Dear Crabby, Do you Fly the Flag on Memorial Day?

Dear Crabby, Do you Fly the Flag on Memorial Day?

Sincerely, Starr White

Dear Starr,

Of course I do and you better do the same! You know, as proud Americans, the Crabby Family displays the flag everyday. To avoid the sunrise to sunset rule, we illuminate our US Flag at night, so it flies around the clock.

But if you’re a kind of part-time patriot, then you should honor our country by showing the Stars and Stripes on all National Holidays, as well as Inauguration Day, Lincoln’s Birthday, Washington’s Birthday, Easter Sunday, Mother’s Day, Armed Forces Day, Flag Day, Constitution Day, Navy Day, State Birthdays, and State Holidays … you can see why we just went with the everyday plan.

Memorial Day is just a little special however. Unlike the other days, on Memorial Day – the last Monday of May – you need to raise the flag quickly to the top for a moment, then lowered slowly to half-staff until 12 noon. And then raised to the top for the rest of the day. This is to pay honor to all the men and women who have died in defense of our nation. At sunset, lower the flag slowly and ceremoniously, then remove and store the flag properly.

One year, a long time ago when I was a kid, my father had this great idea to display the flag on all those special days. It was my job to put the flag up at sunrise. Well, I misunderstood the rules and on Memorial Day I put the flag to half-staff and forgot about the 12 noon thing. He noticed that afternoon when family started to show up for our big BBQ. Someone mentioned it and boom, I could hear my father screaming my name. Reporting to the back yard I felt like a private in his first week of the Army. Drill Sargent Dad re-explained the flag rule for Memorial Day to me.

After raising the flag to the top, I was ordered to stand to attention facing the flag until dinner was served. It seemed like hours. But I learned my lesson that day … and I quickly passed along that family tradition to my kids and now the grand kids. Of course, when they mess-up a flag rule, not only do they have to stand to attention, they must salute too.

Happy Memorial Day!

Dear Crabby

 

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About Dear Crabby

Stuck in a rut? Need some biased advice from a crabby old baby-boomer? Read regularly by thousands and loved by some, Dear Crabby answers questions weekly to life's challenges. Send him a note at editor@rochestermedia.com.

Comments

  1. Yes I fly my flag proudly but why isn’t there a parade this year In Rochester?
    Thank you

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