Airlines use of a respected emblem to promote sales

[Max Powers]

There I was In Hobby on 7-8-07. I just finished watching Boeing's unveiling of the Boeing 787. Having a sense of pride at what we can accomplish in this world under the leadership of the USA. (Boeing itself only produces the composite vertical fin with risk-sharing partners producing the rest of the airplane: wings coming from Japan, fuselage sections via Italy and South Carolina, landing gear from France, rudder sections from China and engines from Britain and the U.S.) Risk is spread throughout the supply chain; profits mainly come back to Boeing a US company. Great I think that's the way free trade is supposed to make us stronger.

Anyway back to Hobby....Walking by the SWA ticket counters there were beautifully decorated check-in counters with all sorts of star and stripes banners professionally made from some Chinese factory no doubt bought at Wal-mart no doubt.

Bearing in mind it is well past the fourth. Are some companies using the symbol of this country as an attempt to advertise their services as better than a competitors?

We all know Perkin's restaurant with the big old flag waving 5 stories above trying to entice travelers off the freeway. Or how about your typical car dealership with of course the huge flag and the "BLOW OUT FOURTH" sale complete with mini-flags for the kids. And least we not forget the airline who promotes year round wearing of the flag as a tie, no less, to distinguish themselves from their competition.

Having served as a ground pounder - grunt in our military. Having friends currently serving should we not respect this flag more. Show more humility by wearing a pin? Or saving the flag tie for Flag day and The fourth?

Lets not take away from the stars and stripes ....it belongs hanging by the front doors of those mothers and fathers who are proud that their sons or daughters are serving in our armed forces and hanging near the doors of citizens who are not trying to promote their business.

I wrote another post earlier and I think it went the wrong way. I guess I have very strong feelings for the freedoms we have in this country and feel the flag helps to show our humility for the common person and respect for people. I just hate when people use that emblem to promote their corporation's self-interests.

 

[RadioClash]

As a Marine, whose father served in Vietnam as a medevac pilot and whose father in law served in Vietnam as an infantry company commander, all I can say is fly it and show it! I don't care if someone is using it in their advertising or as a slogan. This is OUR flag, we should be proud of it.

Don't forget that there are plenty of d!psh*ts in this world that like to burn OUR flag. They do not respect it and by the way they hate us and our way of life. That is a bigger issue of disrespect than some company flying it on their car lot. BFD.

We should jam our flag down their throats. I love my country, I love OUR flag.

Fly it. He!! I don't care if everyone in the US painted their cars and houses as the US flag. Wear your flag ties, wear a shirt with the flag on it, have a bumper sticker, whatever. Be proud and happy that we are flying the flag of the US and not burning it and not flying some terrorist idiots flag over our captial and car lots.

 

[Max Powers]

We should jam our flag down their throats. I love my country, I love OUR flag.

Fly it. He!! I don't care if everyone in the US painted their cars and houses as the US flag. Wear your flag ties, wear a shirt with the flag on it, have a bumper sticker, whatever. Be proud and happy that we are flying the flag of the US and not burning it and not flying some terrorist idiots flag over our captial and car lots.

Well my father also served in Vietnam in the Army Core of Engineers. He would disagree with you isn't part of the problem us trying to "cram it down their throats" Some countries can't handle those freedoms because they aren't as evolved as a people as we are.

I guess in the end we agree more than disagree in the whole scheme of things.

peace

 

[737tanker]

Anyway back to Hobby....Walking by the SWA ticket counters there were beautifully decorated check-in counters with all sorts of star and stripes banners professionally made from some Chinese factory no doubt bought at Wal-mart no doubt.

Bearing in mind it is well past the fourth. Are some companies using the symbol of this country as an attempt to advertise their services as better than a competitors?

And least we not forget the airline who promotes year round wearing of the flag as a tie, no less, to distinguish themselves from their competition

SWA had what it called Freedom week to honor all Americans who had served in the military. As a part of this stations had a competition to see who could decorate their gates the best based on this theme. Additional each work are throughout SWA were collecting various items for SWA to ship to soldiers and Marines deployed to Iraq. Also SWA has a site where employees can donate money towards pre-paid phone cards which will also be given to soldiers and Marines deployed to Iraq.
As for the ties SWA didn't promote that, it was an initiative among the pilots themselves. All SWA did was authorize the ties in lieu of the official uniform ties. SWA doesn't give the ties to the pilots, they buy them themselves.

 

[RadioClash]

Sorry, I think that came out wrong. I don't mean we should force our way of life on them, not at all.

What I meant by jamming our flag down their throats was, something along the lines of shove it in their face as a country, that they will not intimidate us and show that we are proud as country, of our way of life, and our flag. Instead of being worried about silly things like the new iphone not activating etc.

Trust me I do not come from the school of thought of winning their hearts and minds.

 

[Max Powers]

Thanks for the info tanker ....I guess I'm just overly sensitive with all the happenings since 9-11 and how we responded to it.

 

[Axel]

With the caveat that Title 4, USC is more guidelines than rules:

4 U.S.C. § 8(d)

(d) The flag should never be used as wearing apparel, bedding, or drapery. It
should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds, but always allowed to
fall free. Bunting of blue, white, and red, always arranged with the blue above,
the white in the middle, and the red below, should be used for covering a
speaker’s desk, draping in front of the platform, and for a decoration in general.

4 U.S.C. § 8(i)

(i) The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner
whatsoever...

...Advertising
signs should not be fastened to a staff or halyard from which the flag is flown.

So the neckties are out. I guess an exception to this would be Uncle Sam; himself a symbol of the US. Kid Rock cutting a hole in the flag and wearing it like a serape set my teeth on edge.

The giant flag at Cigar Bill's Used Cars is good as long as the "4th of July Blowout Sale" sign is not on the same staff or halyard.

And what about the USAirways logo?

 

[Bavarian Chef]

(Boeing itself only produces the composite vertical fin with risk-sharing partners producing the rest of the airplane: wings coming from Japan, fuselage sections via Italy and South Carolina, landing gear from France, rudder sections from China and engines from Britain and the U.S.)

A plastic jet, not made in the USA? Blasphemy.

 

[FlyBarneyJets]

So the neckties are out.

Not necessarily. The neckties are a representation of the design elements of the American Flag. I don't know of anyone who wears an actual American Flag (which is what the rules you quoted apply to) tied around their necks .

 

[CitationLover]

Title 4, USC? The first amendment of the US Constitution says you can burn a flag, spit on a flag, take a dump on the flag, wear it as a diaper, etc. I think the first amendment trumps the USC no matter what the Bush administration would have you or I believe. The flag is simply a symbol. The copy of the constitution is more a representation of what this country means than a piece of cloth.

 

[Axel]

Title 4, USC? The first amendment of the US Constitution says you can burn a flag, spit on a flag, take a dump on the flag, wear it as a diaper, etc. I think the first amendment trumps the USC no matter what the Bush administration would have you or I believe. The flag is simply a symbol. The copy of the constitution is more a representation of what this country means than a piece of cloth.

Absolutely. In fact, the flag symbolizes our right to desecrate it should we choose to do so. Title 4 states that these are guidelines, not rules, implying that they are for the use of those who do not wish to show disrespect.

Barney, your point with the ties is well taken. However, consider the case of the pilot who considers himself a self-styled renegade (when really he's just a punk) who wears the symbol as a tie not out of respect for the flag, but as a passive aggressive way to not wear the uniform tie.

 

[scoreboard]

Max Power,

This time your complaining about SWA celebrating our hero's. Man you have an axe to grind don't you?

That first interview didn't go so well, have you been called for the second one? I didn't think so. I guess we got it right the first time. Stay bitter and it shows, it obviously showed in your interview.

What about USAIR's tail? THAT IS a representation of the US flag. I don't hear any complaint from you on that, do we?? Oh, wait, your still waiting for them to call you back, so I guess we won't hear you complain about that symbol...

A patriotic tie with some red, white and blue coloring IS NOT THE US FLAG!!

Your a hypocrit, you don't have strong feelings for the country, you have strong feelings against SWA for not hiring you.

Get off it, have a beer.

 

[Paul R. Smith]

Its good that people are as passionate about the symbol of our country as you seem to be.

Good on ya.

 

[Aubie]

It's a shame that some people can't see the forest for the trees. I work at SWA and know several of the people who took their own time and energy to decorate where they work to show their support for the the troops and their love for their country.

None of these people did this to generate revenue or promote sales. The initial point of this thread is in error. Even if an unscrupulous company tried to use the flag to encourage sales, decorating the gate area is pointless - once the customer is there they have already bought their ticket and are through security.

It's too bad that so many people want to show their support and patriotism in their own way but some people seem to find offense in this. Can't we focus this energy on fixing things that are bigger issues? Like kids that don't know where their next meal is coming from? Or what Paris did while in her jail cell?

 

[Max Powers]

Ok soreboard you caught me It is all because I didn't get an interview at SWA... oh wait I don't have an application out to SWA; maybe I am set where I am and don't have a desire to work there. What!!! someone that doesn't want to work at SWA? Look SWA is a great place to work, no doubt, especially for a pilot - But I prefer Cargo for its stability and I can't handle bush loving Red-necks JK..

Perhaps you could debate me on different points based upon what I said - instead of trying to insult me. Are you game Mr. GW Bush lover