The American Flag

[Taem]

I was at my son's month end Boy Scouts meeting tonight and it was time to retire three tattered flags. I've never been through this ceremony before, but found myself excited over what I was hearing. In the back of my mind, I do believe I had heard this information before, yet somehow forgot it, a feeling of finding lost treasure! When I was a child, I always found ceremonies to be drab and quite dull, however not this time.

First the scouts all congregated around a fire pit in their respective dens, i.e. wolves, bears, etc. Then the scout master made an announcement about the solemn ceremony we were about to partake of, then the scouts each took turns reading bits of information about the flag. Finally, the scouts took the torn and tattered flags and one at a time, draped them over the flames of the fire pit and skillfully set them to rest. The scout master said after all the flags were retired that they would take the ashes and bury them respectfully. All in all, I'd have to say it was a beautiful ceremony and I thoroughly enjoyed it!

But now my dilemma; the scout master said the red in our flag stands for the blood shed from the wars we fought, the white the undiluted purity of our nations spirit, the blue background for the tyranny we overcame - I understand this was from Brittan, however I think it applies towards all tyranny that rises up against our nation -, and the stars our states placed significantly over the blue to represent our unified dominance over the tyranny. She got her information from a book called Stars And Stripes Forever.

I got home rather excited about what I heard, and still intend to check out this book from my local library tomorrow, however after a little bit of searching on the net for what the American Flag stood for, I got rather varying accounts, such as this, and this.

June 14, 1777, congress declares the flag should have thirteen white stars in a blue background and thirteen alternate red and white stripes. The red means hardiness and valor. White signifies purity and innocence. Blue is the color of the Chief. The star symbolizes heaven and the goal all man have been striving for. The stripe is a ray of light from the sun. The first thirteen states were; Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island.

Apart from the numbers of stars and stripes representing the number of current and original states, respectively, and the union with its stars representing a constellation, there is no legally defined symbolism to the colors and shapes on the flag. However, folk theories and traditions abound; for example, that the stripes refer to rays of sunlight and that the stars refer to the heavens, the highest place that a person could aim to reach.

Anyways, I really like what the cub scouts had to say about the American Flag and using that as a motto makes be proud to salute the American flag. I wish I could remember everything she said about it, but perhaps when I get this book and read about it, I'll be a little more knowledgeable.

[--Pete]

Hi,

" . . . folk theories and traditions abound . . .

That just about sums it up. As to the colors, check out the Union Jack.

Meanwhile, when your BS detector goes off, you need to check snopes. Like here or here.

BTW, while books can be a good source, remember that anyone can write a book and that they are *not* peer reviewed. As far as I know, only one book claims to be 'gospel', and it is filled with nonsense and lies.

--Pete

EDIT: Thinking back to my sea scout days, I seem to remember that signal flags are also folded into a cocked hat. There is some material left over after the last full triangular fold which is tucked under the last fold. Only the grommets by which the flag is bent to the halyard remain out. The flags are hauled up folded, with the tuck helping to keep them so, and then all the flags are exposed at once with a snap of the halyard. There were a number of reasons for this. the cocked hat with tuck helped to keep the flags neat in their locker. Raising them folded help to prevent them fouling each other or the rigging (especially important in the hemp rope days). And, in naval operations, the opening of the flags was the moment of action. This is somewhat important in fleet actions when the ships were in line, for if the flags were unfurled as they were being raised, the ships closest to the admiral's (hence 'flagship') would get the word first and further away ships would see it later. However, because of the limited visibility in sail ships in line ahead, 'repeater' frigates where often used. I have no idea of the details.

One of my favorite stories of Lord Nelson has to do with signal flags: From the article on Nelson:
Parker sent the signal for Nelson to withdraw, . . .

Nelson . . . then turned to his flag captain, Thomas Foley and said 'You know, Foley, I have only one eye. I have a right to be blind sometimes.' He raised the telescope to his blind eye, and said 'I really do not see the signal.'

That statement has passed down in British naval tradition as "I see no flag."

[Nystul]

Meanwhile, when your BS detector goes off, you need to check snopes. Like here or here.

That second one is interesting. I've folded my share of American flags, and probably made 13 folds almost every time (the fixed proportions of the flag should make this inevitable barring an incredibly loose fold), but I've never counted the folds, been told there are to be 13 folds (until today), or heard any ceremonial script providing significance to each fold. If it comes out looking like a blue paper football with some white stars on it, it's a good fold in my book. I suppose that would not be a fitting explanation to include in a military memorial service.

[--Pete]

Hi,

That second one is interesting. I've folded my share of American flags, and probably made 13 folds almost every time (the fixed proportions of the flag should make this inevitable barring an incredibly loose fold), but I've never counted the folds, been told there are to be 13 folds (until today), or heard any ceremonial script providing significance to each fold. If it comes out looking like a blue paper football with some white stars on it, it's a good fold in my book. I suppose that would not be a fitting explanation to include in a military memorial service.

Like you, I've folded my fair share of flags and didn't know about the 13 folds until recently. Amazingly enough, it was a Jeopardy! 'question' in the last few weeks. Serendipity, I guess. :)

--Pete