airways

Indeed. I would never condone the burning of ones hosts flags nor would I ever do so as I would consider it hugely disrespectful. Neither would a swear allegiance to it either as I have one of my own and being overseas for work does not mean that I would be giving it up!!!! Tolerance for others and their customs is part of integrating into others culture and the success to living abroad. It has certainly worked fine so far in all the places I have lived!

Sally Redux

I do that, I do feel a little awkward.

When I first arrived I did the whole thing, but that felt odd.

We were at a school open evening and it came over the loudspeaker, one of the parents went, "Jeez, you gotta be kidding", the teacher said, "You don't need to do it" to everyone, there then followed a lot of shuffling and up and downing as people decided what to do.

cluedweasel

You could always take a leaf out of my mother-in-law's book. When she came to visit us in the UK, some of the local WI women took her to the local C of E church on Sunday morning. All was fine until it came to the national anthem. At the point she decided the bet course of action was to stand and sing "The tar Spangled Banner" as loud as she could over the top of "God Save the Queen".
The still took her back for tea and cake at the village hall afterward.

Ash UK/US

I would like to have seen some of the faces there!

Sally Redux

rpjs

My wife insisted on singing the words of "My Country 'Tis Of Thee" whenever GSTQ was played. Now we're Stateside I've threatened to learn the words of "Anacreon In Heaven", the 18th Century British drinking song that lent its tune to TSSB, in retaliation, but she warns me I'd be unlikely to get away with it unscathed!

ian-mstm

This reminds me of one of the (very few) thought-provoking episodes of the early-70s TV show "Room 222". During the day, a student created a small scultpure depicting the US flag upside down in a toilet. During the evening, a night student smashed the sculpture. When the two were finally brought together to discover the whys and wherefores, we discover that the night student had fled his country because people were being tortured and were suffering other such human rights abuses. He held America to be the savior of his life and his family's life... and he was so angered by the sculpture - the thought of the US flag being desecrated in such a manner - that he destroyed it. The day student was a young black girl, who had also suffered - in her case, a victim of ghetto and gang violence, and a victim of discrimination by others around her. She created the sculpture because it was her right to say that the laws had failed to keep her safe... that she wasn't satisfied with the way things were. So... two different attitudes reflecting their own POV.

Ian

Redwing

The pledge is said at the start of our local council meetings. You would be surprised at the location of some people's hearts, plus those who don't recite the pledge. And these are people born and raised in the USA.

nettlebed

Shocking decline in biology education, courtesy of the Fundies, probably...

nettlebed

And almost NOBODY abides by proper flag etiquette, BTW: it's not supposed to be flown between sundown and sunup...

Sally Redux

Yes I noticed that. My parents had some American friends who carefully took their flag down each night, but around here dirty and tattered flags are just left in situ.

Ash UK/US

I thought it could if it had a light shining on it?

Yorkieabroad

unless its lit up

Yorkieabroad

oops

Yorkieabroad

Have to say, I think thats out of order. If it had been my MIL I'd have escorted her from the building and given her a lesson on etiquette and respecting ones hosts..........