Another pet peeve of mine is the flag flying at half-staff without the proper authorization.

If circumstances do not allow for the American flag to be flown higher than others, the American flag should be flown so no other flags are to the American flag's own right, which would be to a persons left when they approach the flags. Dave

Who would give such authorization ?

I'm a member of a private golf/tennis club. It's membership is getting pretty grey in the hair. SO we have lots of oldtimers passing. They always have the flag at half-staff for members that have died. Does it matter if they were military vets ?

I believe only the President or governor of your state can give such authorization for such a display of our nation's flag.

I hate to say it, but the club is kinda... going against the grain.

I dunno about that. I dont take mine down in the rain or any other bad weather. You'll always see a flag flown on rainy days on base. It flys 24 / 7.

Maybe thats a myth, I've heard it before, but I never saw it lowered in bad weather on any military base I was on so I dont lower mine.

Only when in uniform, jarhead. :) You do not salute while in civilian clothing. As a veteran of the United States Navy (and scouts), I was also indoctrinated into the proper procedures when our National Anthem is played and/or colors are presented. When in civilian attire, you will remove your cover if covered and place it over your heart in your right hand (or left if disabled).

About the flag, it doesn't get lowered during inclement weather unless the wind is so strong, it would take the flag pole out of the ground and the flag would get soiled by touching said ground. My flag flies 24/7 as it is properly illuminated at night. It flies during blizzards and wind storms as I'm not worried that my pole is going anywhere. It's withstood 70 MPH winds so far with no issues.

When I was the Communications Officer on USS TALBOT in the 1970s we received an addition to our flag bag -- a Jewish church pennant, with a Star of David in place of the cross. My first thought was that it made sense to have one to fly during Jewish prayer services. Then our Jewish commodore pointed out that Jewish prayer services begin at sundown -- and that we only fly flags at sea from sunrise to sundown. The new pennant was never hoisted.

So just checking up on this.

So flying the flag in bad weather is okay ?

Flying the flag at night is ok as long as it is properly lighted ?

Is there a standard for when a flag needs to be replaced, for example when it becomes ragged around the edges ?

New law allows Saluting in Civilian Clothes by Vets
 

Congress passed a law last year where Veterans are allowed to salute the flag in civilian clothes if they so desire.

Just out of curiosity, how do you determine the flag's own right?

No they didn't. It was only passed by the House, never by the Senate, so it didn't become law.

You determine the flag's own right the same way you do a persons. My right is just that, my right. If for some reason someone says you cannot stand or place anything to my right, that is to the right of me or to someone who is approaching me from my front, to their left. Same thing for a flag. Dave

My question was, which way is "front"?

You better reread your post. Your question was how do you determine a flag's own right, not how do you determine front? Dave

What's up with you? What your right side is next to is determined by which way you are facing. A flag pole is round; it has no front or back, left or right.

Three flag poles are all in a row. Which one is on the flag's OWN right?

It was a simple question. Not being steeped and studied in the somewhat symbolic flag code (meaning it has no force of law), which way is front? And from that, which way is the right side?

I'm not challenging anything; just asking a simple question. If the proper place for the flag in a row of flags is determined by the flag's OWN right, which side is that and how do I know?