Via Facebook Tracey Lucas asks: We’ve helped our Elks with an annual Flag Day Ceremony and Flag Retirement Ceremony for many years. Some years we have over 400 flags that have been collected during the year to retire during the evening. We want to retire these flags with the utmost respect, but at the same time, the emissions from burning mostly synthetic flags for several hours has us worried, for the environment, but mostly for our Scouts....
We will be reminded many times today that Memorial Day is not about picnics, ballgames and the first day of summer. But it really is. Picnics, little league, trips to the beach or lake will all happen in a country where most of us are free to breathe and can persue happiness with little fear of our fellow human beings, our government or our neighbors. These heady freedoms are protected, to a large extent, by those who serve or have served in the military....
The United States Flag Code states the rules of flag etiquette, display, and handling.. Heartfelt respect and reverence cannot be compelled by law so the flag code is voluntary. There are penalties for knowingly desecrating the flag; but there is the question of free speech. In 1988 the Supreme Court upheld Texas v. Johnson that had determined burning the flag was a form of free speech.The 1990 “Flag Protection Act” imposed a federal ban on flag desecration....