Don't fly flag upside down

Recently I noticed a local business that was flying the American flag upside down in Modesto. I notified the business and three days later the business had fixed the flag. I have notified my congressional representative and I called the FBI to get information in regard to flying the U.S. flag upside down. The FBI rep said there is no law against flying the flag upside down. The Flag Code clearly states that the American flag is not to be flown upside down "except as a signal of dire distress in instance of extreme danger to life or property."

My goal is to raise awareness and to try to get a law passed that makes it illegal to fly the flag upside down — so we can enjoy our freedom that was won at a great cost. Being from a military family and with military friends, I feel it's my calling. To find out that it's not against the law was striking to me.

W.E. BELL

Modesto

This story was originally published April 20, 2012 at 7:52 PM with the headline "Don't fly flag upside down."