RIVERSIDE, Calif., Oct. 26 (UPI) — A federal agency has banned flag-folding recitations at U.S. veterans cemeteries after a complaint over religious content. The Riverside (Calif.) Press-Enterprise said the recitation, used at thousands of military burials, explains the significance of each of the 13 folds of the flag. The newspaper said a complaint was lodged against the words for the 11th fold, which “celebrates Jewish war veterans and “glorifies the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.”
Much as I’m riled by these senseless displays of political correctness, I wonder who the heck has the time necessary to perpetrate these acts of stupidity. Clearly the number of government employees in some places is above what is really needed.
Cross-posted on SimplyJews.
No problem with the 12th fold that celebrates Christianity?
Are they sure?
What is this ceremony anyway? I’m a veteran and I’ve never heard of it. Is it done at funerals? When putting the flag away at the end of the day?
Hi Chairwoman, long time no see. Hope all is well with you, and you will visit again at my place too. No, I don’t know and don’t care which religion it is that pissed off the complainant. It is just too much to investigate ;-)
John, I understand (from the TV mostly) that this is done before the coffin is lowered into the grave. Never paid attention to the details.
Here is an article which describes it, and gives the text of the recitation.
Presumably the moron who complained missed the reference to G-d on the fourth fold, and then what was left of his brain turned off after hearing about “Hebrew Citizens”
As a matter of humor, it echoes the same moronic understanding of the Jewish star as was featured in The DaVinci Code – the idea that the star was the seal of David and Solomon.
Well, they just gave me the flag for my father.
But overall, the whole ritual sounds kind of stupid. Sounds to me like they made stuff up to go with the folds.
I hope it is not assumed by commenters here that I am protecting this or any other ritual?
Well, I am not. It is just that… oh, well, it doesn’t matter.
I don’t think it. But I do think the ritual sounds stupid. Even more now that I’ve read Russ’ comment.
When my grandfather (a WWII vet) was laid to rest a few years ago, there was no recitation as the flag was folded.
It sounds like this is a very local tradition.
But it’s also typical for California. I’d love to be able to take a giant saw, cut it off, and float it out to sea, like in the Cartoons. Given how much they claim to be embarrassed by everything American, they might even approve.
The Civil War set the precedent that states can’t secede, but nobody has every said anything about the rest of the country choosing to kick out a state. :)