Flags wear out but patriotism doesn’t and there is a honorable way to dispose of an American Flag
American Legion Post 28 held its third flag retirement ceremony at the Veterans’ Memorial next to the Civic Auditorium in downtown Clarksdale. The event was held Monday evening in conjunction with Flag Day.
Approximately 2,000 tattered and worn flags were retired and ceremonially burned by local vets and local Boy Scout and Cub Scouts participating each June 14.
“We’re going to try to get a better handle on it and do this annually and possibly do it in the fall where it’s cooler,” said American Legion Post 28 Commander Tom Jones.
Jones said members of the community brought flags to American Legion Post 28 for the ceremony.
“People have worn out flags and they’ll call up and say, ‘What are we supposed to do with them?’” Jones said. “Well, we’ll take them. We also have a flag disposal. It looks like a mailbox over there by Firestone right across the street and you can place your flags in there.”
Jones spoke during the ceremony.
“Today is Flag Day whereas it is fitting and proper that flags that have been used for the decoration of graves on Memorial Day be collected after such service, inspected, and worn and unserviceable flags be condemned and properly destroyed; and whereas our flag we love and cherish, whereas in proper service of tribute and memory and love, our flag becomes faded and worn and must be honorably retired from life; and whereas such retirement of flags that have become unserviceable may be done in public with respectable and honorable rites,” said Jones Monday night.
Retiring the flags is part of the United States code for flags. Even the ashes must be honorably disposed of.
“The United States has codes that set the law of the land,” Jones said. “One of the codes is how to treat the flag with respect and honor. And when it comes time to get rid of the flags, this is what the law says. It will be burned and retired. You don’t bury them. They don’t touch the ground. They are not treated with disrespect.”
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