Did Glenn Beck Violate US Flag Code Live On Fox News?

Glenn Beck, and many like him, love to use the image ( whether literal or methaphorical ) of the American Flag to promote their own particular style of "patriotism".  In regards to states rights, the rights of the individual, or to lambast percieved unpatriotic behavior in those with whome they disagree, these conservatives ( most ofen those within the fringe elements of the movement: ie birthers, nativists, racists, and outright lunatics ) will use the image of the American Flag not to promote what it means to the nation but to attempt to give credance to whatever they are attempting to pass off at the moment.

cross-posted at my personal blog 43-Ideas-Per-Minute

These same people are also the first ones to cry foul when someone else uses the flag as a demonstrative tool and, in one fashion or another, violates US Flag Code.  And it seems that this code doesn't apply to them.  Observe.

US Flag Code clearly states:

(a)(1) Whoever knowingly mutilates, defaces, physically defiles, burns, maintains on the floor or ground, or tramples upon any flag of the United States shall be fined under this title or imprisoned for not more than one year, or both.

(b) As used in this section, the term 'flag of the United States' means any flag of the United States, or any part thereof, made of any substance, of any size, in a form that is commonly displayed.

....a flag is a flag or anything "by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag."

The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in such a manner as to permit it to be easily torn, soiled, or damaged in any way.

Is this to say that Beck should be taken to jail and fined?  Not really.  It is simply to point out the rnak hypocrisy that he has for the image of the country that he claims to love.

Of course, Glenn Beck isn't the only one to have violated the flag code.  His favorite woman on the planet recently had a photo take where the flag literally was a stage prop.

The fringe conservatives, who's ideals and voices are becoming more of a mainstream portion of the movement as a whole, are filled with such hypocritical gasbaggery when it comes to the flag that it is no longer suprising when they act in such a manner.

•  Tip Jar

  by aironlater on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 05:47:23 AM PDT

  •  But, their heroes do it.

    

    

    So it's A-OK!

    by second gen on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 08:01:09 AM PDT

•  aoeu

  The punishments are unenforceable, free speech.

  by TealVeal on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:06:00 AM PDT

  •  Demonstrates a huge amount of Disrespect

    by Glen Beck.

    Glen Beck Hates America.

    by ROGNM on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:10:37 AM PDT

  •  This is true, but

    considering that the "respect" for the US Flag is a cornerstone of the conservative movement, one would think that they should be held to their own standards.  Of course, no one in the conservative movement actually believes that they have to abide by their own "rules".

    by aironlater on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:39:26 AM PDT

    •  My neighbor

      who displays about 20 flags on his property year round, never takes them down, day or night, rain or shine.  They are frayed, torn and in general poor conditon.  

      As a patriot, I asked his why he disrespected the flag so much, and he said, "Fuck you.  I am displaying my patriotism, it's a right.  If you hate America so much, move to Canada."

      That's the level of thought that goes with the territory.  He can disrespect the flag because he's being patriotic.  If I point out the disrespect, I hate America.  

      by Nada Lemming on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 08:02:18 AM PDT

•  Minivans with beat-up American flags...

  ...we've all seen them, faded little flags lashed to the antennaes of faded minivans. Flapped to shreds by years of 50+ mph winds. Sadly bemoaning the jinogistic predliections of their neglectful owners.

  I've actually approached drivers to politely suggest that it's well past time that they properly dispose of said flags and consider not putting up another one.

  What would you do if someone asked you to do that? The people I've approached get angry because they see my request as a judgement on their jingoism, and it is. I suspect many also have an anti-intellectual reaction since I usually refer them to the US flag code. My guess is the cognitive dissonance doesn't help them recover from their initial reaction.

  I know all this, but the progressive imp in me loves to culture jam the jingos.

  by Enterik on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:08:04 AM PDT

•  OUR GLAG

  I've seen Old Glory used on balloons, the New York Post, skimpy bathing suits, and Rush Limbaugh's podcast.  Therefore, the flag code should be amended to forbid use of the flag as:

  exploding hot air
  fish wrap
  butt floss
  more hot air

  by eqwinter on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:15:03 AM PDT

  •  Is GLAG a new term

    For Flag Use that makes you Gag?

    by slippytoad on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 07:04:22 AM PDT

•  As usual, it's okay if ...

  the person who does it is Republican/conservative/self-righteous, etc.

  by etbnc on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:15:54 AM PDT

•  The Flag Code was written by kooks

  probably religious nutcases who view inanimate objects as something sacred.

  Should we take a ball of silk and debate at what point life begins for a US flag?

  by Detroit Mark on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:16:28 AM PDT

  •  Probably nylon.

    And, since many US flags are born in China, shouldn't they be subject to the famous "one flag" policy?

    by RonV on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:27:08 AM PDT

    •  I wanna see the birth certificate!!! n/t

      by SilentBrook on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 07:26:56 AM PDT

•  I can't vote in this poll ...

  I'm afraid my brain will explode trying to decide.

  by susanala on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:20:41 AM PDT

•  A code which...

  ...is violated daily.  Flags are publicly displayed in all kinds conditions including rain and high winds, weather that will surely inflict damage over time.  Agree with above, the code should be rewritten.  

  by boran2 on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:39:36 AM PDT

•  Short answer

  No

  The so-called flag code is a joke.  You can tell that when bubbas wear flag patches on the butt of their designer jeans.

  Or so-called "patriots" let their flags stay on their lighted flagpoles, day and night, rain, hail, snowstorm, hurricane and duststorm.  Until they are so faded and tattered you can barely tell whether it's a flag or their girlfriend's underwear.

  by TarheelDem on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:39:56 AM PDT

  •  agree with you 100%, but

    this diary is merely to point out the standard by which conservatives live extends only to others and not themselves.

    by aironlater on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:46:24 AM PDT

    •  This is news?

      Golly there are a lot of liberals who have been sheltered for the past 45 years.

      by TarheelDem on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 07:02:31 AM PDT

      •  Certainly not sheltered

        Merely stating the facts.

        by aironlater on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 07:31:58 AM PDT

•  An aside, from a former cub scout, WeBeLo, and

  boy scout: One thing about all of the people here in the US flying flags from their cars, mailboxes, etc, is that they are actually, ironically, marring the flag by not caring for it properly.

  You're really not even supposed to fly the flag overnight, unlit.

  So in a way, most probably unbeknownst to these would-be patriots, they are desecrating the flag by letting it fly at all hours, flap to tatters in the airstream rushing past their SUVs, etc.

  Not that those rules ever made much sense to me; I'm just sayin' ...

  by Cenobyte on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:41:40 AM PDT

•  Looks like he desecrated it to me.

  Wingnuts hate America.

  by Bush Bites on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:52:09 AM PDT

•  YES

  No words are supposed to be on the flag.

  Each of his stars had the name of a state.

  Of course, that is minor compared to removing the stars from the Union.

  by michaeledward on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 06:55:03 AM PDT

•  Glenn Beck's hypocritical stupidity

  Knows no bounds.  The self-assured who with one word scathingly condemn those they oppose, and with the next do exactly what they condemn . . . are fucking idiots.

  by slippytoad on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 07:05:58 AM PDT

•  1st Amendment

  The SC has ruled that if you are defacing the Flag as part of an expression of speech then you are protected by the 1st Amendment from the US Flag Code.  As bad as this was the kook does have free speech rights.  

  by UTRepub on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 07:13:17 AM PDT

  •  Yes, and ...

    that's not really the point of the diary, dontcha think?

    by etbnc on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 08:00:09 AM PDT

•  My sister pointed this out on my Facebook

  when I linked to the video of Beck. She cited a different part:

  Perhaps we should alert Glenn Beck of Title 4, Chapter 1 of the U.S. Flag Code, item number 10, which states:

  "10. Modification of rules and customs by President
  Any rule or custom pertaining to the display of the flag of the United States of America, set forth herein, may be altered, modified, or repealed, or additional rules with respect thereto may be prescribed, by the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, whenever he deems it to be appropriate or desirable; and any such alteration or additional rule shall be set forth in a proclamation"
  ... Read More
  Last I checked he was not the president, so what is he doing trying to change the flag?

  by Elise on Fri Jul 24, 2009 at 07:38:22 AM PDT

•  Flag Code

  Aironlater's diary entry regarding the Flag Code is wrong. The Flag Code is just one section of the US Code. The quoted portion is not a part of the Flag Code, although to be fair, the web site it was derived from gives all sections of the US Code relating to flags as if it was a part of the Flag Code.

  If one reads the preamble of the cited section carefully (which was not presented in the diary), the cited flag laws are for the District of Columbia only. They are not part of the Flag Code. Additionally, the US Supreme Court decided in 1989 that these types of anti-flag desecration laws are unconstitutional.

  Americans have always been free to treat the flag as they think appropriate. Even with the Flag Code, which was a resolution of Congress, not a law, there are no penalties or legal ramifications for violating it. The attempts to legislate flag desecration would change that. Let's hope they continue to be unsuccessful.

  by Vexman on Sat Jul 25, 2009 at 08:06:21 AM PDT