Your July 4th decorations likely violate US flag code. How to properly care for the flag

Grace Tucker, Cincinnati Enquirer

Independence Day is around the corner, so you may be stocking up on American flag-themed paper plates, T-shirts and the like.

If you are, congratulations! You're violating flag code.

Chances are most Americans have violated United States Flag Code, with an uptick of infractions coming on the Fourth of July.

The code, approved by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1942, provides guidelines for the display and care of the flag. Its most prolific section is on how to properly respect the flag, where it advises Americans to never let the flag touch the ground and to never display it with the union down.

There's also an extensive section outlining the proper use of the flag for "advertising purposes," condemning the use of the flag symbol as a way of accessorizing clothing or other products.

Here's which rules to take into account before you buy your Fourth of July decor.

U.S. flag code outlines rules for flag-themed decor, clothing

  • The flag should not be used as a form of clothing, bedding or drapery.

  • Do not use the flag as a covering for a ceiling.

  • The flag should never be used as a vessel for carrying or delivering anything.

  • The flag should not be printed on paper napkins, paper plates or anything that is designed to be discarded.

  • No part of the flag should be used as a costume or athletic uniform.

The rules clarify that military personnel, firefighters, police officers and members of patriotic organizations can pin flag patches to their uniforms, specifically on the left lapel near the heart.

How to properly hang, display the U.S. flag

  • When the U.S. flag is hung on a wall of any kind, it should be laid flat to avoid folds in the fabric.

  • When suspended over a street, the flag should be hung with the union facing north or east according to the direction of the street.

  • Never display the flag with the union down unless you are signaling distress.

  • When hanging the flag somewhere, do not let it touch the ground.

  • If displaying the U.S. flag on a staff alongside other flags, the U.S. flag must be positioned at the top of the staff.

  • No other flag may be flown above or to the right of the U.S. flag, except at the United Nations headquarters.

Is damaging, defacing the U.S. flag illegal in Ohio?

As stated in the Ohio Revised Code, purposefully defacing, damaging, polluting or physically mistreating the U.S. flag could be charged as a second-degree misdemeanor.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Your July 4th decorations likely violate US flag code. Rules to know

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