Julie's Journal
Good girls have diaries... Bad girls have blogs!We decided to beat the heat and get out of town at the last minute on Friday. Of course we chose to go camping, and of course we chose to head to Mt. Charleston. (Side note: If you ever take a Vegas vacations you have to drive up to Mt. Charleston, it’s gorgeous!)
It was the last full weekend before school starts here, which I totally spaced on until we got up there and found out that all the campgrounds were full. To accommodate the people that didn’t have reservations (i.e. us) they opened up Old Mill day picnic area to overnight camping. You have to park in a parking lot and trek all your equipment back up into your spot, but it ended up being really nice, and semi-private.
As we were leaving on Sunday, we drove by the camp host station to throw away our trash, and I looked over to wave good bye to him. I was completely caught off guard by this.
See the American flag? It’s upside down! What is THAT all about? What does that mean? I’ve never seen one hung like that, but that CAN’T be a good thing, right??!!??!!
[tags]Las Vegas, Mt. Charleston, American flag[/tags]
Comments
Funny you should post this. I was watching a show on the arrest and conviction of Leonard Peltier: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Peltier.
The American Indian Movement used to fly the American flag upside down. It could be an AIM person or just someone disgruntled.
Lisas last blog post..Just Whining – Nothing to See Here
Johan on 11 August, 2008 at 10:59 am You’re not familiar with an upside down flag?
Bubba on 11 August, 2008 at 11:03 am Fling the flag upside down means “distress”
I fly mine upside down because the country is in distress
The upside down U.S. flag is an official signal of distress. It is not meant to be, and is not officially recognized as any type of disrespect when so displayed for the right reasons. To the contrary, here is the relevant part of the US Code of Laws regarding how to fly the flag when in distress:
THE FLAG CODE
Title 36, U.S.C., Chapter 10
As amended by P.L. 344, 94th Congress
Approved July 7, 1976
Thanks Lisa! How have I lived all these years and not seen one flown like that, or even knew what it was about?
So, what was the distress signal about?
Johan – apparently not. LOL!
Bubba – thanks, good to know! I had NO idea.
Mark on 11 August, 2008 at 11:58 am He was obviously distressed at the fact you were leaving!
Maybe they were sippin’ on Moonshine when they put it up.
Regretful Mornings last blog post..John Chow Can Blow Me
Oh Mark, I love how you think!
Julie, if you head out to Pahrump, you will see a lot of upside down flags. At least there were a lot there back in the late 80’s and early 90’s.
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I’m just as baffled as you Jules, i have never seen one upside down either. And i use to be member of the American Legion.
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Very interesting Jules. Lisa nailed it with the American conduct code of the flag. Some examples of when this has been properly used has been with occupied US Embassies, overseas bases, and prisons. Your instance is far more odd, but made for an interesting post! ~Jerry
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Regardless of its meaning, I think his intent is shrouded in mystery. I’ve never seen an upside-down flag either.
Rage caused a stir quite a few years ago with an upside down flat behind them when they performed on SNL.
My husband has a backwards American flag on his military uniform, and apparently that means that he’s stationed state-side.
Just another bit of flag trivia, I guess.
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One of our non-English-speaking workers at my kids’ elementary school was in charge of hanging the flag every morning. (That right there is a shame in itself. When I was a kid, kids were on flag duty – and that is how I learned Am. flag etiquette. anyhoo..)
She would unfold it messily (and rumple it to take it back in!) Ok, I’m over it, I swear! Just cuz it’s been 8yrs or so, doesn’t mean anything – LOL
One day, though, she hung it upside down. I told my friend and he told me that was a sign of distress and was very wrong of her to do. I immediately called the school and had them fix it. Crazy.
Wonder what happened in your campground? Hmm…
I read a book recently (”Amerika” by Brauna E. Pouns) that had an this symbol on the front. It was about a Russian takeover of the US. I wasn’t sure what it meant either, so I figured it was symbolic of the overturning of what and who we are. So it’s nice to get other views!
I RISE on 14 September, 2008 at 7:19 am for those of you who do not know what the upside down flag means…..or do not know that our nation is in distress…..YOU ARE PART OF THE PROBLEM.
Gino on 19 September, 2008 at 1:49 pm Watch “Last Castle” with Robert Redford (a very good movie) it takes place in a military prison and they briefly talk about a U.S. Flag hung upside down.
A lot of political activist call upon people to hang their flag upside down because of the current military situation in Iraq, the financial and employment lows state side and for DISAPPROVAL on how OUR elected leaders are choosing to run this country.
check out music artist/political speaker Immortal Technique (his newest concert t-shirts show a black/white flag upside down on the back).
Gino, thank you for the information about the flag. I thought I was making an honest mistake not knowing what it meant, but some comments here make me think that I was a complete moron. I am well aware and agree that our country is in distress.
