The Flag That Never Bows
| Category: | Scoutmaster Minute |
|---|---|
| Notes: | This reflection, based on U.S. Flag Code § 8(i), teaches Scouts why the American flag is always carried upright and never dipped—even in global ceremonies like the Olympics. |
Scouts, when we carry the flag of the United States during a ceremony, we don't bow it. We don't lower it in salute. We carry it tall and straight—always vertical, always proud.
Why? Because that flag doesn't represent a single person. It doesn't represent a king or a president. It represents all of us—we the people. That's written right into the U.S. Flag Code:
"The flag of the United States of America should never be dipped to any person or thing."
You know what's amazing? That even on the world stage—at the Olympic Games—when other countries lower their flags in salute to the host nation, the American flag remains upright. Not out of pride, but out of principle. It's a reminder that our flag bows to no one—not because we think we're better, but because we believe deeply in freedom, equality, and the dignity of every citizen.
So when you're given the job of carrying the flag in a Scout ceremony, remember: you're not just holding fabric. You're holding history. You're holding sacrifice. You're holding freedom.
Stand tall. Walk proud. And never let that flag bow.