ANSWERS: 1
  • An upside-down American flag is generally understood as a sign of distress. But it has also been used as an expression of protest by both the political left and the political right. While some may consider such expressions of protest disrespectful, they remain a protected form of speech.

    The official meaning

    The Federal Flag Code, which regulates the proper use and treatment of the American flag, was first enacted in 1942 under President Franklin D. Roosevelt and re-enacted with minor changes by Congress in 1976 for the American bicentennial. Paragraph 8 of the Code asserts that "no disrespect should be shown to the flag of the United States of America," adding that "the flag should never be displayed with union down, except as a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property."

    As political protest

    People have flown the flag upside-down not only as a "signal of dire distress" but also as expressions of protest.

    Protests on the political left

    Political protesters on the left, for instance, displayed the inverted flag to denounce the Iraq war and the perceived loss of civil liberties under the George W. Bush administration.

    Protest on political right

    Right-wing protesters, meanwhile, have displayed the inverted flag to protest the policies of President Barack Obama.

    Flying the flag upside-down is not illegal

    Protesters who have flown the flag upside-down have at times been intimidated by their political adversaries and law enforcement officials. But though some people may deem such protests offensive and disrespectful, they are not illegal. Legally, the flag code is only declaratory and advisory; it does not specify punishments or penalties and does not proscribe conduct. Thus far, legislative efforts to make flag desecration punishable have failed. The Supreme Court has repeatedly affirmed that even the destruction of the flag is a protected form of speech.

    Source:

    Report to Congress: "The United States Flag: Federal Law Relating to Display and Associated Questions"

    Inverted Flag as Protest (Political Left)

    Inverted Flag as Protest (Political Right)

    More Information:

    The Supreme Court and Flag Burning

Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC

Answerbag | Terms of Service | Privacy Policy