Every Memorial Day well-intentioned citizens fan out across the cemeteries of America. Their mission is to honor deceased veterans by the placement of a United States flag.
The sun rises over the graves as these flags flutter in the wind. For weeks they serve as a visual reminder of the sheer numbers of Americans who have served our nation.
A cloth flag, like all material things, eventually breaks down. Tattered and faded is a condition no US Flag should ever be in.
The United States Flag Code, subsection 176(k) says: "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"
Unfortunately, the people who place the flags rarely return to remove them and every winter 1000s of flags fall to the ground and are disrespectfully displayed.
Each Fall I walk through the local cemetery and remove an armload of tattered flags. They get bagged up and eventually get retired in a flag retirement ceremony.
The next time you see a worn-out flag, take the time to remove it. If you do not, who will?
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