Vigilance!

It's never a good time to violate flag code etiquette. And always a good time to brush up on it!

Here are a few examples of flag desecration that you and yours should be sure to avoid over the star-spangled holiday. Photos and explanations were torn from — where else? — the Betsy Ross Home Page.

—Super Bowl 2004, Janet Jackson's "costume malfunction" made international news; that same half-time show featured the wearing of an American flag by performer Kid Rock. He later removed the flag poncho and hurled it over his head. Section 8d. reads, "The flag should never be used as wearing apparel."

—In July 2003 President Bush autographed a small flag. This picture was circulated across the Internet noting its violation of the Flag Code: "The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature."

—September 11, 2006, President Bush and first lady Laura Bush stand on a carpet of the American flag at Ground Zero in Manhattan, the site of the September 11, 2001 attack. Section 8b of the Flag Code reads, " The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground..."

And all this time you thought the only thing Laura and Kid had in common was a shared taste for premium pharmaceuticals. It turns out they both hate America.

Be that as it may, Happy Fourth. Honor your country, especially the vestigial democratic and Constitutional parts that haven't been emasculated by the dangerously incompetent and yet colossally arrogant current ruling regime. Try not to get too glassy-eyed, all Laura-like. Don't be like Mr. Rock, although he probably meant well. And certainly don't be like Laura's ass-clown husband, lest you be remembered forever as the most despicable, malignant and catastrophic failure in the history of the United States.

Comments

[texex]

oooo....That bottom picture is sooo strong and sums up the last six years in just one image. oooo.... Bravo and well done, Gleaner. And Olbermann, too, tonight for doing a scorching updated j'accuse that Emile Zola would be proud of.

[Johnathan L. Abbinett]

Dammit Hugh! I was just thinking of going out to the office supply store and getting a set of those 2 1/2" black letters, so I could utilize the space of the 6 white stipes on my upside down flag to say:

Support Our Troops - Bring Them Home!

National Guard, Reserves and Active Duty!

Support Our Troops - Out of Iraq NOW!

Support Our Troops - Fully Fund the V.A.!

Support Our Troops - No More Unjust War!

Support Our Troops - Impeach & Imprison!

Now, I guess, I'll just have to write a column, or two?

[True Blue]

Funny thing. Those of us who believe the troops should be safe at home are accused of no supporting the troops. And those of us who believe the flag shouldn't be desecrated by amending the Constitution to give it special protection because we don't want to tamper with our constitutional rights are accused of not believing in the Constitution. It just goes to show that if you are a right-winger--or a politician pandering to the crowd--logic takes a holiday.

[texex]

When down is up and up is down, when left is right and right is left, it just indicates the compass needle has gone wacko. Now apply same to our political situation.

The U.S. has lost its true compass bearing on what it means to be a democracy and a republic. Through lies and distortions the needle just spins with the spin we get as a daily dose of surrealism.

[Sam Dehne]

Now Sam knows he's glad he canceled his
Too Wild Yankees Band (http://www.renocitizen.com/cdpictures.htm) from Reno's 4th of July parade.

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=J7&Date=20070704&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=707040802&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=2&rgj_description=&rgj_date=July%204.%202007

Grand marshall?
BURP!

Sam

Here's the link to the picture from
last post:

http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/gallery?Site=J7&Date=20070704&Category=NEWS&ArtNo=707040802&Ref=PH&Params=Itemnr=2&rgj_description=&rgj_date=July%204.%202007

Sam

Last try... click on 4th pictures on the left.
http://news.rgj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage

[Nevada Scandalmonger]

Here's the link.

It's amazing Dawn let's him out of the house looking that way. Oh, wait. I forgot about the $10,000 ball gown.

Nevermind.