University of Maine student puts American flags on the floor

Annie · Apr 17, 2008

This student put numerous flags on the floor to see if students and teachers would walk on them or walk around. Some veterans got upset and I don't blame them. They have risked their lives to fight for our cournty and the flag is very important to them and to me. They may be teaching the students about freedom of speech, but are they teaching any patriotism at all or respect for the symbols of our country? And how is this art? I can't believe some of the things that are being called art today.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,351624,00.html

White Rain · Apr 17, 2008

Ok, what's the big deal?
That the flags were put on the floor?
Seems to me this turned out to be a POSITIVE thing...after all, 95% of peeps DIDN'T step on it. Doesn't that show SOMETHING?
I don't think this student set out to demean anyone.
My grandpa was in WWII, and I'm not offended by this....
Maybe I am getting the wrong idea of what this is about...if I am please, anyone fill me in.

White Rain · Apr 17, 2008

Annie said:
This student put numerous flags on the floor to see if students and teachers would walk on them or walk around. Some veterans got upset and I don't blame them. They have risked their lives to fight for our cournty and the flag is very important to them and to me. They may be teaching the students about freedom of speech, but are they teaching any patriotism at all or respect for the symbols of our country? And how is this art? I can't believe some of the things that are being called art today.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,351624,00.html

Ok, read back over your post....
You don't think they are teaching patriotism or respect?
What about the big to-do about the so-called rebel flag...SOMEHOW it has been turned into a symbol of racism, rather than a symbol of those who fought in the war....
Where's the respect for that?

White Rain · Apr 17, 2008

Maybe I am wrong here, I don't know....
but I think like this: My grandpa WWII Vet died when I was 10....
My grandma was given his flag at the funeral....
Even if my grandma HAD spread HIS flag on the ground for this experiment...I can't see grandpa objecting...rather I see him thrilled that at least 95% of people DID NOT walk across it.
If I thought for ONE instance my grandpa would be degraded by this I might jump on the bandwagon....

Annie · Apr 17, 2008

My father fought in WWII and was a prisoner of war for several months. My brother in law was injured on Iwo Jima. A cousin was killed in WWII. I was only a month old when the war started, but I know my dad always had respect for the flag. It is not just a piece of cloth, any more than a wedding ring is just a piece of metal to many people. It is a symbol of our country. I was a teacher for many years, now retired. My class took the responsibility of putting the school flag up each morning. I taught them how to fold the flag and care for it. We were very careful that it not touch the ground if we could help it. We said the Pledge of Allegiance each morning. I do not think one of my students would have thought of putting flags on the floor and calling it art. That is my point of view. I guess you don't agree with me, but I feel very strongly about it. Obviously some of the veterans were upset with it and even though the flags were removed after ten hours, I believe they said the experiment might be continued at a later time.

JBean · Apr 17, 2008

I thought if you put a flag on the floor it had to be burned? This is the ultimate in disrespect and I see why these vets are up in arms.

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/flagday/burnflag.asp

JBean · Apr 17, 2008

here is the current Flag Code. These are not enforceable laws, but rather voluntary etiquette.

http://www.usflag.org/flagetiquette.html

White Rain · Apr 17, 2008

JBean said:
I thought if you put a flag on the floor it had to be burned? This is the ultimate in disrespect and I see why these vets are up in arms.

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/flagday/burnflag.asp

I just brought this subject up with my hubby, whose daddy served in the Vietnam War...Hubby went NUTS and agreed, that if laid down it needed to be burned...
Ok, I will say for myself, I NEVER heard this, but hubby's dad was pretty high up in the military, and HUBBY WORSHIPS the ground his daddy walked on...so I will trust hubby on this....
I wish I had not even brought this up....hubby is all tore up now.

JBean · Apr 17, 2008

White Rain said:
I just brought this subject up with my hubby, whose daddy served in the Vietnam War...Hubby went NUTS and agreed, that if laid down it needed to be burned...
Ok, I will say for myself, I NEVER heard this, but hubby's dad was pretty high up in the military, and HUBBY WORSHIPS the ground his daddy walked on...so I will trust hubby on this....
I wish I had not even brought this up....hubby is all tore up now.

HI WR. be sure to read the link I posted

here it is again.

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/flagday/burnflag.asp

White Rain · Apr 17, 2008

JBean said:
HI WR. be sure to read the link I posted
here it is again.

http://www.snopes.com/holidays/flagday/burnflag.asp

Thank you, I will.

crypto6 · Apr 18, 2008

White Rain said:
Ok, read back over your post....
You don't think they are teaching patriotism or respect?
What about the big to-do about the so-called rebel flag...SOMEHOW it has been turned into a symbol of racism, rather than a symbol of those who fought in the war....
Where's the respect for that?

The Confederate flag certainly was hijacked and now its original meaning is almost lost.

To me the question with the US flag on the floor is indeed of respect: even if this is pitched as a quasi-experiment or art, it is disrespecful to those who served and those who waited. It capitalizes on those strong feelings for cheap publicity, and I believe service to our country is much more than fodder for for an art student's freshman concept of free speech.

C6

White Rain · Apr 18, 2008

I'm NOT saying another peep after huby ripped me a new one...and he knows more than I so I am ZIPPED!!!!

southcitymom · Apr 18, 2008

crypto6 said:
........I believe service to our country is much more than fodder for for an art student's freshman concept of free speech.

C6

Service to our country allows the art student freshman to have freedom of speech, so the two are inextricably intertwined.

Blondieskatz · Apr 18, 2008

It's very disrespectful. Why didn't one of the teachers say something?

My father, husband, cousins, nephews and a niece are all military. Maybe those that don't understand the controversy haven't been around the people that fought for what that flag means.

crypto6 · Apr 18, 2008

southcitymom said:
Service to our country allows the art student freshman to have freedom of speech, so the two are inextricably intertwined.

Didn't say they shouldn't have free speech, just be respectful when they exercise that freedom of how and why they have it. Just because some types of speech are allowed doesn't mean they should be used, and those who do reveal far more ugliness about themselves than any subject they may approach with those words.

C6

University of Maine student puts American flags on the floor

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