It's true, our flag is just a piece of cloth, a tangible object that's easily replaced with another cheap, Made-in-China copy.
What's sometimes missing from the discussion is the flag's significance as a symbol, which can mean different things to different people. For some, the Red, White & Blue instills jingoistic fervor, a justification for violence against a foreign enemy. For others, the flag represents certain ideals of what perhaps best describes America, e.g., the notion of liberty.
I'm glad to live in a place where it's permissible to burn an American flag, although I think such protestors are misguided. Better to burn an effigy of, say, Johnson, Bush II, or Obama, than Old Glory.
It's good to see the OP post a question about proper flag etiquette. It seems nowadays that the notion of nationhood, while always contested in our history, is fast becoming a footnote in our classrooms, meeting places, and media. What's more important is the latest smart phone app or blind subservience to the powers that be.
But maybe there's hope for us still if someone take the time to figure out how to proudly display the flag on his Made-in-America Goldwing...
