While researching the traditional flag folding ceremony for a Girl Scout project in preparation of Memorial Day services, I came across some news reports about a complaint on the flag folding ceremony. Subsequently, it was banned from all ceremonies, even if the family of the deceased or retired veteran request it to be read.
Many ceremonies include meanings behind our freedom...from the playing of taps, to the flag presentation, and even to honor our veterans. That freedom gives us a right to make choices based upon our beliefs. But some do not want to witness a belief different from theirs, and makes complaints against the other beliefs.
As far as the flag folding ceremony, the Retired Enlisted Association list 3 flag ceremony scripts, which any of these can be used during funerals and retirements.
1) An unofficial, but popular script for folding the flag. - One of the oldest of those scripts is attributed to an anonymous chaplain at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
2) Another unofficial script that isn't as popular.
3) A new and approved script, approved by the Air Force in July 2006.
This is a quote from FOXnews about the most popular script that usually gets read when one is read. (Many times, it is quiet for funerals.)
"The flag folding recitation is a longstanding tradition which brings comfort to the living and honor to the deceased," Rep. Heath Shuler, D-N.C., writes in his letter Tuesday signed by 11 other congressmen. "The recitations accompanying each fold pay tribute to the service and sacrifice of our veterans and their families, the nation they proudly serve, and the beliefs that they hold dear." - FOXNews (October 2007)
The flag folding ceremony represents the same religious principles on which our great country was originally founded.
The portion of the flag denoting honor is the canton of blue containing the stars representing states our veterans served in uniform. The canton field of blue dresses from left to right and is inverted only when draped as a pall on the casket of a veteran who has served our country honorably in uniform.
In the Armed Forces of the United States, at the ceremony of retreat, the flag is lowered, folded in a triangle fold and kept under watch throughout the night as a tribute to our nation’s honored dead. The next morning it is brought out and, at the ceremony of reveille, run aloft as a symbol of our belief in the resurrection of the body.
If you saw the whole 8 minutes of the video, you can see that it's a very moving ceremony and honor should be given to those who fought to keep our country free, so we may enjoy the right to disagree, and also enjoy the right to choose.
Since receiving millions of complaints about the ban, it has been decided that families may request the traditional flag folding ceremony to be read, and need to provide the wording themselves.
Please read these news articles and decide for yourselves if we should have the right to honor our veterans with God, not only in our hearts, but also in our words.
And if you do anything, PLEASE honor our fallen veterans this Memorial Day. They lay in the ground for your freedom to choose your belief, for your freedom to say what you think, and for your freedom to do what you like.
can't watch video (dial up), but of course I still gotta throw in my two cent's worth (lol). Like, wow. Are we not living in a time when offenses shall come? Offense is everywhere. You have to walk on eggshells, careful what you say or how long you look at someone "different" from you, or even say that your beliefs are the truth......unless of course, you are any religion other than a follower of Jesus Christ. Come Lord Jesus! Have mercy on our nations!
Thanks for posting this MT. So many young people today do not even stand when the flag passes in a parade, nor do they put their hand over their heart. Americans don't know how lucky they are that they can even own a flag of the country. We have hosted many exchange students over the years, and these kids all told us that only government buildings were allowed to fly the nation's flag. Citizens were not allowed to own or to fly them on their property.
At Harold Sibley's Memorial, they folded the flag and presented it to his family. They didn't do the 12 steps ... this was the first I'd heard the 12 steps ... but they did something equally as moving.It is moving to me just to see the flag folded with such precision.
I hate to think what our country will be like 30 years from now if respect for the flag continues to diminish.
We are living in a time when offenses shall come. Where we as Christians have faith in God that gives us free will, those who are not Christians do not have that same faith. Where we will allow others to believe differently than us and are okay with not agreeing, others do not allow and are not okay.
We are to show God's love, but we still need to make a stand in our beliefs. Just think, Jesus loved the sinner more than any of us could ever have, but he still turned over the tables and caused a commotion when something was not right.
What will happen if we don't take a stand is we will lose the freedom. Thanks Lara.
Hi Gem. That's something I'm trying to teach the girl scout troop. We stand in quiet attention during taps. and whenever the flag passes by us, we cover our heart out of respect for our flag. We're learning about how to present the flag for ceremonies. And I'm also going to teach them flag etiquette. There are so many rules about the flag that many do not know about. Such as images of the flag is never to touch the floor/ground. (So no rugs with flag likenesses.) And the flag or the flag image is to never be worn as clothing. (How many people have an image of our flag on their t-shirt?) I'm guilty of that one.
But our flag deserves respect from us.... something else to think about as we approach Memorial Day.
After reading the 3 ceremonies listed on the Retired Enlisted Association's page, I can understand the confusion/unrest that might be generated by the ceremony(s)... only in the sense that there doesn't seem to be a "standard" so much as just an "idea" governing the overall practice. What would solidify the practice would be a standard ceremony script that would be applicable and acceptable in all standard uses... much like we have with the Pledge of Allegience and National Anthem. You can see how the national anthem would be controversial/confusing if every organization sang it with slightly different words reflecting their own personal beliefs, with no regard for a unified ideal. The solution may be to encourage lawmakers and leaders to create a relevant unified ceremony that can be used without "censorship."
As for flag etiquette... I think that most often it is a matter of lack of teaching rather than lack of respect which causes "so many young people today" to not practice flag entiquette. Younger generations look to older ones for the teaching... and when the teachers fail to pass along the info, the blame cannot be assigned to the student. When we learn to display respect for the flag, it is an act which represents our respect for people and ideals. If someone unknowingly "disrespects" an inanimate piece of cloth, it is not an intentional act of "un-patriotism". I'm sure that many young people, flag entiquette or not, contribute to society in a way that respects/honors people and "American" ideals.
My great hope is that people will begin to understand that America isn't founded on rules of how to properly execute a ceremony or treat a piece of cloth... but rather the rights and liberties of people. I doubt the country will ever fall because we forget how to treat a flag. The country will fall if we forget how to teach/exercise love, honor, and liberty. That, however, is a duty that we can all undertake nomatter what our political leanings... the outcome is obvious should we fail.
So those are my ramblings on this sunny memorial day...
Thanks, Zach, for your ramblings. This is in part my teachings about the flag that I hope will help others to look further into flag etiquette, and possibly other traditions in our country.
As far as the flag folding ceremony, the first one of the three is the standard that has been used for the longest time, and consistantly, until recently. As with the Pledge of Allegience, the wordings are being asked to be changed. And I am wondering how long before words are to be sanded off our historical monuments and buildings. And yes, I know it's just words (or inanimate objects), but it won't stop there.
Yes, our country IS founded on the rights and liberties of people. ALL people's rights and liberties, not just some. But as I've stated before, we should learn these words in our hearts because someday these "just words" and "inanimate objects", such as the Holy Bible, will not be allowed. And we need to teach our young people to stand in our faith of God.
For sure you are right concerning "ALL people's rights and liberties". One of my biggest frustrations of living in Canada has been that the sentiment of "tolerence" is always taken to the extreme of "We tolerate everything... except for Christians... because those Christians are intolerent." It seems kinda stupid and almost funny at first... but it permiates all aspects of society, and really is the ultimate facism. I think this is basically what Lara was saying in her first comment.
The US is definatlely on its way to adopting this attitude as well. I think we're still at a point where it can be stopped or slowed though. The US isn't entirely a secular culture yet like Canada or to a greater extent much of Europe.
This website is from a speaking series that was going on near me a couple months ago, and they had a really good explanation of the whole tolerence vs truth conflict. Check it out...
Thanks Zach. I definitely will check out the sites.
Is Christians in Canada intolerant? I know we have a few smatherings of intolerant Christians...just as in any society. But on the whole, I see Christianity as being the most tolerant of all, given our belief of free-will. Which is why I feel we get "stepped on". Because we just say...Jesus loves you, anyway...and go about our business.
Again, thanks for the sites, and I'll check them out when I'm not at work.
Christians are about the same in Canada as the US in respect to tolerence, etc... it is the rest of society in general in Canada that tends to be highly intolerent of anything Christian. The whole idea that Christians might believe something is "truth" even though it speaks contrary to other people's beliefs or ideas is absolutely unacceptable to most secular Canadians. It is so totally hypocritical though, because Canadians whole-heartedly embrace muslims, and secular humanists, and any other religious or anti-religious sentiment... and they call that free speech... but "those christians are the intolerant ones... and we don't tolerate intolerence" lol.
That is a little funny...especially hearing that they embrace Muslims. Islam is one of the most intolerant religions. And the one religion that truely scares the Christian in me. I had close connections with Muslims at one point in my life, so this is based on first hand knowledge and not of media influences.
For those of you who are reading... I was sent a Bible verse today that states why I feel that we should hold true to our traditions. I want to share it with all of you.
16:10 He that is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much: and he that is unrighteous in a very little is unrighteous also in much.
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