This is an issue ripe with contention. First you have a veteran being man handled by cops, then you have a veteran ignoring the code they should honor and, probably firstly, you have a woman being judged for nudity…again.
Air Force veteran, Michelle Manhart, has posed with the flag nude. Though this is a violation of Flag Code, upheld by the armed services, I want to know if men would be held to the same account. If so, where are the cases? (I did a quick search and came up empty handed.) There are plenty of beefy male soldiers images online. If I find one that is draping the flag over his naked genitals, I will look to see if he was demoted. Likely not. Likely the calendars are sanctioned by the armed forces and the regulations adhered to. It’s a pretty easy rule to remember. However, Manhart quit the Air Force because of the issue–and she still defended the flag, which she calls the iconic symbol of freedom.
What are your thoughts on this issue? I’m not certain it’s sexism. Let’s find some male cases to combat that knee-jerk assumption. After all, equality is about all genders being treated equal. This event is just an unfortunate instance that has caught fire in the media.
Flag-Saving Air Force Vet Apparently Violated Flag Code During Nude Photo Shoot
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She did indeed violate the flag code. Further, she committed a crime against others for violating the very same code she did, for which the group refused to press charges. Also, the group was not bound by military rules. Both sides had a Constitutional right to do so, but both were equally disrespectful under the flag code. I know of no male veterans who defiled the flag as this woman did, so I can’t say if she was treated differently. Further, she had the backing in Valdosta of many, many men and probably wouldn’t have if she had been a young black male. So rather than any sexism, I think she got away with a whole lot more than she should have simply because she was a white female.
I’m seeing similar. It’s really interesting how some feel that they can use the flag when the code is there and is pretty clear. Most are supposed die-hard patriots (nationalists).