US Armed Forces Veteran Wraps Newborn in US Flag in Photo...Sparks Outrage

originally posted by: MiddleClassWhiteBoy
I swear there are some stupid people on here. The flag is the symbol of our first world nation. It is a symbol with a very powerful image and should be treated as such so yes that is why we have a flag code. And this lady and her husband are idiots for being in the military and not knowing the code. It IS tacky and disrespectful to do what they did period. It doesbt matter what anyone on here thinks or what any other lay person idiot ignorant of the flag code thinks. Most Americans don't know who their congressional representatives are so expecting them to undestand the flag code is naive!

Or some realize that the flag is not a sacred relic.

The code is not the gospel, the flag can be used tastefully like this

Isn't "outrage" just a media buzzword to stir up more clicks?

It's a nice picture, but it violates the U.S. Flag Code in a few ways.

The flag should not be used as "wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery", or for covering a speaker's desk, draping a platform, or for any decoration in general (exception for coffins). Bunting of blue, white and red stripes is available for these purposes. The blue stripe of the bunting should be on the top.

The flag should never be drawn back or bunched up in any way.

The flag should never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything.

As a bunch of military people, they should probably be cognizant of that.

en.m.wikipedia.org...

Personally I don't see it as a huge deal, but it would never cross my mind to do that in a million years.

a reply to: Sremmos80

The flag code is actually federal law.

Though SCOTUS has ruled that it's unenforceable due to free speech. So people are welcome to do as they please.

a reply to: MiddleClassWhiteBoy

That soldier is one of the reasons you're still a first world nation...

& that baby is the future of your first world nation...



& what symbolises your first world nation is being held up by a soldier, as that first world nation symbol holds up the future...



Your outrage is bulls#...

You have no artistic mind if you cannot comprehend the true symbolism behind this photo!

originally posted by: lovebeck

While I, as a photographer and an American, think it is tacky to use the flag as a prop in a newborn photo shoot......

As a photog, I get why she used the flag as a prop, and the photographer is a veteran herself, but it honestly would have been a MUCH more powerful photo if dad was holding the baby in his hands, wearing his uniform/fatigues, and processed in black and white. Oh, she needs to lose the hospital receiving blanket too.

The flag really just throws the white balance off into super-red land (warm) and THAT is a B to correct. All this together is telling me the photographer is just another person with a DSLR and Photoshop who is calling herself a photographer these days. She sure is getting lots of attention and exposure though...

Please, tell me more about how someone MUST take pictures (create art)... I must have missed the fact that there are requirements for artistic expression, in any medium, during all of those art classes I didn't take.

Agree with all of the others about how this is such a non-issue... I only had to respond because I find your attitude towards art and how someone else might choose to create art ridiculous.

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: Sremmos80

The flag code is actually federal law.

Though SCOTUS has ruled that it's unenforceable due to free speech. So people are welcome to do as they please.

And you know law is not black and white but with some grey area.

a reply to: MiddleClassWhiteBoy

Dude, I get it.

You clearly don't get what I'm saying. I apologize for not being clear.

I assume you do not see the irony? The physical land to some extent or another has been desecrated. Disrespected. However the land is actually not all that easy to repair or replace. Unlike a flag, banner, symbol, or imaginary anything.

The Disrespect of the LAND which the FLAG represents= REWARD($$$-open pit mining, clear cutting, etc.)

The Disrespect of the FLAG which represents the LAND= PUNISHMENT(Jail, legal/ social issues depending on the society)

I understand what flags stand for. I understand that people assert deep cognition of emotion and symbolism representing themselves and the land that they grew up on.

By no means would I disrespect any banner. Real or "fake". Mind you, I wouldn't likely actively seek out the destruction of a sentient beings habitat for profit ether.

There is irony in symbolism. Especially when it comes to nationalism.

a reply to: lovebeck

I'm trying to figure out how two veterans taking a pic of their baby in something that they pledged to defend is offensive or disrespectful.

IMO-they earned the right to do so as veterans.

originally posted by: Sremmos80

originally posted by: Shamrock6
a reply to: Sremmos80

The flag code is actually federal law.

Though SCOTUS has ruled that it's unenforceable due to free speech. So people are welcome to do as they please.

And you know law is not black and white but with some grey area.

I'm missing whats grey about it. They bunched the flag up, used it as either a sling or a hammock for the kid, and took a picture of it. Where's the grey?

Bottom line is that the law is unenforceable so they could've taken a picture of the kid hurling up half digested breast milk all over the flag and nobody can do anything about it other than post rants and angry diatribes on the Internet.

a reply to: CharlieSpeirs

They're sailors, not soldiers. God, Charlie. Learn our uniforms already

a reply to: Kukri

i fully agree , this is a mountain out of a mole hill , how come no one complains when they see a stars and stripes bikini
or men's shorts even t shirts .

a reply to: Shamrock6

LoL I knew I should have kept it as vet...

I traded vet for soldier, don't even know why tbh...



Thank you buddy

originally posted by: CharlieSpeirs
a reply to: MiddleClassWhiteBoy

That soldier is one of the reasons you're still a first world nation...

& that baby is the future of your first world nation...



& what symbolises your first world nation is being held up by a soldier, as that first world nation symbol holds up the future...



Your outrage is bulls#...

You have no artistic mind if you cannot comprehend the true symbolism behind this photo!

Please save your crap for someone else! You don't know me from Adam! I served my country! And the flag is to be respected not used to wrap a baby in for some picture. This isn't about art! It's about respect and honor and a meaning and symbolism far greater than any one individual, yes including a precious baby. You sound like an idiot politician screaming "but what about the children!"

originally posted by: Sparkymedic
a reply to: MiddleClassWhiteBoy

Dude, I get it.

You clearly don't get what I'm saying. I apologize for not being clear.

I assume you do not see the irony? The physical land to some extent or another has been desecrated. Disrespected. However the land is actually not all that easy to repair or replace. Unlike a flag, banner, symbol, or imaginary anything.

The Disrespect of the LAND which the FLAG represents= REWARD($$$-open pit mining, clear cutting, etc.)

The Disrespect of the FLAG which represents the LAND= PUNISHMENT(Jail, legal/ social issues depending on the society)

I understand what flags stand for. I understand that people assert deep cognition of emotion and symbolism representing themselves and the land that they grew up on.

By no means would I disrespect any banner. Real or "fake". Mind you, I wouldn't likely actively seek out the destruction of a sentient beings habitat for profit ether.

There is irony in symbolism. Especially when it comes to nationalism.

Oh please you sound like some hippie ideologue. So America isn't perfect! What nation is? So desecrate everything about your country because we have problems? Lol and I agree there shouldn't be laws about it. That's why it's called a CODE and not the flag LAWS. Codes are meant to be respected laws are meant to be obeyed. Many people understand laws but fail to understand code and honor. And just because you sign up to fight as a soldier etc. Doesn't give you or anyone the monopoly on patriotism, freedom, bravery, honor, morality, etc.

originally posted by: tom.farnhill
a reply to: Kukri

i fully agree , this is a mountain out of a mole hill , how come no one complains when they see a stars and stripes bikini
or men's shorts even t shirts .

Because most of the time it's lay people who are ignorant. Military men and women should know better.

This lot of patriots area bunch of turds if they get bent out of shape over a artistic and a well thought out photo. Instead of raising Cain over a photo why not March to DC and confront the other turds that are stripping what that flag stands for one thread at a time. Or better yet get on a plane and go to some forigen land that "burns " our flag everytime a UAV blows up a wedding. Thier are more thing wrong with this country than someone taking a photo.
To add I like the photos

originally posted by: paraphi
It's a nice photo. Nice sentiment.

I swear some people are so lost up their own backsides that they will just complain and protest for the sake of it.

I would like to do a study on the types of people who complain about things like this - what type of people are they really.

Those people are the type that live everyday in misery, angry at everything and everyone. They usually expect everyone to join them or make things extremely difficult for those who do not.

Idk who cares so much about a Veteran using a the flag to cradle their new born in for photo. The baby wasn't wrapped in it, it was in a receiving blanket that u get from the hospital, but cradled.

I, myself, don't care for "proppy" photos of new borns and feel like the simpler the photo, the more profound it is. Was the flag a bit "proppy"? Imho, yes, but that's just my opinion. I don't feel like the dad or the photog desecrated the USA flag or anything. The fact that it made it on the news speaks volumes about the drivel they report anymore.

originally posted by: n00bUK
# news, # story. the media show absolute #.

A few trolls on social media to somebodies personal picture and it gets national news coverage.

total bull#. honestly, who really give a #?

this is a waste of ats server space

I agree. I was pretty dumfounded that it was on the national news...Even if it made the local news, it is just as ridic. Goes to show what "they" want us to watch is purely unimportant nonsense.

a reply to: MiddleClassWhiteBoy

Yes quite...

& you sound like someone who has a problem with someone else using their 1st Amendment rights...




Don't promote symbolism and then denounce symbolism...

That's moronic.

a reply to: Shamrock6

Do you want to say there is letter and spirit of the law then?