Would you take this flag down?

[Kermit]

There's a house on my street that is up for sale and vacant. The people who lived there last left a flag hanging on the front porch. Today I went outside and noticed that the flag was all wrapped up in one of their bushes because of the wind. I went over and got it out of the bush, but it ripped the flag pretty badly, and now the flag just doesn't look good. Would you take it down? I don't have any way to reach the owners (although I suppose the real estate company could). I don't know them too well, but I don't think they'd want a ripped up US flag hanging on their porch. I don't even really think they'd want it back, since it's nothing you can repair or anything.

So would you take it down and get rid of it respectfully, or would you let it keep hanging in bad shape?

 

[Disney845]

Well it isn't your property so I do not think you should do anything with it. I hate to say it because you were obviously trying to be nice, but you probably shouldn't even have tried moving it since it did not belong to you, and you say yourself that you don't know the owners very well. If you are seriously bothered by its presence then you should call the real estate agency handling the sale.

 

[preshi]

Take it down....

 

[DocRafiki]

I think I would take it down if it looks bad. It would be best to let the owner/realtor know, or they might think it's some anti-American statement.

 

[robinb]

I would call the realtor. They have a big stake in keeping the house good looking and not offending prospective buyers.

 

[nativetxn]

Personally, I would not take the flag down. If seeing a torn flag really bothered me I would call the real estate agent or try to find the owners and call them about it, but I would not remove the flag on my own.

 

[Rajah]

I'd contact the realtor and let them know what happened, including offering to replace the flag if the owners request it.

 

[wvjules]

I wouldn't take it down either.

rajah, why would you offer to replace the flag?

 

[preshi]

I also agree you should call the agent...

 

[iluvorlando]

I would call the agent listing the house.

 

[Rajah]

Jules -- first time I read the post, it looked like the process of getting the flag out of the bush ripped it, so in effect, getting it out of the bush damaged it and leaving it would have kept it from getting ripped. If that's the case, it would be nice if she replaced it.

Reading the post again, I read this time that the bush ripped it, not the act of getting it out of the bush. If that's the case, disregard the part about replacing it since it's the bush's fault.

 

[wvjules]

Ahhhh, I understand now.

 

[Kermit]

I did call the real estate company, but I won't be surprised if that doesn't do anything. I know that they're supposed to want to sell their houses, but for some reason, this one doesn't. I haven't been in the house in years, so it must have some problem that I don't know about. When the house became vacant earlier this year, it was 2 months before they mowed it for the first time, and it looked absolutely hideous for about 6 weeks of that time. And I know for a fact that they got multiple calls about needing to mow the lawn, but that didn't do anything.

The actual owners of the house don't even know that there's a flag out there. The house is for sale or lease, and the last people who lived there leased it. They were the ones who left the flag. (And since they won't be notified when the house becomes occupied again, I'm guessing they don't care about their flag.)

It was the wind that ripped up the flag. I just saved it so that it wouldn't be torn completely to shreds. Personally, I think it was very irresponsible for the last people who lived there to leave the flag in the first place. Flags should be flown respectfully. If you don't live there and can't check on it, you don't know what it looks like. The house has been empty for a while now, and I'm actually surprised that it survived this long.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[robinb]

Ah! That's different. Give the realtors the weekend and then take the flag down yourself. I am far from being a patriotic person, but seeing a ripped up, torn and battered flag makes me cringe. I would bug me too much to see it in that condition for the next 6 months.

 

[Serena]

I'm pretty sure you shouldn't leave a flag up in that condition.

 

[KrnB]

Anyone who attended Scout camp would know... you should never leave a shredded flag on display like that (the Ground Zero flag would be an exception). It should be retired properly, which would be to have it burned in a proper military ceremony. Call the local VFW and find out who you can give it to in order to have that done. It is disrespectful to leave it out, and it would be even worse to just throw it away.

I don't mean to sound harsh - I think you are doing the right thing by asking how to handle it properly, given that it's on someone else's property, etc. Your instincts are right to want to take it down.

 

[EROS]

I'd DEFINITELY take it down

 

[shortbun]

The flag should be disposed of properly out of respect
for our flag. If no one is taking care of the house, just
take it down and properly burn it rather than letting someone
who cares nothing about proper flag handling do it.

 

[montessori]

We had some people renting a duplex on our street.
For various reasons, they seemed a little odd and I didn't feel comfortable talking to them about flying a flag that had long before turned into little shreds of material.
It made me very upset every time I saw it.
I called our local American Legion hall and someone from there went to their house and talked to them. It was gone in 2 days.

 

[Girls Scout Leader]

Please, take it down and call you local Girl Scout or Boy Scout council. They do proper, respectful flag burning ceremonies to properly retire flags. During the last few months, as everyone knows, flags became the hot ticket item...the "in" accessory. Now that the national crisis is calming, many people just take it for granted again. If the former owners of the flag had truly wanted it, they would have taken it. But chances are, they view it a s just another fad.
Sad, but it's happening everywhere.