THOUSAND OAKS : Worn-Out American Flags Are Retired
An old and battered American flag is a special thing, not to be casually thrown away.
“It should be disposed of in a dignified manner, preferably by burning,” said Forrest Frields, a Thousand Oaks planning commissioner. “We don’t want to see it thrown in the trash can.”
In connection with Flag Day, Frields and Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Mortuary are collecting worn-out American flags to give them a proper retirement: They will be burned.
Even though Flag Day is today, there is no date set for burning the flags.
Frields, a veteran, said many people do not know how to handle the Stars and Stripes.
“There’s such a common display of the flag that I think the common person forgets that it’s not a member of the family; it’s an emblem of the country,” Frields said.
Federal law suggests, but does not require, burning an American flag when it is “in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display.”
Those who want to dispose of their old flags can bring them to Photography by Forrest, 100 N. Rancho Road, Suite 7, between 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. They can also take flags to Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Mortuary, 5600 Lindero Canyon Road, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 495-0837, or (818) 889-0902.
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