Tweet
There was something about the Nov. 23 cover of Newsweek with an attractive Sarah Palin in short shorts. Had anyone noticed that an American Flag was draped on a chair? Yes, it had been noticed, by a comment at TBogg. In fact, draping the American Flag over a chair is a violation of US CODE. Sarah Palin and perhaps Newsweek, was violating the Law.
MBouffant November 18th, 2009 at 1:24 am
Not to mention that the Holy Sacred Flag is not to be draped on anything. Or used as clothing.
Title 4 U. S. Code, Section 8:
(b) The flag should never touch anything beneath it, such as the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise.
(c) The flag should never be carried flat or horizontally, but always aloft and free.
(d) 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.
Of course, anyone can make a mistake. An apology and a promise to follow the protocols on US Flag Display might be sufficient to demonstrate respect. Abbie Hoffman and Kid Rock had worn "Flag shirts. Abbie Hoffman and Kid Rock were both criticized for this.
But Palin has been wrapping herself in the Flag, literally. This shows her patriotism because it indicates the Flag belongs to her and her neo-con antidemocratic policies. And it still is illegal. Andrew Sullivan posted a picture of her wrapping herself in the Flag. Note (d). And
(j) No part of the flag should ever be used as a costume or athletic uniform. However, a flag patch may be affixed to the uniform of military personnel, firemen, policemen, and members of patriotic organizations. The flag represents a living country and is itself considered a living thing. Therefore, the lapel flag pin being a replica, should be worn on the left lapel near the heart.
Palin’s 2009 Calendar also violates the law. She is shown with a shotgun. Presumably she thinks that the Flag represents gun nuts. The logo, "2009, Sarah Palin" is attached to the flag image.
(g) The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature.
The Newsweek Cover was from a the August Runners World and her breaking the law was noticed then.
Though adherance to the Flag Code is optional, some people take it pretty seriously, as the American Flag wall of shame demonstrates, and a lot of them are in what Palin would consider the "pro-America areas of this great nation." You shouldn’t drape it over a chair like a cover you bought at Bed Bath and Beyond.
Certainly, it is common for images of the Flag to be used for clothing, advertising, logos and all sorts of images. Most people do not regard this as disrespectful. But Palin, uses the image as self promotion. She has no concern for what it represents, a Constitution that protects and cherishes citizens and their freedoms. To her it is just a prop, just the same as her short shorts and Blackberry.
How patriotic is Sarah Palin? That depends if you are talking about the United States or Israel. Sarah was interviewed in the Governor’s office before she quit her elected job. No American Flag is displayed. But there is an Israeli Flag. Watch the You tube video at 2:40 near the window.
13 Comments
This post needs to be be remembered should she try to run again.
The flag is just a prop which she uses to violate US code.
Attractive she is eh at best and that is when I factor in her age.
You know Sarah will blame Newsweek for this and the Liberal Media however what truly Liberal Media puts Sarah on the cover without an X over her face?
I learned flag-handling in Boy Scouts; my Dad was a Scoutmaster and took the flag code very seriously. By honoring the flag, I honor his memory. Thanks for bringing Sarah’s desecration of the US flag forward. Many politicians wrap themselves in it, but anyone who knows flag-handling would object to having their photo taken as she did.
Thank you very much for this diary. Rec’d.
Yep. I was also in the Boy Scouts and was a member of the color guard at my military high school and learned the proper handling of the flag very early. My father was also very adamant about treating the flag correctly.
I wrote a letter to the editor of newspaper for the town I was living in a few years ago after I had noticed how many places had mis-displayed the flag on a Memorial Day morning.
The term “sunshine patriots” came to mind as they were not really willing to actually do the simple things such as correctly display the flag (for the record, the flag is displayed at half-staff on Memorial Day for the morning and is raised back to full staff at noon).
The first reaction was the “sexism” of Newsweek using the Runners World photo. No one forced Palin to pose for it, but it will be interesting to discover who put the flag in the photo. It now appears that Sarah may have a “flag” problem.
http://www.osborneink.com/2009/11/post-in-which-i-disagree-with-media.html
http://mediamatters.org/blog/200911170005
The Pat Robertson wingnuts are just shocked at the new low is sexism and bias against women. They care so much for the rights of women as long as they do not include reproductive rights.
Personally, I think Newsweek landed pretty hard on Mrs. Palin. And I read and value Newsweek. It was oportunistic of Newsweek to post that cover photo. But, the fact is that is Sarah Palin and that is set she chose for a photo-op down to the last detail. I don’t want to see Newsweek stoop to the level of low-brow personal attacks employed by certain other news outlets.
But for those crying “poor Sarah Palin” give me a break! How many pictures of Barak Obama are out there that make him look like some hollow eyed soul-sucking overlord about to sprout horns and a tail. Not to mention the outrageous slander flung at him (i.e. the Muslim sleeper cell terrorist with a Kenyan birth certificate).
The cover photo of Newsweek is Sarah Palin being Sarah Palin for whatever that particular audience was. That is the face she wants to put foward; a sassy, in your face spit fire oozing of red, white, and blue “real America” patriotism. And that is the image that resonates with her supporters. So what’s the problem?
Ugly, but not unexpected.
ps
If Hillary Clinton (god help us) should ever decide to pose in Daisy Duke shorts, riding atop a white horse with a pistol in each hand, and the flag trailing behind her (wow, just think about that for minute) you can imagine what the press would do with her. Remember her “flying into Belgrade under fire” story? They ate her alive for that.
No, not all conservative women are portrayed as nutty and dopey, just the nutty and dopey ones. If Olympia Snow were to appear on the cover of Newsweek, she would appear the way she otherwise presents herself; a serious thoughtful woman, not a ding bat cheer leader.
She doesn’t consider that having any meaning to Her, because She thinks Alaska is Her Country.
Oops, I made a mistake. I said there was not a US Flag in Palin’s office. There is one, although the interviewer blocks the view of it, during most of the interview. Of course it is totally outrageous to display a foreign flag in the official office of a Governor.
SP is easy to attack (watch her daily and you’ll have more ammunition).
Good critiques are those which speak of her phenomena.
On one hand, she certainly raises the fear and ugliness level in our social discourse – too bad; yet, she will never win another political contest because her number of followers is static. She might not even run because her experience in Alaska showed her that governing takes work, and she would so much rather be a celebrity. This isn’t mean, it’s only that constantly touring for books (or for whatever reason) is her style, not administrating nor legislating.