Editor, The Beacon:
I have no issue with Mr. S.F. Spiconardi’s desire to see more American flags in our neighborhoods. I would just like, in light of all the ugliness over flag issues the past few years, to see more folks doing it correctly.
As a rookie firefighter, one of my most important and regular duties was to go downstairs after the wake-up bell rang and raise the flag, and then to go downstairs, either before or after dinner, depending on time of year, and “strike the colors” at sunset.
A few years into my career, our stations were retrofitted with hard-wired spotlights for the flag, and that duty went away.
I do a 3-mile to 4-mile walk through my neighborhood on a regular basis. I have counted more than 50 flags being flown in the neighborhood, and only three have dedicated lights on their flags. (Well, actually two. One guy gets partial credit because his porch light lights his flag. I’m giving him partial credit, even though it is probably unconscious.) The rest are disrespecting the flag every bit as much as the athletes who knelt in protest.
Several of those in the neighborhood have, like Mr. Spiconardi, put up a stand-alone flagpole in their yard. Only one of them has the required dedicated spotlights.
One of my neighbors flies a Marine Corps flag under Old Glory. Another flies the banner of the traitorous, twice-impeached, lying disgrace who is our most recent ex-president. The Marine should certainly know better. The other guy, well, I doubt he knows much of anything.
So, I fully support any and every American having pride in and displaying our national guidon. But, I ask, if you are going to do so, please show some respect and do it right. Either put a light on it, or take it down at night. Not doing so is actually a violation of the law.
4 U.S. Code § 6 – Time and occasions for display: (a) It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.
Russ White
Orange City
