Does anyone honor our flag anymore?

[GoBears 1980]

Imagine this: You're in a country where you see their flag. You stand to give "respect" to it. And it offends someone. Why? Because that's not their custom and you're actually disrespecting their flag. Perhaps in their country, you don't stand to pay respect.

Which country is this where standing for the flag is disrespectful?

 

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

At a sporting event I attended annually, the Canadian Snowbirds performed every few years. It was announced (and expected) that everybody in attendance would stand respectfully during the presenting of both country's colors and the playing of both country's national anthems. After a few years I even learned (and sang along) to O Canada.

It's always mildly amusing for me to hear the Star-Spangled Banner and O Canada played in rapid succession, as the Star-Spangled Banner is a song about a war we were in AGAINST Canada and the "we stand on guard for thee" part of O Canada I kinda wonder is partly a reference against that time we tried to take over Canada. Remember that time, we tried to invade you guys?...oh yeah, sorry 'bout that. Good thing we are best buds now.

 

[22Tink]

There is a difference between saluting and showing respect. When I have been in Canada for events and the flag is presented I don't stay seated and keep talking to my friends just because I am not Canadian. I stand and show respect for the host country.

Yes, but if you read the original post I was replying to, it mentioned saluting. I didn't say you shouldn't stop and show respect, I said I wouldn't expect non Canadians to salute our flag.

 

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

Yes, but if you read the original post I was replying to, it mentioned saluting. I didn't say you shouldn't stop and show respect, I said I wouldn't expect non Canadians to salute our flag.

To be fair, I don't think the OP was suggesting non-Americans should salute. I think the OP was making the possibly incorrect assumption that most people who were present were American and therefore should salute.

 

[LoriLovesDisneyland]

I am 44. I was raised in the U.S. by American-born parents and when to public school. I mention this because, I was never taught to put my hand to my heart when a flag is paraded by. We were taught The Pledge of Allegiance, The Star-Spangled Banner and to put our hand over our heart during those. I am sure other children were taught the complete flag code, but I am guessing that mostly military families know the flag code and the rest of us it is hit or miss as to what we were taught. So, I am not intending to be disrespectful if I do not salute the flag when it passes by in a procession and I am sure most others are not intentionally being disrespectful. One thing I do know, do what you know to be right and don't worry so much about what others are doing, they are probably very patriotic (just uninformed) or not from the U.S.

 

[22Tink]

To be fair, I don't think the OP was suggesting non-Americans should salute. I think the OP was making the possibly incorrect assumption that most people who were present were American and therefore should salute.

Agreed, but the post I was originally replying to was not written by the OP. I was simply agreeing with, and commenting on, someone else's post.

 

[Laz]

Just to clarify, I learned this type of respect (for lack of a better word) by my WW II veteran father and immigrant Grandfather. I can remember going to community parades and standing up multiple times each occasion that the US flag was paraded by me (sometimes up to 10x).

 

[LoriLovesDisneyland]

Just to clarify, I learned this type of respect (for lack of a better word) by my WW II veteran father and immigrant Grandfather. I can remember going to community parades and standing up multiple times each occasion that the US flag was paraded by me (sometimes up to 10x).

My grandfather was also a WWII veteran and my mother was not taught to put her hand over her heart when the flag went by. My only point is not to say that it is wrong to do this, but not everyone was taught this, so please do not assume we are all being disrespectful when we do not know the Flag Code.

 

[3Gsandme]

I am 44. I was raised in the U.S. by American-born parents and when to public school. I mention this because, I was never taught to put my hand to my heart when a flag is paraded by. We were taught The Pledge of Allegiance, The Star-Spangled Banner and to put our hand over our heart during those. I am sure other children were taught the complete flag code, but I am guessing that mostly military families know the flag code and the rest of us it is hit or miss as to what we were taught. So, I am not intending to be disrespectful if I do not salute the flag when it passes by in a procession and I am sure most others are not intentionally being disrespectful. One thing I do know, do what you know to be right and don't worry so much about what others are doing, they are probably very patriotic (just uninformed) or not from the U.S.

This.

I'm almost 40 and was never taught to put my hand on my heart while the flag was being paraded and I have no idea what "saluting" is being referred to. I'm a civilian and have never served and I never knew civilians were supposed to salute.

At the local Memorial Day parade the flag and veterans are applauded. The flag is then saluted by military or others put their hands over their heart during the pledge and singing of the anthem.

 

[beachdreamr1229]

Which country is this where standing for the flag is disrespectful?

It's a thought experiment. It doesn't matter. Point is you don't know others' customs, so don't expect them to know yours.

 

[joyfulDisneytears]

Honestly, I had no idea up until now that you were supposed to put your hand over your heart during the Star Spangled Banner. Pledge of Allegiance, yes, but I was never taught to do so during the national anthem. Now I know! But I think a lot of people are in the same camp.

 

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

It's a thought experiment. It doesn't matter. Point is you don't know others' customs, so don't expect them to know yours.

True, I think though that someone is going to point out that the "disrespect" was perpetrated in the US. Certainly it's forgivable, but people are going to think it's disrespectful regardless.

Honestly, I had no idea up until now that you were supposed to put your hand over your heart during the Star Spangled Banner. Pledge of Allegiance, yes, but I was never taught to do so during the national anthem. Now I know! But I think a lot of people are in the same camp.

To be fair, the national anthem is probably not something sung in schools. It's such a hard song to sing that it doesn't make for a good ensemble sing along.

 

[zanzibar138]

In Australia, we don't really have 'flag etiquette'. I mean, there are military rules about the flag, but most people don't know them and wouldn't be expected to abide by them (only very simple ones, like you shouldn't hang one upside down, and it shouldn't touch the floor). I can't even think of a time when I've seen the Australian flag 'paraded around', and I would have no idea what to do if that did happen! While we are taught to stand and be quiet during the national anthem (unless we are singing it of course), I have never seen, nor would expect to see anyone, placing their hand on their heart or anything like that. The most frequent occasion where the national anthem is played is for major sporting events, and while most people stand, I haven't seen many remove their hats. It's a very different culture.

While I'm travelling, I try my best to be respectful to the different cultures that I come across. In Asia, that means covering my shoulders and knees in sacred places (temples etc), and generally dressing slightly more conservatively. In the US, it means being more mindful of what I say (a lot of words that are perfectly acceptable to use in Australia are considered cursing in the US), and of course standing and being quiet for things like the flag retreat ceremony and national anthem. If an American flag was 'paraded' in front of me, I honestly wouldn't know that it was a 'thing' when people are expected to show a particular type of behaviour.

In future trips to the US, I will definitely keep this in mind, and make sure that I stand in silence if I see a flag being 'paraded'. That is all I would do for my own country's national anthem - I would feel weird doing any more than that for some other country's anthem/flag.

 

[SMD]

In Australia, we don't really have 'flag etiquette'. I mean, there are military rules about the flag, but most people don't know them and wouldn't be expected to abide by them (only very simple ones, like you shouldn't hang one upside down, and it shouldn't touch the floor). I can't even think of a time when I've seen the Australian flag 'paraded around', and I would have no idea what to do if that did happen! While we are taught to stand and be quiet during the national anthem (unless we are singing it of course), I have never seen, nor would expect to see anyone, placing their hand on their heart or anything like that. The most frequent occasion where the national anthem is played is for major sporting events, and while most people stand, I haven't seen many remove their hats. It's a very different culture.

While I'm travelling, I try my best to be respectful to the different cultures that I come across. In Asia, that means covering my shoulders and knees in sacred places (temples etc), and generally dressing slightly more conservatively. In the US, it means being more mindful of what I say (a lot of words that are perfectly acceptable to use in Australia are considered cursing in the US), and of course standing and being quiet for things like the flag retreat ceremony and national anthem. If an American flag was 'paraded' in front of me, I honestly wouldn't know that it was a 'thing' when people are expected to show a particular type of behaviour.

In future trips to the US, I will definitely keep this in mind, and make sure that I stand in silence if I see a flag being 'paraded'. That is all I would do for my own country's national anthem - I would feel weird doing any more than that for some other country's anthem/flag.

The flag code isn't an enforceable law here either. It's just a set of guidelines for civilians. At sporting events almost everyone will rise for the national anthem, but very few will put their hand over the heart. The pledge of allegiance is a little different, but with that one, those who participate (and participation is not mandatory and cannot be forced) are saying the pledge, so hand over heart makes more sense. If I were at a military base or federal building and a flag ceremony were happening I would likely stop. But if I happen to be entering DL when the retreat ceremony is happening I'll just quietly go about my business without intentionally disrupting. The difference to me is there's an expectation of a flag ceremony occurring in certain places and certain times and if I choose to be there I should participate as expected. A theme park isn't one of those places.

 

[Sweetpea2011]

To be perfectly and completely honest, I probably wouldn't really notice a flag being carried by me in a crowd at Disneyland. Most of the time I'm distracted, peering down at a map, talking to my children or husband, trying to figure out where to go next, etc. I'm a dual citizen, but I've lived my entire life in Canada (born in the US) and I consider myself a Canadian first and foremost. I have a great deal of respect for the country of my birth (although in some ways my Canadian side doesn't exactly see eye to eye with some things) but here's the thing...at Disneyland I'm on holidays for pete's sake! I'm surrounded by rides and people and food and princesses and fun and wonder. I highly doubt I would even notice something like this. Respect or the lack of it has nothing to do with it.

 

[DizMe]

I don't happen to believe that people must stop what they're doing if a flag goes by in Disneyland. I love my country, but I don't buy into the whole enforced patriotism game. If people wish to participate in those kinds of rituals, fine by me. I'm just not one of them. There is a time and place for such things but Disneyland would be one I would consider a personal decision, not an ethical mandate.

 

[FryingPansWhoKnew]

In future trips to the US, I will definitely keep this in mind, and make sure that I stand in silence if I see a flag being 'paraded'. That is all I would do for my own country's national anthem - I would feel weird doing any more than that for some other country's anthem/flag.

Well, as the evidence in this thread shows, most Americans either are not aware of the "rules" or are simply not very concerned with them. It may seem like I'm flip-flopping on it myself, but I'm trying to approach the situation from both sides. I know the "rules", but parading the flag around in a fairly disorganized place like Main Street USA and expecting people to drop what they are doing and salute or stand in silence is a little ridiculous if you ask me. I would urge you to concentrate on more important things. I actually feel bad if I caused you to think this was really that important to begin with. It just isn't.

 

[englanddg]

To be fair, I don't think the OP was suggesting non-Americans should salute. I think the OP was making the possibly incorrect assumption that most people who were present were American and therefore should salute.

If you are civilian, to be clear, you should never salute. You should, however, remove your cover (hat), face the flag and put your right hand over your "heart" (left chest).

 

[englanddg]

The flag code isn't an enforceable law here either. It's just a set of guidelines for civilians. At sporting events almost everyone will rise for the national anthem, but very few will put their hand over the heart. The pledge of allegiance is a little different, but with that one, those who participate (and participation is not mandatory and cannot be forced) are saying the pledge, so hand over heart makes more sense. If I were at a military base or federal building and a flag ceremony were happening I would likely stop. But if I happen to be entering DL when the retreat ceremony is happening I'll just quietly go about my business without intentionally disrupting. The difference to me is there's an expectation of a flag ceremony occurring in certain places and certain times and if I choose to be there I should participate as expected. A theme park isn't one of those places.

Spot on.

 

[englanddg]

It is also important to note, though, that many of the visitors to Disneyland are not American and have no need to salute the flag.

While many are not American, the vast majority of visitors to Disneyland ARE Americans. Far more foreign visitors to go WDW than DLR.