Trivia for 11/19/07

OK - This should be easy if you follow the news: True or false - it is illegal to simply stand at attention during the Star Spangled Banner - you must place your hand over your heart or salute.

Reply to
lewmew
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False--I think it's just what we were taught to do when we were kids.

For Bruce--That's provided you are a U.S.Citizen

Reply to
Lucille

False! The Obama picture brought this one on!

Gillian

lewmew wrote:

Reply to
Gill Murray

I just looked this up and now I'm not so sure. Apparently there were some changes made during WWII

Reply to
Lucille

I'll post the answer at noon my time!

Linda

Reply to
lewmew

Shall we discuss the difference between "should" and "must?"

Elizabeth

Reply to
Dr. Brat

False. It is perfectly fine to stand at attention facing the flag without placing your hand over your heart or saluting. Unless you are a member of the Armed Forces.

It may be expected for you to remove your hat and place your hand over your heart, but it's not illegal if you don't.

Donna in Virginia

Reply to
Donna

Yep, that's the key. The US Code says you "should," which I interpret to mean that if you don't, you're not technically in violation of the law even though the clear intent of the Code is that you should salute/put hand over heart. Seems sensible to me.

Best wishes, Ericka

Reply to
Ericka Kammerer

How would I know ?

Reply to
lucretia borgia

Same way the rest of us do - google for it.

Elizabeth

Reply to
Dr. Brat

What are the rules in Canada regarding flag/national anthem etiquette? Ditto for England

Readers from other countries, please chime in. this could be interesting reading.

C
Reply to
Cheryl Isaak

I would have thought googling would be cheating, one either knows the answer or not but it's not easy if questions are going to be like this. However, no sweat, carry on.

Reply to
lucretia borgia

Try the quiz site I set up. I can even rotate in Canadian and UK trivia if people want it.

C
Reply to
Cheryl Isaak

Here, as far as I was taught, we are to stand up when the anthem is played, and civilian men are to remove hats. Anyone in uniform must salute, unless they are part of a formation, in which case only the ranking officer and ranking NCO salute while everyone else stands to attention. I don't think there are any other expectations, but here, for civilians, anyway, it's always been presented as a matter of etiquette rather than law. I remember reading a letter to the editor some years ago regarding the hat removal rule. The writer asked if both men and women should remove casual hats like ball caps, and whether women should only be able to wear a formal hat while the anthem played. Does anybody happen to know?

Louisa

Reply to
Louisa.Duck

In Australia it's generally taken that you stand for the anthem, and even if you don't sing at least pretend to look interested.

The actual government usage guidelines for the anthem say people should "show respect and dignity" and are "encouraged to sing", but any sort of hat removal is entirely up to the individual. Hand on heart stuff would be seen as over the top, and would get you some pretty funny looks. We're a simple, laid-back people, we are.

Kate

Cheryl Isaak wrote:

Reply to
Chiasmata

I believe the law is silent on that matter, but etiquette says that a woman is only exempt from removing her hat if she is wearing a "lady's hat." In other words, if she's wearing a ball cap or some such thing, she would remove it just as a man would. If she's wearing a proper lady's hat (whether formal or informal), then she would leave it on. Really, the big difference is that it was once improper for a lady to leave the house without a hat on, and those hats were securely skewered in place, so there would be no question of being able to remove them temporarily during the national anthem.

Best wishes, Ericka

Reply to
Ericka Kammerer

Reply to
Mirjam Bruck-Cohen

Thanks! I've always wondered ever since I read the letter. Louisa

Reply to
Louisa.Duck

It is a long way from the original trivia question, but there is a big difference, as I understand things, in our schools. I believe that in the USA, every day school children swear allegiance to the flag. This simply does not occur, so far as I am aware, in other schools where English is the national language. I am sure this makes a difference as to how we behave when the national anthem is played. There are also occasions when some of us feel that the really important thing is that the our national anthem should be sung; with gusto.

Reply to
F.James Cripwell

Reply to
Cheryl Isaak

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