Burning issue: did Sarah Palin harm the American flag? guardian.co.uk

The Guardian's Ed Pilkington managed to get an impromptu interview with Sarah Palin at a Tea Party Express rally in Reno, Nevada. But video footage of the interview has caused a stir because it shows Palin casually putting her signature on an American flag – a potential violation of the Flag Code and thus of US federal law.

In the video above, at the 1m.33sec mark, Palin is handed a small version of Old Glory by a supporter, which she appears to cheerfully sign with a marker pen and hand back.

According to the Salon blogger Emma Mustich, by signing the flag Palin may have violated subsection 8, part (g) of the Flag Code, which states: "The flag should never have placed upon it, nor on any part of it, nor attached to it any mark, insignia, letter, word, figure, design, picture, or drawing of any nature."

While that may be true, in practice the Flag Code is widely breached. Given Supreme Court rulings on the first amendment protections awarded to burning Old Glory in protest, it's unlikely that subsection 8, part (g) could ever be legally enforced.



In fact, other parts of the Flag Code are breached on a daily basis without comment. Take subsection 8, part (i) as just one example:

The flag should never be used for advertising purposes in any manner whatsoever. It should not be embroidered on such articles as cushions or handkerchiefs and the like, printed or otherwise impressed on paper napkin or boxes or anything that is designed for temporary use and discard.

In that case, most people's 4th of July celebrations are in breach of the code in one way or another. Not to mention a number of car adverts on US television.

If, like many Republicans, Sarah Palin supports a constitutional amendment to outlaw burning or desecrating the American flag, then she may have to place herself under citizen's arrest in order to remain ideologically consistent.

But the American flag isn't even the most worrying thing that Palin signs in this video. At the 58sec mark she signs a copy of a book by the spooky libertarian pseudo-philosopher Ayn Rand, without blinking an eye.