Remember Who's Always Right

 

900 words: about 2 and a half pages

Keywords:  church vs state, flags

Remember Who’s Always Right

                The great debate came up in the context of a church service:  which side is right?  The debate is even older than our country; it goes back to, well, biblical times. It’s a debate which pits traditionalists against reformers, priests against laity, those on the right versus those on the left.  The debate, of course, is the perennial one:  on which side of the room is the US flag placed in a house of worship where there is also another flag (for instance the Christian flag, the papal flag, Israeli flag or some  denominational flag)?

It’s not as cut and dry as it seems since it has the element of a strictly correct answer, but can also evoke the God vs. Caesar question.  Let me take a stab at the right answer.

First, the correct answer according to the letter of the law:  the US flag always gets the place of prominence on US territory. There can be two issues around this: 1) ignorant or lazy folks don’t know what the place of prominence is, or 2) even if they know, they want to tinker with it for other purposes.

Let’s tackle number one. The place of honor or prominence in the case of standing flag on display in a room is always to the right of the beholder; that is, to the right of the speaker.  Some will no doubt remember when it was a bit more complicated: it used to be that it was to the right of the speaker, only if on the podium level--please remember the podium is the whole speaking platform (riser, stage, etc., not to be confused with the lectern or pulpit)—and was to be to the right of the audience if on the level of the audience.  That was too confusing for all but the unflappable, so in 1976, the US Code was updated and now it describes only to the right of the speaker (regardless of level). 

So, let’s take a theatre for instance.  You sit in a seat facing the stage, like you’re going to watch a movie.  If the US flag is displayed, it should be to your left at the front of the room as you face forward (this would be to the speaker’s right). 

This is not that complicated and comes from the following rule, (US Code Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 7k): “when used on a speaker’s platform, the flag of the USA should hold the position of superior prominence, in advance of the audience, and in the position of honor at the [speaker’s] right.”

That’s not hard, US flag gets the honor. Like most things in life, it gets just slightly more complicated when others join in  (that is, other flags).  The other flags get second place. That is they are  to the left of the US flag (if on the same side) or to the left of the speaker if on the other side of the stage or room.

 

So, now let’s take the situation where one wants to place another flag, presumably a Christian or denominational flag in the mix. This brings in the God vs. Caesar question alluded to earlier. We know the place of honor because it is stipulated in the US Code, but some might not want to appear to honor country over Providence. The flag code writers (in 1942) thought of this:

 

US Code Section 7c:

No other flag or pennant should be placed above or, if on the same level, to the right of the flag of the United States of America, except during church services conducted by naval chaplains at sea, when the church pennant may be flown above the flag during church services for the personnel of the Navy.

 

I could find no clear background on the committee’s debate, proceedings, or other deliberations on why the exception for ships at sea, but I would surmise that ships at sea MUST by international law always be flagged. Perhaps the flying of the “church pennant” along with the US flag represents that the ship is in a temporary status of worship (i.e., don’t shoot at us right now, we’re busy praying); if it were a permanent state of thought, then why not have it above the US flag at all times? Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition.  As an aside, in researching this topic, I uncovered that a real estate association (homeowners, etc.) where each unit is independently owned cannot prevent individual units from flying the US flag. 

I’m hereby OK with rendering to Caesar here since flags were derived from state military banners anyway; however, I do understand those wishing for some symbolic victory over the state (other than the church’s tax exemption). Here’s my compromise if you want the flags of church and state in the same room:  put the US flag on the podium to the speaker’s right, and the church flag on the audience level to the audience’s right. Those remembering the old days when the flag’s level (podium or floor) was important will see it to be a crafty compromise.  Those too young or clueless to care will see it as completely correct according to today’s rules.  Ta-dah, everyone’s honored.  The audience—if they notice at all and find their minds drifting—can then try to remember either what used to be right or who’s currently right. Either way is alright.

Copyright ©2022. John P. Harrison. All rights reserved.