Yesterday, while watching the Senate side of the Capitol steps fill with staffers, congressmen, and senators, to bid a farewell to Senator Kennedy, I watched a rather quiet exchange. Some woman near the top left hand side of the stairs held a rather large flag. Green/White/Orange
I immediately recognized it as the Irish Flag. Holding an Irish flag seemed an appropriate thing to do considering it was a Kennedy send off–recognition of one’s roots is not a bad thing. Before I realized what was happening, some other woman, quietly went over, said something to the woman, and the flag was lowered from the view of cameras. I assumed that there was some protcol that prevented the flags of other nations from being flown on the steps on the Capitol.
Does anyone know anything about this type of protocol? I was unable to find it. It seemed like an odd thing to get corrected over, given the circumstances. It was handled quietly and discretely. I am just very curioius. Was it appropriate to unfurl an Irish Flag at the Capitol during that brief Kennedy ceremony?
Some folks would describe it green, white and GOLD. 🙂 I do.
I would assume the protocol was not to politicize this event, although an Irish flag would not be as political as it would be emotional. Flags and banners are becoming less popular – some colleges don’t permit them even in the dorm rooms.
Why is that Juturna? re colleges. Gold….hmmmmm…is that a rejection of orange? Must have been my TV but this woman’s flag looked green, white, and red. I am sure it was orange though or for you, gold.
I agree with you. It seemed emotional rather than political to me also.
Surely someone will come along who knows about flag protocol and will set me straight.
My daughter had the same issue in her college dorm–they had periodic inspections and could be finds if they had large flags or banners draped on the walls. Fire precaution.
Generally speaking, it is not improper, nor illegal, to fly any flag (state, ethnic group, organization, etc.) alone but it is always preferable to display the Stars and Stripes at the same time, with prominence.