Americans, Cubans and Flags

[jamesq]

It's generally acknowledged that Americans take their flag more seriously then do other people. I'd be upset if I saw someone pissing on the Canadian Flag, but I'm not willing to punch someone in the mouth over it, or enact laws preventing harm to it.

Military personnel of all countries treat their own flags with respect, which makes sense, and they have rules for disposing of flags that have become ratty. I read the procedure that the US navy uses on Slacktivist yesterday, which is why the whole thing is sort of on my mind.

The short version: If the flag cannot be salvaged, salute it one last time, cut it into strips so that it's not recognizable as the flag, burn the pieces in a "respectful" manner privately.

I imagine other disposal methods are fairly similar.

Which brings me to one flag in particular: The American flag held in the Havana museum that was captured from a US navy ship in 1902. The flag is getting pretty ratty and it's not treated with respect (hardly surprising given how Cuba is treated by the Americans).

Why hasn't someone stolen it yet? The museum doesn't seem to be especially well guarded. We pretty much had free reign of the place and I feel certain that with a good story and a better bribe I could have had some private time in the room the flag was in ("My wife and I think captured flags are hott, could you leave us alone for a few minutes? Here's 50 chavito").

Security must be better then it appears - possibly you don't get to be a tour guide in the museum without being a true believer. Also, I imagine that the Cuban military is not far away.

But still, that speaks to how a theft would be prevented. Why hasn't some good-ole boy attempted it? If they had, it would be a propaganda event on par with Elian Gonzales. They wouldn't even have to smuggle the flag out - they'd just have to dispose of it in a "respectful" manner.

Maybe I'm the first to think of it (though that's unlikely). Most likely the people who'd be the most flag-intense are the people least likely to take a trip to Cuba. Something for museum staff to consider when travel restrictions are relaxed/lifted.

Of course, I've yet to hear about Greek patriots trying to liberate the Elgin Marbles so I suspect general human apathy is sufficient. When people attempt to rob a museum it's out of personal greed rather then patriotism.

Comments

[ersatz-marduk.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but if they steal it for patriotism, it's no longer there to give one an excuse to express proper patriotic outrage.

[jamesq]

True, but I doubt the braniacs who'd think raiding a museum in the heart of Havana was a good idea would give it that much thought.

[ladyerwyn.livejournal.com]

There was a huge uproar in the 60's from the Government when young people started wearing shirts and things with American Flags on them. People are really uppity about them. I wonder if you have an American flag shirt if you have to treat it with respect when it gets all holey and you can't wear it anymore. Also we're not allowed to desecrate it, like ripping or burning. I think we have to bury it whole. I could be wrong, it's been a while since I questioned this.