A photo of baby wrapped in an American flag has become the subject of controversy, with some saying it’s a desecration of Old Glory.
AOL News reported that photographer and Navy veteran Vanessa Hicks took the photo of 8-day-old Landon with his father, who is a Navy vet himself, just last week. On Sunday, Hicks posted the photo to her business' Facebook page.
Within hours, someone began posting the photo to several Facebook groups, arguing that it was inappropriate.
"The flag is not a prop . . . To use the American flag in such a way is disrespectful, rude, tacky, disgusting, and against the U.S. Flag Code," the poster wrote. Several other commenters seemed to agree.
In response, Hicks defended herself, saying, "I do believe that this picture right here shows what it means to be an American . . . This is what he was fighting for, his son wrapped in an American flag."
"The flag represents our republic, the republic is supporting our future. There is nothing disrespectful about this use of our flag. It is beautiful," read one online comment typical of those who posted in defense of Hicks.
The hosts of "Good Morning America" seemed to come down on the side of the defenders, saying, "This is obviously a service member who is wrapping something very precious into the American flag that is very precious to her as well."
On the other hand, the U.S. Flag Code does state that the American flag should "never be used as a receptacle for receiving, holding, carrying, or delivering anything."
The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that no matter the intention — good or ill — the First Amendment gives citizens the right to use the flag in any way they see fit without fear of lawful punishment.
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