Handling the American Flag

Handling the American Flag - taken from the Girl Scout website.

Display of the American flag is governed by law to ensure that it will be treated with the respect due the flag of a great nation. This is known as the United States Flag Code. Some of the rules most useful for Girl Scouts are:

• The American flag must be placed in the center, and higher, when displayed with a group of state, local, or organizational flags flown from staffs. It may also be positioned to the right of other flags. (If girls were to hold the flag while facing their audience, their right side would be the flag's own right.)
• When displayed from a staff in a house of worship or public auditorium, the flag of the United States must hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the clergy's or speaker's right as he or she faces the audience. Any other flag so displayed should be placed on the left of the clergy or speaker or to the right of the audience.
• The flag is to be hoisted briskly and lowered slowly with dignity.
• The flag should never be allowed to touch anything beneath it, nor should it ever be carried flat or horizontally—always aloft and free.
• Never use the flag as a cover or place anything on top of it.
• No disrespect of any kind should be shown to the flag of the United States. It should be kept clean.
• The flag, when carried in a procession with other flags, should be either on the marching right or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line.
• When you display the flag on a wall or in a window where people see it from the street, it should be displayed flat with the blue part at the top and on the flag's own right (which is the observer's left).
• When displayed after dark, the flag should be illuminated.