It’s just a piece of cloth.

The thought echoes through minds of star-spangled teenagers across America, particularly on national holidays such as Independence Day and Veterans Day. Young Americans clad themselves in red and white stripes in a seemingly innocent display for which the American flag was never intended.

Many Americans blame a lack of information for their misuse of the nation’s symbol. Others blatantly proclaim disrespect for the flag, arguing it is merely a piece of cloth. Regardless of the cause, the effect remains: the symbol of a nation’s beliefs and the sacrifices given to retain those beliefs is cast into flames.

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The first source of disrespect comes from a lack of knowledge about flag etiquette. For instance, Olympic athletes notably receive an American flag to hold after a victory as a statement that the victory is for the whole country. Holding the flag over the shoulders is perfectly acceptable and shows pride for the flag. However, pulling the corners around and wearing the flag as a shawl is against the Flag Code and shows disrespect. The flag was not intended to decorate any person or any place. Buildings may be decorated with bunting, always with the blue stripe on top, but the flag should never be used for decoration. The flag should never touch the ground or any other object when being lowered, and when a flag becomes unfit to serve as a symbol of the United States it must be ceremoniously burned.

Many people know small portions of the Flag Code just from what they see on television, read in books and magazines and learn from elders, veterans and parents. Often the question is not in the knowledge, but in the importance of flag etiquette. Many people merely see pieces of fabric stitched together hanging from a tall metal stick. In their tunnel vision, however, they miss the scene beneath the flag: a banner standing resolute, visible from the harbor at Fort McHenry in the faint red glare of British cannons on American soil, tilting to rise again and again as man after man added his support at Iwo Jima while hundreds of others lay fallen, flying in the breeze the fateful Tuesday morning it seemed the rest of America had come crashing down. Whether Americans stand, fall or crawl to stand again, the flag stands behind as a reminder of where America came from and where she is destined to go next.

With Veteran’s Day in mind, Americans should take time to consider the men and women who have sacrificed comfort, family and even their lives to make America the free and prosperous nation it is today. The same material covering the caskets of the brave men and women to whom Americans owe life and liberty flies overhead every day as much more than a piece of cloth. The American flag symbolizes patriotism, sacrifice and the blessing of the rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. To treat her with any less respect than the Flag Code demands is to mock the values she stands for. As long America stands, the flag must stand with her as it was intended to, not as a fashion statement, but as a picture of strength, dignity and unity waving proudly with the respect she demands and deserves.