Community Corner
Community Flag Retirement Project
The U.S. flag should be treated with respect when it's flying, and should be treated with respect when it's being retired
On Tuesday, March 11th, six members of Woodridge VFW met at St. Scholastica gym in the morning to work with about 70 students and teachers and volunteers on an American Flag community project.
The VFW annually retires worn out American Flags it collects from three community collection boxes and properly stores them until time to retire. When the United States flag (Old Glory) becomes worn, torn, faded or badly soiled, it is time to replace it with a new flag, and the old flag should be "retired" with all the dignity and respect befitting our nation's flag. The traditional method of retirement is to incinerate the flag, but this does not mean that one should simply drop the entire flag (intact) into a fire. Though the VFW disagrees with burning a flag for a political statement and truly feels it is a dishonorable act, we also feel that freedom of speech must be protected. However, on March 11th, we had the St. Scholastica students begin the retiring process by removing the blue field.
A flag ceases to be a flag when it is cut into pieces. In addition, it is easier to completely incinerate the flag. A flag should never be torn up like an old bed sheet. It should be cut up with scissors or shears in a methodical manner. The corners of the flag should be stretched out over a table top and someone should remove the blue field with the stars from the stripes.
U.S. Flag Etiquette: The U.S. flag is more than just some brightly colored cloth... it is a symbol of our nation. Seven red stripes and six white stripes; together represent the original 13 colonies that gained us liberty.
The red stripes remind us of the lifeblood of brave men and women who were ready to die for this, their country."
The white stripes remind us of purity and cleanliness of purpose, thought, word and deed. The blue is for truth and justice, like the eternal blue of the star-filled heavens."
The stars represent the fifty sovereign states of our union. The American Creed states, "it is my duty to my country to love it, to respect its Constitution, to obey its laws, to respect its flag, and to defend it against all enemies."
The U.S. flag should be treated with respect when it's flying, and should be treated with respect when it's being retired.
The Woodridge VFW Post wishes to thank the students and teachers of St Schlastica School for their help in preparing the retirement of collected flags.
