Posted on 06/14/2005 2:14:18 PM PDT by BladeLWS
With red stripes and white stars, the old mail drop box on the side of Route 214 serves as a reminder that while the symbol of America might be eternal, Old Glory itself won't last forever.
The Sons of the American Legion repainted the box and set it up outside Post 226 in Mayo as an easy way for area residents to drop off their worn flags for proper disposal. In the two weeks leading up to today's celebration of Flag Day, 100 flags were carefully placed inside, bringing the total number of tattered banners ready for burning to around 400.
"The response has been great; it's been overflowing for a couple days now," said Larry Treat, post commander.
Around the county today, residents are marking Flag Day with a variety of ceremonies. In downtown Annapolis, Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. arrived at Chick & Ruth's Delly to say the Pledge of Allegiance.
At Eastport Elementary, Flag Day was combined with the school's quarterly spirit assembly. The Republican Women of Anne Arundel County, who volunteer to help teach English as a second language to students, arranged for the celebration.
"It's part of our nation's history. It's important for them to learn as much as possible," said reading teacher Pat McQuade.
Each of the school's roughly 220 students received a miniature flag from the group, and Del. Herb McMillan, R-Annapolis, presented a new flag to the school.
The new flag soared over the U.S. Capitol on April 18, the 230th anniversary of Paul Revere's ride at the start of the American Revolution. U.S. Rep. Wayne Gilchrest, R-Kent, arranged for it to given to Eastport, said Harriet Burkhart, a club member who volunteers at the school.
"It's to help (the students) to learn respect for our flag and the reason it has importance," she said. "A lot of these students are coming from foreign countries, and it's to make them aware of the respect and reason we salute it."
For neophytes, the flag features 50 white stars, one for each state and alternating red and white stripes to stand for the original 13 Colonies.
Despite popular folklore citing Betsy Ross as the flag's designer, most historians believe its true creator was Francis Hopkinson, a member of the Continental Congress from New Jersey.
A Wisconsin schoolteacher arranged for a celebration of the "flag birthday" in 1885, and by 1949 Congress designated June 14 as Flag Day.
Lynn Davis, the assistant to Annapolis Postmaster George Olsen, said the three branches that serve the city recently dropped off about seven worn flags at the American Legion Post 7 in Crownsville for disposal.
"(They last) maybe six to nine months, then they starting looking raggy and getting horrible," she said.
The county goes through far more flags, spokesman Matt Diehl said. It flies the American symbol at roughly 50 locations including the Arundel Center, the courthouses, the libraries, police and fire headquarters, and both detention centers. The flags are replaced about three times a year.
People who need new flags generally appear at shops like CRW Flags before Memorial Day, co-owner Georgia Wyatt said. Flag Day isn't a big seller, although sometimes people drop off their old flags at the Glen Burnie store.
"It really doesn't compare to Fourth of July. A lot of people really don't remember," Ms. Wyatt said.
The length of the life of an outdoor flag depends on Mother Nature.
"The ozone (layer is) getting shot, and flags are not lasting as long as it used to," Ms. Wyatt said. "The ones that are turned in, we turn them over to American Legion or VFW."
The American Legion in Mayo will follow the U.S. Flag Code when it burns the flags tonight.
Anywhere from 50 to 100 people, including a chaplain and Boy Scouts, are expected to take part in the ceremony. Legion members will use two 55-gallon drums filled with kerosene to burn flags one at a time.
"They are not folded up and dropped in a bunch," said Mr. Treat, a Navy Vietnam veteran.
Kathy Cassidy of Edgewater, a member of the legion's auxiliary, said it's important for people to know there is a proper way to handle and dispose of a flag past its prime.
"I know a lot of times you see children playing with the flags and all, and they don't know how to respect the flag," she said.
what you mean you dont dispose of US flags by burning them? not by putting them in the trash? someone better tell the DNC and Newsweek.
It's Our flag,and Yes I know -to some it's just a symbol
Or our dearest Rights and Liberties That many fought
and osme have died to secureBut it's our flag- not some
Rainbow flag of a queer and captive nation -nor that of any
Other foreignport or station. It's our old Gloryand any
unwilling to defend her can rest secur eknowing that there
have been others willing to roll up thei rsleeves and do the dirty work for them.And yes I know unjust judges can say that desecration is just ok with them but not for me
It is not art,nor speech ,nothing that ought be protected
whenever it's been abused .Others can disagree with me.
But this is how I feel Because it is Our flag.
We were camping over the weekend. I properly disposed of about a dozen old flags in the firepit while we were there. No ceremoney, but did take time to explain to all the kids why I was doing it.
Most of them were car flags I picked up lying on the highway.
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