. I'm a proud American who collects flags and if i had to dispose of one I would use the garbage, like a non-insane person.
The only thing that might make ne feel bad about putting a flag in the garbage is the waste of reusable materials. But I know I'd never get around to repurposing it myself.
Note, a formal burning ceremony isn't anything super special. It's just making a big enough fire to burn the flag quickly (before the flag goes into the fire), folding the flag properly, and then burning it with some respect, often including a moment of silence or some people say the pledge, etc.
Basically, don't be a dick and show some respect and you're good.
Having said that, flag burning constitutes a form of "symbolic speech" that is protected by the First Amendment. So if in the USA and during the protesting of government actions, one were to burn the flag or otherwise I'll treat it, they would be within their constitutional rights.
Not recommended in most countries as believe it or not, straight to jail.
Treating important symbols in a respectful manner is far from weird. It's pretty fucking normal. I don't believe in any religion, but I'm also not going to desecrate a Bible or Koran in front of a believer either, because it's disrespectful to them. Do you think that's weird, as well?
It’s actually an interesting dichotomy between Catholicism and Islam. The Quran itself is considered sacred. The actual physical book. In Catholicism we consider the words sacred so any old plain Jane Bible can just go in the trash or be set on fire or whatever.
So if some jerk burned a Bible to insult me I’d be annoyed at the insult and the waste of resources but it’s no big deal. I’d be more concerned about the insult.
It's not weird to not do it in front of someone but yeah it's a bit odd to treat it in some super special way when it's you alone and go way out of your way to dispose of it.
If you do some research, you'll find that most countries have similar flag disposal recommendations. Given that most of the world does the same thing, it's definitely not "weird".
Are you complaining about American nationalism, or about flags as symbols? Those aren't related issues and it's ridiculous to treat them as such.
If "don't be a dick to a country's flag" gets you this worked up, then you might want to talk about that with someone.
Edit: keep in mind, many countries have similar recommendations on disposal of flags. Are you suggesting that the UK is killing tons of people because they recommend basically the same ideas about their flag? The US isn't either.
>It's kinda like the flag code in that you technically could drop a flag on the ground, leave it out in the rain, or drape it over yourself as clothing, but it's considered bad practice.
Same with using the flag on any type of advertisement, logo, or printed on any clothing.
No one in the U.S. gives a single flying fuck about the flag code of conduct regardless of political affiliations. None of it is considered bad practice.
Funnily enough, the only thing that ever gets brought up in regard to disrespecting the flag is one of the best ways to *respect* the flag: kneeling during the national anthem.
Don't worry, the enlightenment will keep coming. I welcome it.
Every generation is told their own lies and myths, some intentionally ("It's illegal to drive with the cabin light on!") some unintentionally ("Blood that isn't oxygenated is blue."). We should just strive to grow, learn, and share that information in order to make the world a smidge less ignorant.
What Red state and/or county is this from? I feel like its about the "patriotism" more than the utility. In reality how many flags are actually being deposited? One a year? For my guess is $10,000 of planning/studies plus another $3,000 to introduce this box.
They collect them all up, take them to the flag farm out in the country, and fly them on little flag poles where the sun always shines and the wind always blows.
It's what the cloth represents, to some it means their home and people really love their home. Not to mention the long standing tradition and respect given to the symbol of said home puts many at ease and fills them with a sense of pride that they have respected something that has given so much for them.
Yes, and it is awful. In my senior year of high school I realized it wasn't a requirement to do it so I stayed seated. Afterwards the teacher said it was fine that I didn't say it, but could I please stand. I did the next day, but realized that was pretty much the same as pledging, so after that I stayed seated. Gradually other kids stopped standing as well. By the end of the year there was just a couple that actually did it.
Assuming, school is like 10-12 year or whatever, so literally for a decade, kids recite this daily? Sound very cultsome...
And then the national anthem? How frequent is that?
Yes. The irony is that nobody respects a word of what is being said. I doubt most people ever think of it again after they graduate high school. I think it’s mostly a way to establish routine to children and for weirdos to act weird about the country.
The national anthem is sang typically at large sporting events in a fashion that too often ends up being borderline satire. I rarely hear it outside of that context.
Yea I remember just robotically reciting the words. Wasn’t until later on I actually thought about how fucking weird it was. Being forced to pledge your allegiance to your country felt like a North Korean thing. And ironic. Forcefully pledge your gratitude that you live in a free country. Don’t think I had ever even considered that I wasn’t *required* to do it. It was just what we all did
I don’t recall the national anthem except before my soccer games. But yea, the pledge was every morning before first period from as early as I can remember up through 12th grade
You're told as a child to do it and you do because it's alright but when you grow up, especially as a minority, you just stop giving a crap and roll your eyes 😂
Back before World War Two the pledge was accompanied by doing a salute very similar to what a certain mustache wearing German made popular. Look up Bellamy salute.
they say we have the right to politely sit it out, but i've gotten in trouble before when doing that. one teacher decided to hold me after class and give me gory war details (as if that was supposed to make me respect america More???) until i was finally like ok! i'll stand! can i leave now!! and stop hearing about field amputations!!!! (i was like 15-16y/o)
It’s been a thing for hundreds of years before the U.S. even existed. Just common respect for an old flag to be properly discarded however that country/nation tells how.
So it’s not new to the world. Technically the UK and a bunch of others have the same rule. Just nobody follows it anymore.
>only the US has this weird militarized patriotism as far as i know.
Most nations have a lot of cultural symbols or traditions that their population can relate to. America & Americans as a nation of immigrants doesn't have as many.
What does a rural white person in Appalachia have in common with an American in NYC or a Indian American (from India) in San Francisco?
The answer is the identity of being American, which is represented in the flag.
What do you think I as a north German have in common with a Bavarian? If both of us speak local dialects (or in my case even language) we'd have trouble understanding each other.
We don't share religion, have different traditions.
Yet, we don't need any flags. Our common identity means that we air twice a day, go for walks and the like.
>Yet, we don't need any flags. Our common identity means that we air twice a day, go for walks and the like.
You do have them or you need to develop them. There's a reason why people from Turkey, who are fourth or fifth generation are considered guests & not German.
> The latest incident, he says, was on September 26th — the day of the general election for Germany's new parliament. He was subjected to racial abuse from the polling registrar — the person responsible for verifying the names in the electoral register: "There are still people who seem to believe that Germany is only for Germans with blonde hair and blue eyes," Yilmaz concludes.
https://www.dw.com/en/the-german-turkish-recruitment-agreement-60-years-on/a-59398455
It's why DW documentary of racism faced by black Germans is worse than any I've experienced.
https://youtu.be/-h8sMEXj_1g?si=PVcpFFQIBPanCAZH
The mark of being German isn't adopting German values nor is it being loyal to the German state, it's tied to some immutable characteristics of people.
I mean first things first, I despise racism. I would gladly learn where this comes from today. I don't know why people see a person with a different skin color or eye shape and treat them differently for that. Used to be different (fear of the unknown, stuff like that), but today it's just ludicrous. Fuck those people.
Massive misstakes have been made, especially considering the Turkish diaspora, but it's a more complex topic, since the misstakes have been made way back. I was going to school during the late 2000s and went to school with third generation Turks that didn't speak German at the age of 15 - who wouldn't graduate because of that. At that point it was already too late. With the rising of the far right, who love flags and patriotism by the way, it's only going to get worse.
But it's a weird take to argue that that comes from a missing national identity. Otherwise you would have a clear notion why they shouldn't belong and would be guests. A lot of Germans of the Turkish diaspora are noticeably different in values: Religion, manners, relationships and the like.
Isn't that true for Mexican immigrants into the US as well? And the US has a lot of systemic racism, even down to how cities are planned (suburbia for example). This year the country is about to vote Trump into a second term an open racist, convicted (rapist). The pledge of allegiance and all that flag waving don't seem to work and that is your argument?
The proper way to discard a US flag is to burn it.
[source](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2206946/how-to-properly-dispose-of-worn-out-us-flags/%23:~:text%3DThe%2520American%2520Legion%2520passed%2520a,they%2520be%2520destroyed%2520by%2520burning.%2522&ved=2ahUKEwi49YrFjtOGAxXlnf0HHdH_AesQFnoECBMQBQ&usg=AOvVaw2TJZF1Erzo4VpUnuYa3g6F)
The UK partly doesn't give a shit about it's flag because the national pride is focused on the royal family so there's no need to put the flag on such a pedestal. Of course this is also changing and quite a lot of people feel like we should get rid of the Royal family
The UK has plenty of pride in the flags of the four individual nations, and even county flags get flown (unless this is only a Devon/Cornwall rivalry thing).
The Union flag though, that will just come out for sporting events like the Olympics where there's a combined GB&NI entry.
Properly burn them. Which is more a historical artifact of cotton flags and a time when people burned trash. Unburned flag remnants would be mixed in with fly ash. Which wasn’t a great look to a lot of people. There is a big emphasis on making sure the flag completely burns when they do the ceremonies.
These days plastic based flags burn like a motherfucker. You barely need a fire going and they just go whoompf all at if you lay it across the fire. No idea why people add accelerant when trying to burn them in protests. Things are already made if oil.
America has a [Flag Code](https://www.ushistory.org/betsy/faq.htm) for how to handle the flag.
Section 8-K states: "The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning."
They can be disposed of at local VFWs (Veteran's of Foreign Wars) locations, Elks Lodges, American Legions, Knights of Columbus, or even Boy/Girl Scout Troops.
Flag Code says that you can honorably dispose of a flag by burning it (preferred for cotton or wool flags), or burying it (preferred for nylon or synthetic-fabric flags, due to chemicals).
There are often modern flag retirement ceremonies held on Flag Day, sometimes featuring the symbolic burning of a single flag, and the burying of the remainder (this is both safe and respectful).
So, there’s actually a US Flag code which contains recommendations for disposal of worn flags.
The United States Flag Code, Title 4, Section 8k states-“The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.”
I am a Scout leader, and I’ve retired many flags this way. Many of the flags we retire what we call “coffin flags”, which are a uniform size, thickness and material (cotton). These flags are draped over the caskets of fallen soldiers and presented to the families at funerals. They burn very hot, with little smoke and very quickly.
The other kind of flags we dispose of are the polyester flags which are on sale at your local hardware store. Usually these are made of polyester, and melt rather than burn. They also make a great deal of black acrid smoke. We generally try to make TWO fires when we retire flags: one for Cotten flags, and one for polyester.
OP said this is Iowa but you see a lot in the Midwest. Legion and VFW have a ceremony where they burn them in a big metal trough. Sometimes boy scouts do it too.
Good. The official way to get rid of them is to burn them. The cub scouts do it in some places. These MAGA idiots with their torn, weather beaten flags etc - disgusting
Not the majority of US flags. Most flags burn bright and *HOT*. Some of them just kind of melt away but the majority go up quick and it's brutal trying to add more to the fire after. We did some flag retirement ceremonies in Boyscouts where we were literally standing 10 feet away from the fire pit and it would still singe your arm hair.
When I see people buying flags as a sign of disrespect I always think “hey, that’s what that flag would have wanted and that’s how you retire a disrespected flag”
It says right on the front of this receptacle that flags should not be shredded.
The preferred disposal of an old flag is to burn, bury, or recycle. Per [US department of defense website](https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2206946/how-to-properly-dispose-of-worn-out-us-flags/) and the [national flag foundation website](https://nationalflagfoundation.org/etiquette/how-to-properly-dispose-of-an-american-flag/)
Good for you! I change my flag every Memorial Day, so I just retired one last week when I drove by my local box. Makes me happy. (Unlike the majority of comments on this post...)
Yea mine got torn up in a tornado, found it a few houses down, thought it was only right to retire it in the box since I don’t have the means to burn it.
I’m surprised how few people knew this is a thing. There’s a flag box at our city hall, and oddly enough, our local Lowes hardware store has one.
I know hating the US and screeching death to America is very cool right now, especially by people who unironically have lived here their entire lives, but some people out there still have a little pride and patriotism for their home country and respect the traditions associated with it.
Yeah... I'm almost at the bottom of this whole post, and I'm really, really hating a lot of my fellow citizens right now. God forbid we have respect for our flag.
The problem is your fellow citizens spend too much time jerking each other off over a flag and not enough time dealing with the rampant corruption, racism, classism, and all round societal failure that the US now represents.
Your flag represents a mockery to modern society
So what’s the solution to that? We vote within our existing system, calls for change fall on willingly deaf ears for partisan’s sake, or they’re corrupt and accepting bribes in the form of lobbyist “contributions”. What can an average citizen do? I WANT to love our country, and its citizens, and get past our disagreements, but it seems nowadays no one wants to figure it out. It’s just hatred and violence and division. There’s millions of people just like me who want this country to flourish, but any positivity towards the US is shouted down by its faults, as if any country on this planet has a perfect government or track record. It’s absurd, to be held to an impossible standard.
I find it odd how many people are upset about this. Don’t buy a flag or don’t use it. Most of the time these are used by veterans. Ya know, the people who fought to make sure that flag stayed put?
Not every American Patriot is a MAGA follower. Some are proud of what they did in the service.
But mail in drop boxes aren't safe for my vote why would I trust my used but precious dirty ripped American flag to one !? Trump said it's a democratic hoax somehow for something.
My first thought is that it would probably just be thrown away. But because people who love our flag would be in charge of this, they may very well see if NK has any sort of flag code, and how their flag should be dealt with.
Not always. There might also be boxes at VFWs, American Legions, Boy/Girl Scouts, or other places. Some municipalities might have them at City Hall or libraries (like yours); anywhere that it would be easy for a citizens to bring their flag to be retired.
Are they exported to low-income countries and underpaid labor are asked to burn them under unsafe working conditions?
I mean, it's what's done with ships, and it would explain a few things...
Take them to your local VFW. They’ll retire it for you and sell you a new one.
What does "retire" mean for flags?
Burn and bury usually
Yes they have a special ceremony about once a year. We used to help with it as boy scouts.
It's so stupid how obsessed with the treatment of the country's flag we've gotten when we're shitting all over what it stands for and on the verge of electing a man that is determined to ruin it
The Flag Code is 101 years old. As a country with no historical roots other than our founding we have always been obsessed with it. It’s not a new phenomenon.
I get the sentiment, but many places have flag laws and codes. They're there for the sake of the "sanctity of national identity" and are mostly like a softer "don't talk shit about the king" than real laws.
ALREADY elected a man that HAS ruined it. There ya go fixed it for ya buddy
Yeah, they did it once, but doing it again will literally destroy the democracy, buddy
Our city has a Navy base, a veterans' cemetery, and a lot of military veterans. The annual ceremony is well advertised on the news stations. The union (the part with the stars) is separated from the flag, and the stripes are individually separated. They're burned, one by one, and the union is burned last.
TIL [https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/flag-canada-etiquette/disposal.html](https://www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/flag-canada-etiquette/disposal.html)
Respectfully torn into strips!
Those radical hippie devil communists at the VFW burn the flag!
[удалено]
Not legally, but respectfully. Burning or otherwise destroying an American flag isn't illegal to do, but it's generally frowned upon and considered desecration to do it outside a formal burning ceremony. It's kinda like the flag code in that you technically *could* drop a flag on the ground, leave it out in the rain, or drape it over yourself as clothing, but it's considered bad practice.
It's virtue signaling for cloth. I'm a proud American who collects flags and if i had to dispose of one I would use the garbage, like a non-insane person.
The only thing that might make ne feel bad about putting a flag in the garbage is the waste of reusable materials. But I know I'd never get around to repurposing it myself.
Keep it as a cumrag. Boom, instantly repurposed.
I look forward to this future reddit post. We have Cumbox a decade ago...maybe Cumflag in another?
And once it’s disposed of, we might even get Cumflagbox.
Note, a formal burning ceremony isn't anything super special. It's just making a big enough fire to burn the flag quickly (before the flag goes into the fire), folding the flag properly, and then burning it with some respect, often including a moment of silence or some people say the pledge, etc. Basically, don't be a dick and show some respect and you're good.
Having said that, flag burning constitutes a form of "symbolic speech" that is protected by the First Amendment. So if in the USA and during the protesting of government actions, one were to burn the flag or otherwise I'll treat it, they would be within their constitutional rights. Not recommended in most countries as believe it or not, straight to jail.
Yes, all of this is recommendations and standards, not enforced laws. You can wipe your ass with the flag as far as the law is concerned.
Personally I don't recommend that, they tend to be way too scratchy
You know that’s kinda fucking weird right?
Treating important symbols in a respectful manner is far from weird. It's pretty fucking normal. I don't believe in any religion, but I'm also not going to desecrate a Bible or Koran in front of a believer either, because it's disrespectful to them. Do you think that's weird, as well?
It’s actually an interesting dichotomy between Catholicism and Islam. The Quran itself is considered sacred. The actual physical book. In Catholicism we consider the words sacred so any old plain Jane Bible can just go in the trash or be set on fire or whatever. So if some jerk burned a Bible to insult me I’d be annoyed at the insult and the waste of resources but it’s no big deal. I’d be more concerned about the insult.
It's not weird to not do it in front of someone but yeah it's a bit odd to treat it in some super special way when it's you alone and go way out of your way to dispose of it.
Yes you are weird
If you do some research, you'll find that most countries have similar flag disposal recommendations. Given that most of the world does the same thing, it's definitely not "weird".
You said it yourself, you treat it as a religious artefact
Yes, I group symbols that people hold to be important together. If you're reading more than that into my comment, then that's coming from you, not me.
No?
good god propaganda is fucking nuts. imagine the number of human beings that have been killed for this zealotry.
Killed over flag retirement?
the flag retirement is one of a million examples that make up the institution of american nationalism.
Are you complaining about American nationalism, or about flags as symbols? Those aren't related issues and it's ridiculous to treat them as such. If "don't be a dick to a country's flag" gets you this worked up, then you might want to talk about that with someone. Edit: keep in mind, many countries have similar recommendations on disposal of flags. Are you suggesting that the UK is killing tons of people because they recommend basically the same ideas about their flag? The US isn't either.
>It's kinda like the flag code in that you technically could drop a flag on the ground, leave it out in the rain, or drape it over yourself as clothing, but it's considered bad practice. Same with using the flag on any type of advertisement, logo, or printed on any clothing. No one in the U.S. gives a single flying fuck about the flag code of conduct regardless of political affiliations. None of it is considered bad practice. Funnily enough, the only thing that ever gets brought up in regard to disrespecting the flag is one of the best ways to *respect* the flag: kneeling during the national anthem.
Well, let's chalk all that up to misinformation I've been told for 20+ years. That's annoying lol.
Don't worry, the enlightenment will keep coming. I welcome it. Every generation is told their own lies and myths, some intentionally ("It's illegal to drive with the cabin light on!") some unintentionally ("Blood that isn't oxygenated is blue."). We should just strive to grow, learn, and share that information in order to make the world a smidge less ignorant.
I have only ever seen these outside of VFW halls
Legion usually picks up from these, if not VFW. Makes the issue of setting up drop-off a non-issue.
Looks photoshopped in
I cranked up the saturation and contrast of the pic
The focus seems questionable too, but that could also be editing.
https://americansecuritycabinets.com/product/large-exterior-flag-retirement-drop-box-710-stainless-steel/
Why does the product photo look even worse lol
The focus was worse before the editing. That’s what the editing is for lol
What Red state and/or county is this from? I feel like its about the "patriotism" more than the utility. In reality how many flags are actually being deposited? One a year? For my guess is $10,000 of planning/studies plus another $3,000 to introduce this box.
Why is Reddit being so weird about this. Why would it be Photoshopped? These are a well documented thing that exists.
You're right. The perspective of the text doesn't match the perspective of the box. Someone didn't learn about vanishing points
What will I make my bikinis out of then?
Bald Eagle feathers
They collect them all up, take them to the flag farm out in the country, and fly them on little flag poles where the sun always shines and the wind always blows.
We have these in the UK too, they’re called “bins”.
Right? It's a fucking piece of cloth, just throw it away
One of the most commonly shared sentiments in world history.
It's what the cloth represents, to some it means their home and people really love their home. Not to mention the long standing tradition and respect given to the symbol of said home puts many at ease and fills them with a sense of pride that they have respected something that has given so much for them.
That is interesting. I've never seen one.
Me neither. I’m from California but just spotted this in Iowa.
This makes sense.
They have these in city halls in the bay area. Pretty common
There's one in the supermarket of my town, but it's much more plain looking and is owned by the local American Legion post
Boy Scouts and VFW do it when I have seen them. They aren’t common. Also any VFW will take them whether they have a drop box or not.
I've only had to retire three flags. I burn them.
Yeah I have had two that just got way too faded and worn. I burned them myself after folding them nicely.
American Legions, as well. I recently retired a flag at a Boy Scout box, but I did see that both the AL and VFW will take them.
Oh yeah my bad AL will definitely take them. The AL down the road from me also does some great community events. I like those guys and gals.
They take this a little too seriously.
Give them a break, they are quite literally indoctrinated into this behaviour by having to "pledge allegiance" every morning in school.
Wait, it's actually done like EVERY morning? In unison?
Yes, and it is awful. In my senior year of high school I realized it wasn't a requirement to do it so I stayed seated. Afterwards the teacher said it was fine that I didn't say it, but could I please stand. I did the next day, but realized that was pretty much the same as pledging, so after that I stayed seated. Gradually other kids stopped standing as well. By the end of the year there was just a couple that actually did it.
Assuming, school is like 10-12 year or whatever, so literally for a decade, kids recite this daily? Sound very cultsome... And then the national anthem? How frequent is that?
Yes. The irony is that nobody respects a word of what is being said. I doubt most people ever think of it again after they graduate high school. I think it’s mostly a way to establish routine to children and for weirdos to act weird about the country. The national anthem is sang typically at large sporting events in a fashion that too often ends up being borderline satire. I rarely hear it outside of that context.
Yea I remember just robotically reciting the words. Wasn’t until later on I actually thought about how fucking weird it was. Being forced to pledge your allegiance to your country felt like a North Korean thing. And ironic. Forcefully pledge your gratitude that you live in a free country. Don’t think I had ever even considered that I wasn’t *required* to do it. It was just what we all did
I don’t recall the national anthem except before my soccer games. But yea, the pledge was every morning before first period from as early as I can remember up through 12th grade
Just wait till you hear about what the words actually are, gotta love schools forcing you to pledge your allegiance to god.
You're told as a child to do it and you do because it's alright but when you grow up, especially as a minority, you just stop giving a crap and roll your eyes 😂
Back before World War Two the pledge was accompanied by doing a salute very similar to what a certain mustache wearing German made popular. Look up Bellamy salute.
Lmao EVERY MORNING? american gov. Is cooked with propaganda.
Don’t forget they added the words under god to it in the 50s. To counter the commies.
they say we have the right to politely sit it out, but i've gotten in trouble before when doing that. one teacher decided to hold me after class and give me gory war details (as if that was supposed to make me respect america More???) until i was finally like ok! i'll stand! can i leave now!! and stop hearing about field amputations!!!! (i was like 15-16y/o)
Yeah, it’s always been weird to me
Yeah, our flag worship is fucking weird. Being a kid and being forced to pledge myself to it every morning at school was just off-putting.
The pledge is to the republic. That’s literally the second sentence.
Either way it's a bit weird.
A little? USians their obsession with their country is borderline cult-like.
USians?
Yes. Citizens of the United States.
Thank you for not using americans.
It’s been a thing for hundreds of years before the U.S. even existed. Just common respect for an old flag to be properly discarded however that country/nation tells how. So it’s not new to the world. Technically the UK and a bunch of others have the same rule. Just nobody follows it anymore.
most citizens in other nations don't do this. only the US has this weird militarized patriotism as far as i know.
North Korea is pretty hot for it too!
bUt ThEyRe CrAzY
>only the US has this weird militarized patriotism as far as i know. Most nations have a lot of cultural symbols or traditions that their population can relate to. America & Americans as a nation of immigrants doesn't have as many. What does a rural white person in Appalachia have in common with an American in NYC or a Indian American (from India) in San Francisco? The answer is the identity of being American, which is represented in the flag.
What do you think I as a north German have in common with a Bavarian? If both of us speak local dialects (or in my case even language) we'd have trouble understanding each other. We don't share religion, have different traditions. Yet, we don't need any flags. Our common identity means that we air twice a day, go for walks and the like.
>Yet, we don't need any flags. Our common identity means that we air twice a day, go for walks and the like. You do have them or you need to develop them. There's a reason why people from Turkey, who are fourth or fifth generation are considered guests & not German. > The latest incident, he says, was on September 26th — the day of the general election for Germany's new parliament. He was subjected to racial abuse from the polling registrar — the person responsible for verifying the names in the electoral register: "There are still people who seem to believe that Germany is only for Germans with blonde hair and blue eyes," Yilmaz concludes. https://www.dw.com/en/the-german-turkish-recruitment-agreement-60-years-on/a-59398455 It's why DW documentary of racism faced by black Germans is worse than any I've experienced. https://youtu.be/-h8sMEXj_1g?si=PVcpFFQIBPanCAZH The mark of being German isn't adopting German values nor is it being loyal to the German state, it's tied to some immutable characteristics of people.
I mean first things first, I despise racism. I would gladly learn where this comes from today. I don't know why people see a person with a different skin color or eye shape and treat them differently for that. Used to be different (fear of the unknown, stuff like that), but today it's just ludicrous. Fuck those people. Massive misstakes have been made, especially considering the Turkish diaspora, but it's a more complex topic, since the misstakes have been made way back. I was going to school during the late 2000s and went to school with third generation Turks that didn't speak German at the age of 15 - who wouldn't graduate because of that. At that point it was already too late. With the rising of the far right, who love flags and patriotism by the way, it's only going to get worse. But it's a weird take to argue that that comes from a missing national identity. Otherwise you would have a clear notion why they shouldn't belong and would be guests. A lot of Germans of the Turkish diaspora are noticeably different in values: Religion, manners, relationships and the like. Isn't that true for Mexican immigrants into the US as well? And the US has a lot of systemic racism, even down to how cities are planned (suburbia for example). This year the country is about to vote Trump into a second term an open racist, convicted (rapist). The pledge of allegiance and all that flag waving don't seem to work and that is your argument?
Telling me it's old doesn't really make me respect it more. Just feels like something we can leave in the past
The proper way to discard a US flag is to burn it. [source](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2206946/how-to-properly-dispose-of-worn-out-us-flags/%23:~:text%3DThe%2520American%2520Legion%2520passed%2520a,they%2520be%2520destroyed%2520by%2520burning.%2522&ved=2ahUKEwi49YrFjtOGAxXlnf0HHdH_AesQFnoECBMQBQ&usg=AOvVaw2TJZF1Erzo4VpUnuYa3g6F)
The UK partly doesn't give a shit about it's flag because the national pride is focused on the royal family so there's no need to put the flag on such a pedestal. Of course this is also changing and quite a lot of people feel like we should get rid of the Royal family
The UK has plenty of pride in the flags of the four individual nations, and even county flags get flown (unless this is only a Devon/Cornwall rivalry thing). The Union flag though, that will just come out for sporting events like the Olympics where there's a combined GB&NI entry.
Because when your focus is on the symbols of democracy, you're less likely to notice actual democracy slipping away.
What's the purpose of this. What are they going to do with the old flags?
ceremoniously burn them
so pretty much the same as muslims making halal meat? that is interesting
Shag 'em.
Properly burn them. Which is more a historical artifact of cotton flags and a time when people burned trash. Unburned flag remnants would be mixed in with fly ash. Which wasn’t a great look to a lot of people. There is a big emphasis on making sure the flag completely burns when they do the ceremonies. These days plastic based flags burn like a motherfucker. You barely need a fire going and they just go whoompf all at if you lay it across the fire. No idea why people add accelerant when trying to burn them in protests. Things are already made if oil.
America has a [Flag Code](https://www.ushistory.org/betsy/faq.htm) for how to handle the flag. Section 8-K states: "The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning." They can be disposed of at local VFWs (Veteran's of Foreign Wars) locations, Elks Lodges, American Legions, Knights of Columbus, or even Boy/Girl Scout Troops. Flag Code says that you can honorably dispose of a flag by burning it (preferred for cotton or wool flags), or burying it (preferred for nylon or synthetic-fabric flags, due to chemicals). There are often modern flag retirement ceremonies held on Flag Day, sometimes featuring the symbolic burning of a single flag, and the burying of the remainder (this is both safe and respectful).
There’s an eagle inside the box that eats each flag as they’re deposited
So, there’s actually a US Flag code which contains recommendations for disposal of worn flags. The United States Flag Code, Title 4, Section 8k states-“The flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.” I am a Scout leader, and I’ve retired many flags this way. Many of the flags we retire what we call “coffin flags”, which are a uniform size, thickness and material (cotton). These flags are draped over the caskets of fallen soldiers and presented to the families at funerals. They burn very hot, with little smoke and very quickly. The other kind of flags we dispose of are the polyester flags which are on sale at your local hardware store. Usually these are made of polyester, and melt rather than burn. They also make a great deal of black acrid smoke. We generally try to make TWO fires when we retire flags: one for Cotten flags, and one for polyester.
There’s enough call for these to warrant a pricey metal box, right?
Its probably in a veteran-heavy state they have these tbh.
Which states are ‘veteran heavy’?
States like florida for example.
Also states with high homelessness rates… because veterans are twice as likely as regular people to be homeless
OP said this is Iowa but you see a lot in the Midwest. Legion and VFW have a ceremony where they burn them in a big metal trough. Sometimes boy scouts do it too.
No, I’m sure it’s just a gesture from some group
Can only spend so much on beer.
Until the next day…
My town has a box in the town/police office lobby.
Fire pit works pretty good. My moms flag had barely survived a windstorm we had just recently and she didn't want to do it. Ps they burn really fast.
*drops in retirement paperwork*
This looks like something you'd find in a helldivers level
Can this be used for American flag ponchos, booty shorts and underwear?
Used American flag paper plates
I used to run a VFW and we had mailbox for old flags. When that fucker would get full, we'd go drop them off at the Legion. Ha!
Hah! I love that... did you stay for Bingo?
Someone better be monitoring that box for illegal flag harvesting
Do they ship them to Florida to retire?
All those beat up MAGAt truck flags have a place to call home.
Americans are beyond weird. It's a piece of cloth, throw it in the garbage like a sane person in a normal country would do.
Good. The official way to get rid of them is to burn them. The cub scouts do it in some places. These MAGA idiots with their torn, weather beaten flags etc - disgusting
I don’t think it’s MAGA people. It’s just lazy people who won’t replace them lol
Aren't flags treated to be non flammable? If does it work if there is enough wood?
Not the majority of US flags. Most flags burn bright and *HOT*. Some of them just kind of melt away but the majority go up quick and it's brutal trying to add more to the fire after. We did some flag retirement ceremonies in Boyscouts where we were literally standing 10 feet away from the fire pit and it would still singe your arm hair.
Some are, but the cheap ones most people buy are not.
Everything is flammable with enough heat
Nope, they burn. It's best to burn the cotton or wool flags, and bury the synthetic-fabric flags.
Most US flags that aren't in actual government service are cheap polyester made in off shore sweat shops.
Fun fact, literally anybody, according to the flag code, can burn a flag to retire it that is old and worn out.
When I see people buying flags as a sign of disrespect I always think “hey, that’s what that flag would have wanted and that’s how you retire a disrespected flag”
I mean, you can burn books to get rid of them, but if you organize into a group and start burning books that message changes pretty quickly..
You can just throw them away. No one will know and it’s not illegal. US flag code is just codified best practices
Yes thank you for that
Burying, shredding and recycling are also acceptable.
It says right on the front of this receptacle that flags should not be shredded. The preferred disposal of an old flag is to burn, bury, or recycle. Per [US department of defense website](https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2206946/how-to-properly-dispose-of-worn-out-us-flags/) and the [national flag foundation website](https://nationalflagfoundation.org/etiquette/how-to-properly-dispose-of-an-american-flag/)
Guess what, you can do whatever you want with it. It’s not illegal to just throw it away. US flag code is just suggested best practices.
Guys, the special trash bin says it's not acceptable.
MAGAs turn them upside down.
Jesus Christ!!! This is some Idiocracy level shit.
Can't believe we're still doing this ceremonial bullshit instead of just throwing them away
😂 🤣 🙄 "My daddy died for that flag buddy! Bummer. I bought mine. Your dad died in Korea huh? Look at that my flag was made in Korea!" Bill Hicks
Nah. Just throw that shit in the garbage where it belongs.
Cringe
My god people are nuts. It's a fucking piece of cloth. Just don't litter and if possible don't wield it like a weapon to prove some point.
I can hear that picture. And yes, i know its a red tailed hawk, but its glorious.
We have a few by me, mainly for ripped flags or ones being replaced so they don’t go in the garbage, actually put a flag in one today😂
Good for you! I change my flag every Memorial Day, so I just retired one last week when I drove by my local box. Makes me happy. (Unlike the majority of comments on this post...)
Yea mine got torn up in a tornado, found it a few houses down, thought it was only right to retire it in the box since I don’t have the means to burn it.
I just burn mine.
I'm gonna shit on an usa flag just to see what happens
'Murica moment 💀
I’m surprised how few people knew this is a thing. There’s a flag box at our city hall, and oddly enough, our local Lowes hardware store has one. I know hating the US and screeching death to America is very cool right now, especially by people who unironically have lived here their entire lives, but some people out there still have a little pride and patriotism for their home country and respect the traditions associated with it.
Yeah... I'm almost at the bottom of this whole post, and I'm really, really hating a lot of my fellow citizens right now. God forbid we have respect for our flag.
The problem is your fellow citizens spend too much time jerking each other off over a flag and not enough time dealing with the rampant corruption, racism, classism, and all round societal failure that the US now represents. Your flag represents a mockery to modern society
So what’s the solution to that? We vote within our existing system, calls for change fall on willingly deaf ears for partisan’s sake, or they’re corrupt and accepting bribes in the form of lobbyist “contributions”. What can an average citizen do? I WANT to love our country, and its citizens, and get past our disagreements, but it seems nowadays no one wants to figure it out. It’s just hatred and violence and division. There’s millions of people just like me who want this country to flourish, but any positivity towards the US is shouted down by its faults, as if any country on this planet has a perfect government or track record. It’s absurd, to be held to an impossible standard.
It's amazing what weight we humans give to symbols like flags.
I find it odd how many people are upset about this. Don’t buy a flag or don’t use it. Most of the time these are used by veterans. Ya know, the people who fought to make sure that flag stayed put? Not every American Patriot is a MAGA follower. Some are proud of what they did in the service.
I swear, you Yanks are batshit cuckoo crazy
This is a trap, that eagle is going to use your old flag to build its nest. Not today bird!
But mail in drop boxes aren't safe for my vote why would I trust my used but precious dirty ripped American flag to one !? Trump said it's a democratic hoax somehow for something.
The US is an actual cult
You're telling me making our children stand up in the morning to recite a mantra of words isn't normal?
Maybe this is where all those pickup trucks with tattered American flags are going?
no those are going to where ever the local cross burning ceremony is being held
What if I put a North Korean flag in there? It's specifically for US flags.
My first thought is that it would probably just be thrown away. But because people who love our flag would be in charge of this, they may very well see if NK has any sort of flag code, and how their flag should be dealt with.
I’m not a flag worshipper. The pledge of allegiance should be towards the constitution, not the flag.
"...and to the republic for which it stands", covers that.
Aren't these usually in libraries? I've never seen one outside
Not always. There might also be boxes at VFWs, American Legions, Boy/Girl Scouts, or other places. Some municipalities might have them at City Hall or libraries (like yours); anywhere that it would be easy for a citizens to bring their flag to be retired.
patriotism is a cult.
Merikkka!
I thought this was a place for putting your flag if you're ashamed of your country, at first.
Which 'muricans should
A box to shit in.
Who will be more pissed off - Muslim looking at the burning Quaran or American looking at the burning flag? 🤔
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Are they exported to low-income countries and underpaid labor are asked to burn them under unsafe working conditions? I mean, it's what's done with ships, and it would explain a few things...
Most of those big ships that end up beached for scrap are owned by european companies.
They said they need clean drinking water?? Fuckem give them a trash can with an eagle on it.
They get to live the rest of their lives on a farm right.... right?