Vicki McKenna is having a little trouble gaining traction among the local bloggers, and now Pete Fanning is unhappy with the picture at left, citing United States Code Title 4 Chapter 1, Section 8d. The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above, the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a speaker's desk, draping the front of the platform, and for decoration in general.Fanning writes,
If she would do the right thing she and her Madison radio station would redesign their promo material to include a more respectful photograph, perhaps one with her STANDING by a flag, properly displayed in accordance with the code.Look at the picture again. It's a metaphor. She's "draping herself in the flag."
Get it? She's draped in the flag and she's draping herself in the flag. Maybe the code needs to be updated to include t-shirts, pillows and giant inflatable yard toys. Maybe not. But I think there is room in the culture for a metaphor. Can we please reserve our ire for those who would intentionally desecrate the flag with a match and lighter fluid rather than those trying to demonstrate their patriotism by embracing the flag?Find classic movies at Amazon.com
