Funeral Home
My SIL says the funeral home cut the stars out of an American Flag and is giving her 7 of them for the children. Anyone ever heard of this?
-
The local Boy Scout troop retires worn out flags. They will save some of the stars for scouts who participate in the ceremony. Never heard of a funeral home doing it though.
0 -
That's a good way to lose business in my opinion, just not right defacing our flag in any way....đ
9 -
Nope and I personally don't like it. The American flag in my opinion should not be cut up.
0 -
Flags are presented to a children of the deceased spouses. He was a Vet. My understanding they are giving her a flag with the stars cut out. Not by her request. I have my Fathers triangular flag .
0 -
never heard of that
0 -
Flag etiquette says the only part to be cut from a flag are the grommets before retirement.
3 -
Nanuq907: 30506341172123/comments/30506337691419
Flag etiquette says the only part to be cut from a flag are the grommets before retirement.
Source? Many different "ceremonies" in the attached links. Ironically, most of the links indicate there should not be a "ceremony" . . . and then proceed to describe the appropriate one. I especially like the last one (from Defense.gov). It tells how to do it and then shows photos that do not follow their own 'rules'.
How to Properly Dispose of an American Flag - The National Flag Foundation
The U.S. Flag Code says, âThe 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.â When an American flag is worn beyond repair, it should be retired in a respectful manner."A volunteer for the program will cut out and send the flagâs embroidered stars to an American soldier."
Flags USA-Flag Retirement
The United States Flag Code, Title 4, Section 8k states-âThe flag, when it is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem of display, should be destroyed in a dignified way, preferably by burning.â"An alternate option is to separate the blue star field from the stripes and then to separate the stripes from each other. Once this is done the material is no longer a flag and the pieces may be respectfully interred as part of the ceremony."
"Yes, some organizations even recommend cutting the flags into smaller pieces before placing them in the incinerator or on the fire. When doing this please keep the union of blue intact. Doing so symbolizes that the unity of our union should never be broken."
 https://www.gettysburgflag.com/american-flag-retirement
"The Stars for our Troops program takes your old, tattered and worn out American Flags and turns them into a prized possession for an American Soldier at home, on base or overseas. Volunteers lovingly cut each embroidered star from the flag, dispose of the stripes properly, and place each star into a tiny plastic bag with a card.
The card reads:
"I am part of our American flag that has flown over the U.S.A. I can no longer fly. The sun and winds have caused me to become tattered and torn. Please carry me as a reminder that you are not forgotten"
9 -
Well I don't agree cutting a flag .
3 -
select-fire: 30506341172123/comments/30506325278619
Well I don't agree cutting a flag .
Well then what do you do with a worn out flag?
I was taught to cut the blue field with the stars from the flag and then burn it.
Is it permissible to cut up the American flag?
Yes, some organizations even recommend cutting the flags into smaller pieces before placing them in the incinerator or on the fire. When doing this please keep the union of blue intact. Doing so symbolizes that the unity of our union should never be broken.
3 -
Burn the flag whole. Just another way to bend the rules with organizations making up their own rules and reasons. Still not right in my opinion.
3 -
never heard of such a thing. especially if the wife did not suggest or agree to it .
but my 2 cents I have to lean toward not right thing to do
when my BIL passed they picked up th espend rounds and gave to his only daughter ( and the flag ) I did not ask but guess the empty brass was possibly a way to give other members of the family as a remembrance?
0 -
I had never heard of this star removal thing until this thread. Thinking about it a while, I have come to the conclusion that it's not a good idea. It's disrespectful to the flag and thus to the person who fought for it. Plus, it's a bit creepy, somehow.
When I'm gone, I want my family to receive a whole flag, tastefully folded and in a glass frame.
9 -
"Well then what do you do with a worn out flag?"
When I was still working, I replaced my office flag 4-5 times per year and moved the old flag to the volunteer fire dept building next door. When the older flags became damaged or simply unsatisfactory, I folded them and once a year the local Boy Scouts collected them for proper destruction. Next option is contact the American Legion.
3 -
Only thing Wife has asked for was her Dads old foot locker from service. Rest of furniture and everything else went to the AmVets
0 -
My mother donated dads' flag to the city, They fly them along main street on appropriate holidays with their names on the poles. At my fil's funeral they collected the brass and gave one to each of the six kids and a few of the older grandkids
0 -
I always thought they should be burned whole.
3 -
In my Scouts troop we cut the grommets out, then burn the flag per US Flag Code section 176.
Then we can present the grommets to the organization that requested the Retirement, or to the boys that performed the ceremony. We like to refer to the story from the Bible in Daniel 3:1-30 about the fiery furnace and faith, as we present them. Some of the boys make them into neckerchief slides, others keep them on their keychains as a reminder.
6 -
Read an article awhile back that caught my attention. Sometime ago our government passed legislation that our American Flag was not to be protected from "destruction" by what ever means! Is this correct or am I wrong here?
0 -
asop: 30506341172123/comments/
Read an article awhile back that caught my attention. Sometime ago our government passed legislation that our American Flag was not to be protected from "destruction" by what ever means! Is this correct or am I wrong here?
I seem to recall the decision was burning the flag was considered freedom of speech or some such BS.......
0
Please sign in to leave a comment.
Comments
19 comments