Flag Folding Ceremony Banned Nationwide
Posted on October 26, 2007
Through thousands of military burials, Memorial Honor Detail volunteers at Riverside National Cemetery have folded the American flag 13 times and recited the significance of every fold to survivors of those being laid to rest.
The first fold, a narrator tells relatives, represents life, the second a belief in eternal life.
The 11th fold celebrates Jewish war veterans and “glorifies the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”
A single complaint lodged against the words for the 11th fold recently prompted the National Cemetery Administration to ban the entire recital at all 125 national cemeteries.
A spokesman in Washington said the complaint originated from someone who witnessed the ceremony at Riverside National but would provide no other details and declined to release the directive banning the flag-folding recital, saying it was “an internal working document not meant for public distribution.”
Veterans are furious.
So am I, but before I interject…one quote from my favorite former ACLU lawyer:
“That the actions of one disgruntled, whining, narcissistic and intolerant individual is preventing veterans from getting the honors they deserve is truly an outrage,” said Rees Lloyd, 59, a Vietnam-era veteran and Memorial Honor Detail volunteer. “This is another attempt by secularist fanatics to cleanse any reference to God.”
Luckily, Liberty Pundit thinks just like I do, and says exactly the same thing I would.
Here’s a suggestion: how about letting the families of the fallen decide what religion they want to “endorse†at the funeral? If they’re Jewish, go with that. If they’re Catholic, run with it. You get the idea. If someone attending is offended by that, then that’s their problem. It’s a funeral, after all…it’s not about them. Put on your tinfoil hat or buy a helmet, and then get on with your life.
It’s just one assault on religion after another in this country lately, and I’m getting sick and tired of it. I’m not a particularly religious person myself (I don’t belong to any certain religion, but I’m a Christian and I certainly believe in God), but this notion that we can’t have God — any God — in public ceremonies is just getting out of hand. As the saying goes, when you believe in nothing, you’ll fall for anything. Anti-religion liberals want God out of our lives completely, because once they do that, it’s easier to brainwash people into following them.
And to all those Constitutional “scholars†out there, there is no amendment that says the government can’t participate in religion. All the amendment says is that the government will not endorse one particular religion over another. That is, the government cannot establish a national religion or church.
Makes it easy for me to just say, Amen brother! The Constitution is not a living document that changes with the wind. Its supposed to be a solid foundation that protects religion. While this particular case may not involve groups like the ACLU directly, it is rooted from the political correctness they have planted and fostered.
Vets plan to ignore the ban. Once again…Rees Lloyd
“It’s outrageous,” he says bluntly. “These are decisions that should be made by the families of our deceased veteran comrades and not by Washington bureaucrats — and most certainly not by any narcissistic, disaffected, offended atheist, agnostic, or any other [person] who is upset or offended by the word ‘God’ or a religious symbol which might offend his delicate sensibilities.”
Lloyd vows that even if there are “a hundred-million offended atheists,” he and other American Legionnaires will stand against the ban.
“We will defy this ban, pure and simple,” he states. “If the families ask us to recite the flag-folding ceremony, we will abide by the wishes of the family — not [by the wishes of] some bureaucrat sitting in an air-conditioned office in Washington, DC, or some lawyer wearing a diaper back there whose main mission in life is to protect his own behind instead of standing up for the American people and saying enough is enough.”
Lloyd, who is a California civil rights attorney, says he and his allies at the Alliance Defense Fund are considering their legal options.
The NCA has taken the cowardly route of banning the ceremony. Instead of telling the one complaining individual to get over himself, or of taking a common-sense approach of simply clearing the ceremony with the family before its recital, the NCA just washed its hands and walked away. Our veterans deserve better than that. They didn’t just wash their hands and walk away, and they didn’t stop serving when they had a hell of a lot more reason to complain than the one weepy individual who can’t bear the mention of God at a funeral.
Also hear Cao’s podcast on this.
» Filed Under 1st Amendment, ACLU, Church And State, Fallen Heros, History, News
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15 Responses to “Flag Folding Ceremony Banned Nationwide”
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I suppose we should contact the National Cemetery Administration and complain about their depriving solders of their right to free expression. Whoever that action came from is as bright as a burnt out light bulb as the government allows religious expression of various types on the graves themselves in the form of symbols. I suppose they could not make the connection which is probably as simple as adding 1 and 1 and getting 2. We are definitely overpaying whomever it is. Fire them and hire someone more competent for the job.
Whoah, whoah, people slow down for a second:
Look, I was Base Honor Guard for about 13 months at my last active duty Air Force assignment (2006). I performed about 20 military funerals, for veterans and retirees.
Hate to break this to you, but the narration during the Flag Folding, while a tradition, has _never_ been an official part of the ceremony. Like the POW flag, its something established by tradition, not by US Title or by DoD instruction for military funeral honors.
There IS an offical narration script, laid down in US law (and at least for Air Force Honor Guard, by AFI - Air Force Instruction - regs) now, that the families of the deceased can request.
The real question is, should the family of the deceased want this script read, (which I always kind of liked, but I think the flag fold sequence is more poignant, and more respectful when done in complete silence, but that’s just me) _when_ should it be read?
I would say the best place for it is AFTER formal honors have been rendered, the folded colors presented to the next of kin even.
Also, since they also changed the flag fold sequence in general as well, this script would no longer work for the pacing, number of steps etc in the flag fold sequence.
Before we start throwing even MORE lawsuits around, a little research is in order.
I bet if there was a Koran there with a foot wash it would have been ok. These Liberals are on the side of the terrorist. I was reading about the NAACP calling someone a racist again, Whats new but i was going to send this to the ACLU and see what they say about the NAACP stands for racist. Meaning Below,
colored definition - a non-Caucasian person.
Association definition - a formal organization of people or groups of people.
Advancement - promotion.
The Name NAACP is clearly racist but nothing said nothing done.
How About
How about
World Association for the Advancement of caucasian People
Yea that would go over well.
Sorry just venting.
Once upon a time in a land far away in memory; there was a rule that the majority ruled. Does anyone else remember this fabled land? There are some groups that feel the they represent the majority but I feel the majority they represent is as fabled as my land in a far away memory.
Technology is letting the majority voice their opinion in forums such as this; however the people making the rules have yet to seek the advise of the majority. I quess there are some yet technologically challenged that claim to represent the United States of America.
I looked all over and do NOT see the name of the complainant, but one blog mentined a Mike Wells, so who is it?
I am so SICK of the ACLU and all the crap they represent.
“And then there was Max McGehee, from Tennessee, where the Cotton Blooms and Blows, all
ya’ll bring those ideas down here, and see where your liberal butts goes!!!
(my apologies to Robert W. Service)
Max McGehee
USA SFC
Viet Nam 15JUN69-18AUG71
Give us a website or e-mail for the NCA and I guarantee a bombardment of e-mails protesting this decision! This is totally outrageous! If a family, in a PRIVATE funeral ceremony desires to have the flag-folding ceremony, then who is the NCA to tell they they cannot!
I just heard about the ban. Why on earth - or in Heaven’s name -
do we need a BAN to “protect” citizens? The recitation can be purely optional.
Maybe even allow them an alternative choice. But ban it all together? Come on now!
One of the early comments was from someone who pointed out that there is no LAW that requires the recital. This is true. What is also true(as those of us who have servered know) that something that has been a tradition long enough BECOMES LAW. It is a tradition that has been around probably at least one hundred years or more. It is a tradition of the United States Military as it pays honor to those who have severed their country. Some of our veterans have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect those traditions. This is our (the Military) last honor given to our own. In that light we need no law to allow us that last right and honor.
One of the early comments was from someone who pointed out that there is no LAW that requires the recital. This is true. What is also true(as those of us who have serverd know) that something that has been a tradition long enough BECOMES LAW. It is a tradition that has been around probably at least one hundred years or more. It is a tradition of the United States Military as it pays honor to those who have severed their country. Some of our veterans have made the ultimate sacrifice to protect those traditions. This is our (the Military) last honor given to our own. In that light we need no law to allow us that last right and honor.
I was outraged when I learned that it took one individual to stop the folding, I have contacted my elected officials. You all do the same. Maybe they will have a backbone and stand up to this liberal behavior. I spent 20 years in the Navy serving my country, now maybe our country can serve us. God bless America, America Bless God.
All I can say is that everyone needs to write and call and email and… whatever they can. Arent’ we ALL sick and tired of the tail wagging the dog? If we roll over and take it, then we deserve what we get. The California DAV must be commended for taking on the bureaucratic Nazis in Washington, DC. What is next, taking away our civil liberties and rights? Speak up, everyone!
I am in the Navy and work for the Funeral Honors Division in Bremerton Washington. I have done almost a 1000 funerals for
veterans active duty and retired active duty. I can’t believe they are doing this. This is a last respect for all of them for the
sacrifices and things that they have done. This needs to be stopped. The families love us being them and honoring showing
one last respect for their family member. Speak up everyone. Stop this.
MAJORITY RULES, REMEMBER?!!!
Stop this madness! This is a nation under God,
our forefathers honored Him, so should We the People
here and now!
Under His Wing,
Connie Henschel
Administrative Assistant,
TOWERVIEW BAPTIST CHURCH
BELLEVILLE, ILLINOIS