Respect: When Do We Throw a Flag

The American flag, NFL team players, and yet another divisive public contest over “Who’s American?” Does this sound like the important national issue of the day, week, month, year, decade, century? Certainly, it’s much more important than say than the state of national healthcare, taxes, security, the economy, or many many other issues. So given its penultimate standing of what’s truly important, it seems only appropriate to provide it with an American Intelligence Test treatment.

Of course, the test really isn’t about “Who’s American?” and hopefully you were prepared for that. This test in this case is with respect to Respect; about what determines or defines our social values, and our view of respect. The inclusion of the American flag in the test is simply as a resonance point that has clearly demonstrated itself to be quite effective in evoking an immense reaction. Whether you respect the test on Respect is itself a measure; not a measure of respect itself but a measure of what you may actually respect. The test still remains a measure of intelligence which you can choose to try an understand or reject.

We are now going to wave a flag (at least partially red) to see how you react.

Question A:   We must start with the obvious question. Is it disrespectful to not stand and salute the American flag when the national anthem is played?

(1). Yes

(2). No

(3). Sometimes, yes; sometimes no

Question B:   What does the Flag stand for?

(1). United States of America

(2). Freedom

(3). Values

(4). Independence

(5). Sacrifice

(6). Faith

(7). Hope

(8). Duty

(9). Strength

(10). All the above

(11). All the above and many other things

Question C:   What is respect?

(1). Appreciation

(2). Commanding regard for importance or authority

(3). Reverence

(4). Honor

(5). Authoritative

(6). Sacred

(7). Refer to

(8). Consideration

(9). Politeness

(10). All of the above

Question D:   Are there legal requirements for behavior regarding the American flag?

(1). Yes

(2). No

Question E:    For each action below, indicate if the act respects(R)/disrespects(D) the American flag.

(1). Standing

(2). Wearing

(3). Saluting

(4). Kneeling

(5). Raising one’s fist

(6). Laying flag over military coffin

(7). Putting hand over heart

(8). Sitting

(9). Burning

(10). Praying

Question F:    Which of the following does respect for the flag out-weigh or override?

(1). Freedom of Speech

(2). Prayer

(3). Freedom of Assembly

(4). Right to Work

(5). Rights not enumerated in the Constitution

(6). Right to petition the government

(7). Freedom of Religion

(8). Pursuit of Happiness

(9). Freedom of the Press

(10). Equal treatment under the law

Question G:   Who gets to decide what defines respect for the flag?

(1). US Government

(2). Congress

(3). Your parents

(4). Military

(5). Politicians

(6). States

(7). President

(8). You

(9). Corporations

(10). Public

(11). Veterans

(12). Religious leaders

Question H:   If you are required by law to ‘respect’ the flag, do you actually respect it?

(1). Yes

(2). No

(3). Doesn’t matter, but at least you don’t offend others.

Question I:      Is something that is traditional therefore required?

(1). Yes

(2). No

Question J:    If the people, institutions or ideals that are used as the basis for demanding and justifying ‘respect’ for the flag would not themselves agree with those demands, which side has the final authority to determine if it is ‘required’? Select all groups below have members on both sides of this issue?

(1). Public

(2). Military

(3). Law Enforcement

(4). Corporations

(5). Veterans

(6). Federal Government

(7). Supreme Court

(8). Congress

(9). Political Action Committees for any of following: Freedom of Speech, Expression, Choice, Religion, …

ANSWERS:

Answer - A:  3 – Sometimes, yes; sometimes no.

Rationale - A:      The answer depends upon context, if for no other reason than everything depends upon context. If you can’t imagine some situation where it would just be wrong to stand when someone plays the national anthem in the presence of the American flag, then you aren’t trying. Consider the following: Soldiers on a battlefield where the enemy raises the flag and plays the anthem. Factory workers on assembly line with a flag on wall and the national anthem plays during a sports broadcast played over announcement system. Watching a sporting event at home which shows the flag and plays anthem at the start of the game (whether alone or with friends/family). You’re driving your car with a flag and the national anthem plays on the radio. You’re protesting a federal seizure of cattle on public land and exercising your Second Amendment right.

So, if any of these would constitute a reason for you to not come to your feet and salute the flag then you have drawn a line. When you draw a line, you defined two acceptable sides. If you don’t draw a line, well that’s just foolish.

Another facet of this question is the ‘standing’ expectation. Is ‘standing’ the only form of respect that one can make to the flag? It’s traditional for sure, but is it the only way to show respect?

Answer - B:  10

Rationale - B:      I presume that this was an easy question; if not then it completely validates the following. It should be obvious just from the recent public uproar and dispute over the ‘NFL kneeling’ issue that there are as many views on what the flag means as there are people to tell you. While many of these views will share common concepts, there will be different opinions that just won’t be able to be reconciled as possibly compatible. But it’s the incompatibility that may be the most accurate definition of what our nation’s flag stands for.

The flag means many things to many people but doesn’t require an absolute agreement and adherence to a given definition. In fact, the idea that there is a ‘required’ meaning for the flag would be a fundamental violation and disregard for many of the ‘things’ that people see the flag standing for. The equivalent of a logical inconsistency.

Answer - C:  All but 6 and 7.

Rationale - C:      Respect is a human concept that has many characteristics and meanings. This renders it not just a complex concept to define but makes any consensus accepting an absolute definition impossible. This indicates that most people would have a ‘common’ general understanding of what respect means but would have areas where their ‘agreement’ diverged from each other. Most of the time, there is a sizeable overlap among people such that we see others being ‘respectful’ and don’t question who is right. But this leaves those instances where we see someone acting contrary to our own notions of ‘respect’ and thus see a disrespectful person.

What produces additional difficulties is that ‘respect’ is always in the context of ‘something’ else. You don’t have ‘respect’; you have ‘respect’ for something. Under the topic of this test, the flag is the thing and the flag is also a concept that refers to many other things (See Question B). So while it’s simple for you to know what you feel is ‘respect’ and for what (e.g., US Flag), it is not at all simple for everyone to be on the same page as you when you have to make it clear what you and what they mean. Given the need for clarity, the next test question will perhaps be interesting.

Answer - D:  1 - Yes

Rationale - D:      Treatment of and etiquette toward the US flag is legislated in the US Code of Law; however, the code was found to be unconstitutional as it conflicted with First Amendment rights. The US Code regarding the flag is still there but it isn’t enforced due to our guaranteed rights.

From a moral and ethical perspective, any legal requirement that compels ‘respect’ for the flag would effectively negate the true meaning of ‘respecting the flag’ from being an actual sign of respect. It would be no more meaningful than compelling people to acknowledge someone as God and expecting that those thus compelled actually believe that person is God.

Answer - E:  First, let’s agree you are doing this in the presence of a US flag.
Respect: Marginally 6,   Disrespect: 9 (if burning of flag is intended as insult)
6 – is more respect for military individual, the flag is part of that respect.
All other actions could be completely independent of the flag being present.

Second, let’s agree the action was directed specifically at the flag.
Respect: All could be.   Disrespect: 9 (* unless it was for proper disposal of flag)

Third, let’s agree the national anthem is playing in conjunction with a flag.
Respect: traditionally 1, 3, 6, 7;    Disrespect:  9 (unless part of disposal ceremony);  Disputed: 4, 5, 8;   Unclear: 2, 10

Rationale - E:      For the first condition: there is a flag; it is important that the action that is being performed and being witnessed is directly tied to the flag. If not, then the basis for claiming that the action is disrespectfully is a subjective judgement where you cannot know what someone else is thinking about. So now it’s a question of does intention matter?

Under the second condition: the act is connected to the flag. For each action there are circumstances where the act would appear completely acceptable and not disrespectfully. That doesn’t mean that each act is overtly respectfully, it may be neutral and be neither or once again depend upon the intentions of the individual acting.

The third condition: playing national anthem in presence of flag. This is the situation that is most representative of the national ‘flag’ issue. The actions in dispute are those other than 1, 3, 7, and 6 if it happens. 9 – Burning (as insult) is by its intention disrespectful. The remaining acts would have to be understood in context of the intentions of the individual(s) acting. It may be hard to see how the act is respectfully but that doesn’t mean it isn’t. I have a hard time thinking of how 8 – Sitting could be but that’s me and I am not everyone else, but I don’t know why kneeling would be wrong. Kneeling is a sign of respect for other situations, so other than tradition it’s offensiveness is subjective.

Answer - F:  None

Rationale - F:      Respect is not a right, it isn’t legislated, and it has very little standing as any type of behavior for which you can be held legally culpable. All the choices are things which you do have a legal claim upon and for which you could be held legally responsible if you infringed upon others’ right to them.

Answer - G:  8 – You and 10 – Public

Rationale - G:     This is the closest that I can come to an answer for who decides. In reality, it’s both and neither; which of course unfortunately make no sense without some explanation. Unless you believe that ‘Respect’ is something that can be imposed upon you and that you are forced to accept and by acting as directed are thus ‘respectful’ then the only way that ‘respect’ works is for you do decide what it means to you. Now you can’t do that by yourself, since ‘respect’ involves how you relate to our American society, system, values, and views; which fundamentally is shaped by how the public view of ‘respect’.

All the other choice options are a particular segment or reflection of how ‘respect’ is thought of by those groups or institutions. Even in those groups there are wide ranging variants of views, so there will never be a universal view or definition of ‘respect’; at best you get a majority view; and at that point you are once again staring at can you make someone else ‘respect’ the flag by force?

Answer - H:  2 – No

Rationale - H:      The arguments in questions D and G address the contradiction of ‘respecting’ the flag because you are ‘compelled’ to act as if you do. I have often had to ‘act’ like I valued someone’s view in business when I didn’t; I simply valued that they be given the opportunity to express them.

Answer - I:  This had to be a gimme. 2 – No

Rationale - I:        A tradition is just something that people choose to do. Even those individuals who participate in the tradition can choose to stop or change it as they feel at any time. If someone uses the argument that it’s a tradition in America that people are to be treated justly; I would argue that it’s not traditional, it’s the Law.

Answer - J:  All of the above

Rationale - J:       1 – should be obvious. All the others are groups with individuals who hold many differing views on many things. For some members, the view that the Flag stands for those who have, do and will defends the nation and our Constitutional rights, and way of life. This includes some who believe that they are defending the right of other citizens to exercise their freedom of speech (expression) even if it offends them.