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Proper
Flag Etiquette.
There does not seem to be a
"standard" way to recite the pledge. Some people pause
before and after the word TEXAS, and some don't. This causes
confusion, and damages the meaning of the pledge.
If you will carefully read Section 3100.101 of the Code, you will note
the use of punctuation is used. You will see that there is
a comma after "thee" and also after "Texas" so it
is my opinion that you should pause before and after the word
"Texas" when reciting the pledge. I have noticed that
both the SRT and the DRT seem to have adopted this method of reciting
the pledge, and it works well.
There are several other points to be made
about reciting the Texas pledge. Unless in uniform, you should
place your right hand over your heart when reciting the Texas pledge,
just as you do when reciting the US pledge. I have seen people
lower their right arm to an outstretched position when reciting the
Texas Pledge. You will note section 3100.104 states the correct
placement of the right hand over the heart. Other mistakes I
have noted are:
(1) Flying the Texas upside down.
This sounds silly, but I see schools doing this very often. I
always stop and go into the school officer and courteously tell the
school officials about the mistake and offer to come to their school
and talk to the students about the flag. When I do that I tell
them about the problem of flying the flag upside down and explain two
ways to remember the correct way. One is that much blood was shed in
defense of the Texas flag, and blood runs down so the flag should
always be flown with the red strip down. Another story is that
the five pointed star stands on its own two feet. Take a look at
the Texas flag and you will see that the star has two points facing
down.
(2) I have seen the Texas flag
displayed in meeting to the right of the US Flag, and this is
incorrect. I have also seen another country's flag displayed to
the left of the Texas flag and this is incorrect. If other state
flags are also displayed, then the Texas flag should be to the right
of the other state flags. NO organization's flag should be
displayed to the right of either the US flag or ANY state flag.
(3) You will note that placing a five
pointed star on the top of the Texas Flag staff is permissible, or you
can use a spearhead.
(4) It is permissible to fly the Texas
flag at the same height as the US flag, because we were an independent
nation, but the Texas flag should not be flown higher than the US
flag. If you are involved in lowering the flags from flag poles
at a ceremony, the Texas flag is lowered before the US flag, and it is
also lowered slowly. If the flag is at half-staff then it should
be raided to the top of the flag staff and then slowly lowered to
half-staff. When removed at the end of the day it should be
raised back to the peak of the flag staff before lowering it for
removal.
(5) The flag should not be left flying
outside at night unless it is lighted. You should also removed
the flag during bad weather, unless you have a weather proof flag.
(6) When presenting the Colors at a
program, the US flag should be on the right if the Texas flag is
presented along side of the US flag. If the Color Guard is in a
line, then the US flag should be first entering and leaving, and the
Texas flag should be next, unless there is another nation's flag also
included in the presentation. When Color Guardsmen cross in
presenting the Colors, the US flag should always cross in front of the
other flags, or toward the audience.
(7) The flag should never be allowed
to touch the ground, and more people seem to know this rule, which can
cause problems at parades meetings, etc.
For complete description of the code and handling of the Texas flag see: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/flagcode.html
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