Thoughts about a flag

This is a thing with me.

I grew up with a dad who survived WWll and he brought us up to respect the flag.
It was flying off the porch on certain holidays...brought in at night and in bad weather...even folded in a particular way.

Now I see flags out 24/7 in the rain and sleet and snow.  
I see them hanging in tatters and faded although sometimes I wonder if that's an intentional symbolic act?

Often my neighbor's flag has blown off its support and is laying in the mud.

And then of course I think of John Prine and his song 'flag decal' a tongue in cheek comment on flags slapped on everything everywhere.

And clothes with flag prints...what's with that? underwear no less?

Flying from a pick up truck?

I'm having a hard time seeing so many more flags flying than ever and so often in what appears to me to be disrespect.

This thinking somehow survived even my more radical days.

Thoughts?

It's funny, I'm in a similar boat. I am not *at all* patriotic in the performative sense that everyone seems to accept and expect these days. I 100% support the right of protestors to burn the flag, though I don't personally want any part of that. But the casual neglect of the flag that's become so, so common -- it really pisses me off. Like, if you don't want to fly the flag, that's fine. But if you're going to, it comes with some responsibility!

Also, I just looked this up in case anyone else finds it an interesting skim: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_States_Flag_Code

(Note, these regulations on flag conduct are advisory only. That your flag underwear bothers Judith and me should in no way be taken as prohibition. )

My Dad was also a WW2 combat vet.
Our house had a stanchion, and the flag went up in the morning on certain days.
It was taken down and folded each night.
Flags were only allowed to remain up overnight if they had a spotlight shining on them.
For a while, during elementary school, I was a "flag" boy, and we were taught the rules for showing respect to the flag at all times.
During the Vietnam War, many of our soldiers came home in flag-draped coffins.
Protesters have burned our flag to show their unhappiness with the things our government appeared to be doing.
I certainly do not condone such behavior, but I understand why it was done.    
Flags stood for our love and respect for our country and those who fell defending it.

Flags were never intended to be a sign of political affiliation.
In my opinion, it shows complete and utter disrespect for the thousands of sons, daughters, brothers, and sisters who died to defend it.

The flag, at its most literal, is a piece of cloth in my eyes. It is a representation of something.

Most folks I know see a United States flag and it means... something to them. Some folks can agree that it generally might represent the government, or perhaps the history of our government, but there is variation in how they interpret it in the modern era.

I would say that my grandparents were probably viewed the flag in the most nationalistic sense due to their proximity to the draft and various wars. They followed the 'rules' to a T.

My father volunteered in the air force and sees the flag with a more political lens, displays it proudly, but might not adhere to bringing it in every night but definitely in bad weather.

I view the flag in my own way, I'd say arguably with less reverence than the older two generations, but I can see why they see it their way through their experiences.

To me, a flag is a flag. No shame in holding it with pride or having some other feelings towards its. How people treat the flag and for what reasons might give some insight to their own position.

I'm rambling, I hope this makes sense. I just had to get a new United States flag for my front porch after several years. I insist on utilizing as much natural material (cotton) for a flag so the colors fade faster. I'm appreciative of our local VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) club who accepts flags for disposal in an old mailbox. I tuck a little money into the flag for a donation and I rest easy knowing that they will be ceremonially burned with respect.