US Flag question

[dixidawg]

Yesterday I attended my daughter's graduation at UMass in Amherst. It was a wonderful day and we celebrated her hard work culminating in her graduating summa cum laude.

However,,,,,, I was aghast at one point of the ceremony. The speaker mentioned that there were graduates from other countries. They then had a procession of flags from these 20 or so other countries. They came out and marched down the center of the stadium. They were in alphabetical order by country. You guessed it. The US flag was LAST. I always thought that we should be first? Is that correct?

I found this:

http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html

See #9:

9. That the flag, when carried in a procession with another flag, or flags, should be either on the marching right; that is, the flag's own right, or, if there is a line of other flags, in front of the center of that line.
and 11#:

11. When flags of two or more nations are displayed, they are to be flown from separate staffs of the same height. The flags should be of approximately equal size. International usage forbids the display of the flag of one nation above that of another nation in time of peace. The order of precedence for flags generally is National flags (US first, then others in alphabetical order in English), State (host state first, then others in the order of admission) and territories (Washington DC, Puerto Rico, etc.), Military (in order of establishment: Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard), then other.


Do I understand this correctly? The US flag should have been FIRST in the procession? Or am I all wet?

[theGringo]

On Memorial Day weekend, no less. That's disgusting.

[Navy Moose]

Given the politics of the area, it wouldn't surprise me if they did it on purpose.

[Cross-X]

You've got it right.

Thanks, veterans!

[FPrice]

Given the politics of the area, it wouldn't surprise me if they did it on purpose.

Don't forget ignorance. They may not have had a chance to do it on purpose due to a lack of knowledge of flag etiquette in the first place.

[dixidawg]

Don't forget ignorance. They may not have had a chance to do it on purpose due to a lack of knowledge of flag etiquette in the first place.

Which is what pisses me off the moset.

They either:

Knew the protocol and chose to ignore it

or

Didn't know the protocol.


Which is worse? An institution of higher learning NOT KNOWING what every American should have learned in 7th grade civics class?

Absolutely disgusting either way.

[Lilorfnannie]

I hope you write a letter to the President of that college and let him/her know.

[Navy Moose]

Don't forget ignorance. They may not have had a chance to do it on purpose due to a lack of knowledge of flag etiquette in the first place.

That's right, I forgot about this rule "Never attribute to malice what can be explained away as stupidity".

[gene]

It's worth bringing it to their attention and to the media attention assuming they cared!

[rapture]

The US flag always should go first. It shows that no matter how proud you are of your heritage, you are an American citizen FIRST, and whatever other nationality SECOND.