4 U.S.C. § 8 — Respect for flag

No disrespect should be shown to the flag, and it should not be dipped to any person or thing — though regimental colors, state flags, and organization or institutional flags may be dipped as a mark of honor. (a) The flag should never be displayed with the union (the blue star field) down, except as a signal of dire distress when life or property is in extreme danger. (b) The flag should never touch anything below it — the ground, the floor, water, or merchandise. (c) The flag should never be carried flat or horizontal — always held up and free — except in limited circumstances, done respectfully, as part of a military or patriotic ceremony. (d) The flag should never be worn as clothing, bedding, or drapery. It should never be gathered up, drawn back or up, or folded — it should always hang free. When blue, white, and red bunting covers a speaker's desk, drapes a platform, or is used for decoration generally, the blue always goes on top, white in the middle, and red on the bottom. (e) The flag should never be fastened, displayed, used, or stored in a way that lets it easily tear, get soiled, or get damaged. (f) The flag should never be used to cover a ceiling. (g) Nothing should ever be placed on the flag, or attached to it — no mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any kind. (h) The flag should never be used as a container for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything. (i) The flag should never be used for advertising in any way. It should not be embroidered on things like cushions or handkerchiefs, or printed on paper napkins, boxes, or anything meant for temporary use and disposal. Advertising signs should not be fastened to the staff or rope the flag flies from. (j) No part of the flag should ever be worn as a costume or athletic uniform — though military personnel, firefighters, police officers, and members of patriotic organizations may wear a flag patch on their uniform. Because the flag represents a living country and is treated as a living thing itself, a lapel flag pin — a small replica of the flag — should be worn on the left lapel, near the heart. (k) When the flag is too worn to be displayed properly anymore, it should be destroyed in a dignified way — preferably by burning.