Is it ok to leave a U.S. Flag out overnight?  I will be gone for the next 2 days but I still want to fly the Stars and Stripes from my house.  

The correct way to fly it at night is to have a light on it at all times. Fly it proud but please fly it the correct way.

Thanks, I will be setting up a timed landscape light.  Just wanted to make sure it was flying on Memorial Day with or without me.

Yep, it MUST be illuminated if flown in the hours of darkness. Ever notice that Wal-marts always have theirs lit up at night?

Yes, Wal-mart always makes sure to have their People's Republic of Taiwan flag spotlighted AT ALL TIMES.  It was part of the deal when PRC made Wal-mart.

Jewbroni~

I don't know which f*cking flag you're seeing, but the wal-mart here flies the Stars and Stripes.

You can fly the flag all night without a light if you want to.  All of the "rules" about the flag's care and display are based on tradition, not law.  

Leave the flag in the dark?! Have you lost your f*cking mind?!

All you ever wanted to know about the flag:
[url]www.outlawslegal.com/organic/flag.htm[/url]

Darm441: It is not solely about tradition, it is about respect.

radioman

Here is the "real deal" webpage, it is the one linked from the official Whitehouse.gov web site:
[url]http://www4.law.cornell.edu/uscode/4/ch1.html[/url]

TITLE 4 - FLAG AND SEAL, SEAT OF GOVERNMENT, AND THE STATES
CHAPTER 1 - THE FLAG
Sec. 6. Time and occasions for display

(a) It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed 24 hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.

(b) The flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously.

(c) The flag should not be displayed on days when the weather is inclement, except when an all weather flag is displayed.

(d) The flag should be displayed on all days, especially on New Year's Day, January 1; Inauguration Day, January 20; Lincoln's Birthday, February 12; Washington's Birthday, third Monday in February; Easter Sunday (variable); Mother's Day, second Sunday in May; Armed Forces Day, third Saturday in May; Memorial Day (half-staff until noon), the last Monday in May; Flag Day, June 14; Independence Day, July 4; Labor Day, first Monday in September; Constitution Day, September 17; Columbus Day, second Monday in October; Navy Day, October 27; Veterans Day, November 11; Thanksgiving Day, fourth Thursday in November; Christmas Day, December 25; and such other days as may be proclaimed by the President of the United States; the birthdays of States (date of admission); and on State holidays.

(e) The flag should be displayed daily on or near the main administration building of every public institution.

(f) The flag should be displayed in or near every polling place on election days.

(g) The flag should be displayed during school days in or near every schoolhouse.

>>Darm441: It is not solely about tradition, it is about respect.<<
I agree, but tradition is not "must" or "shall".  It is "may" or "should".  

Here in San Diego many years ago we had a retired Marine who made it his personal mission to educate people who weren't flying the flag properly.  His primary targets were:

- Flags flown at night with no light,

- Flags flying in the rain,

- Flags not in the highest position when multiple flags are flown,

- Tattered, torn, faded, mildewed, etc.

He actually paid to replace some flags, and for dirty or mildewed ones he'd offer to take them home and wash them in Clorox II.

>>Leave the flag in the dark?! Have you lost your f*cking mind?!<<
Maybe.  Maybe it got lost overseas while at a little camp way off in the jungle where we nailed the the flag up on a chunk of wood and left it there 24 hours a day.  Even at night, without a light to shine on it, there in the dark, we flew the flag.  When it got torn and ripped by enemy fire, we left it up.  When a mortar shell knocked it down and it touched the ground, we didn't burn it either, we nailed it back up.  I fail to see any problem with that.

From what I was taught in NCO leadership school, the tradition of not flying the flag at night, the whole raising and lowering ceremony thing, started in West Texas back in the late1800s. The pony soldiers would leave it up all night too, as was the custom then. But the Indians would sneak in and steal it, counting "coup" on the enemy. They started running out of flags, so they came up with the lowering and raising ceremonies to honor the flag and also save on the flags they did have. Neat bit of trivia, if it is true.

Keep a light on it at night and take it down during bad weather

Wal-mart can fly the Stars and Stripes all they want.  Hell, fly good ol' Betsy Ross for all I care.

Isn't going to make me think that your merchandise is not made all in Asia anyway.

Jewbroni~