The Flag Code states that the flag should never be worn. (Section 8d): "The flag should never be used as wearing apparel."
On May 5th, some high school students had a bit of a problem with their attire. It seems the administration thought they were being disrespectful of the Mexican-American students by wearing
American flag t-shirts to school. They were sent home and asked to apologize. One of the future voters had this to say regarding an apology:
"I'm not going to apologize. I did nothing wrong," Galli said. "I went along with my normal day. I might have worn an American flag, but I'm an American and I'm proud to be an American."
I think they and the administrators should be put in a room and made to read the
Flag Code.
According to the Flag Code, a flag is anything "by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag."
The words "flag, standard, colors, or ensign", as used herein, shall include any flag, standard, colors, ensign, or any picture or representation of either, or of any part or parts of either, made of any substance or represented on any substance, of any size evidently purporting to be either of said flag, standard, colors, or ensign of the United States of America or a picture or a representation of either, upon which shall be shown the colors, the stars and the stripes, in any number of either thereof, or of any part or parts of either, by which the average person seeing the same without deliberation may believe the same to represent the flag, colors, standard, or ensign of the United States of America.
Source: Flag Code, Section 3
Therefore, a flag includes any representation of it of any substance, with stars and stripes of any number. This would include T-shirts and ties.
You should never sign the flag directly on it. If your flag has a canvas strip that holds the grommets, it is acceptable to have everyone sign along that canvas strip. Or, you can have everyone sign a separate document that can then be framed and displayed with the flag.
GW Bush hasn't read the Flag Code either.
