Flagbox

Ever wonder what to do with an old flag? Well, honestly, not me. I know from my way back days in Girl Scouts that you are supposed to do something, but I just never asked what it was. I remember vaguely that when it hits the ground you are supposed to burn it, but when it gets old? And in college burning a flag was a very bad thing - didn't someone (or many someones) get arrested for that? So what on earth are you supposed to do with your old flags?

Apparently you can take them to your local America Legion post and drop them in this little mailbox - guess it's a flagbox - thing. Some local governments take old unusable flags to properly dispose of them, but not all are equipped to do so. In case you are wondering, this box is over in Vienna, VA somewhere - just drive around and you'll find it. I did.

As for the burning, well, apparently that is considered "dignified." I wonder if it is like flushing your goldfish - something that is not very dignified at all made into something sacred. Standing over a toilet is not my idea of dignified, but it sure makes the little kids happy. Guess the flag burning is along those same lines. Not really dignified on first blush, but after a bit you see that the flag did it's duty and now you are putting it to rest.

There are flag resources out there like this one, so peek around the next time you have a flag - look for the Legion's flagbox, and when all else fails...well...we're back to that weird burning thing again.