"Flags Only, Not For Mail"

[tetrisattack]

I just noticed this roadside drop-box for the first time. I live in my state's capitol city, which is really small and not at all patriotic, being filled with counter-culture activists and granola punk-rockers.

I've never seen such a thing, a drop box presumably for the recycling of flags, but I'm aware that there's a formal code of etiquette when it comes to flag handling and disposal, and that the VFW and sometimes the Elks do flag disposal duty.

Does anybody else have this sort of thing in their home town? Or is this flag "drop box" some sort of deadpan local satire, a cynical art project?

I was thinking about maybe making my own flag and putting it in there.

 

[Topdog1]

Never seen the like of it before. Who colletcs them? Where do they go? Why there? Seems like the makings of a citizen photojournalism report for your blog. Go for it, Conor.

/Ira

 

[kmack]

As a guess, could it be for road construction flags or the like?

If my memory serves me Olympia is on the southern end of Puget Sound could it be for storage of weather flags.

 

[dexdog]

Here in Virginia, you will occasionally see similar boxes- usually the Boy Scouts are behind the effort.

 

[rbiemer]

Here in my town, the routine is to call the VFW. They are happy to take care of old US Flags appropriately.
Would the location of the box give any context to what kind of flags are to be deposited in that box?
Rob

 

[Athena]

It's a new one to me too. I note that it doesn't say US Flags or American Flags only so it's hard from the pic alone to get a sense of its purpose.

Unless, perhaps it was a temporary placement during a parade to provide a repository for all those little flags that people wave and then don't really want to carry around?

 

[MartinP]

As a foreigner (British), I am a bit bemused. Are there rules for disposal of flags in the US ??? Does that mean the American flag only, or flags of all countries ? Or even perhaps the flags of towns and regions, or possibly companies and other organisations ?

Amusingly, I also have flags on the floor of the kitchen - but they are a 25mm thick and made of slate, and they wouldn't fit in the box anyway.

That last paragraph was silly, but I really am curious. Are there rules like this and if so, why ? What are VFW and Elks ?

 

[f8&go]

I just noticed this roadside drop-box for the first time. I live in my state's capitol city, which is really small and not at all patriotic, being filled with counter-culture activists and granola punk-rockers.

I've never seen such a thing, a drop box presumably for the recycling of flags, but I'm aware that there's a formal code of etiquette when it comes to flag handling and disposal, and that the VFW and sometimes the Elks do flag disposal duty.

Does anybody else have this sort of thing in their home town? Or is this flag "drop box" some sort of deadpan local satire, a cynical art project?

I was thinking about maybe making my own flag and putting it in there.

http://http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html

Scroll down to "Questions."

By the way, what do you mean by 'patriotic' and how does that relate
to 'counter-culture activists and granola punk-rockers?'

f8&go

 

[sjw617]

Here in NY that is common. The local VFW halls have them around. They are for US flags to be dealt with in a respectful manner when they are no longer in acceptable condition for display.

 

[rbiemer]

As a foreigner (British), I am a bit bemused. Are there rules for disposal of flags in the US ??? Does that mean the American flag only, or flags of all countries ? Or even perhaps the flags of towns and regions, or possibly companies and other organisations ?

Amusingly, I also have flags on the floor of the kitchen - but they are a 25mm thick and made of slate, and they wouldn't fit in the box anyway.

That last paragraph was silly, but I really am curious. Are there rules like this and if so, why ? What are VFW and Elks ?

Martin,
I would presume that each country has their own set of rules about dealing with their non-flyable flags.
The VFW and Elks are two organizations--in smaller towns like mine, at least, the memberships tend to overlap a bit. VFW is Veterans of Foreign Wars the Elks are(I think, Any members here,please correct me) more formally The Fraternal Order of Elks and both groups try to help their local communities by doing various services.
Rob