Sideways Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 What's the big deal about, isn't this the real French flag anyhow? 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SFZFAN Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Well this is interesting... I guess as the official "liaison" for the French directors in America right now, I can chime in. First of all, it should be noted that my friends have NOT seen SCV's show yet (outside of older FN videos), because I was at the airport picking them up while SCV was performing on Friday night. They were at Saturday in Allentown to see their member perform, and they will be at finals with me. I'll also echo the sentiment that until we can conclusively determine the flag being 'tossed' is an actual french flag, this is all a bit speculative. However, since this is DCP... I can and will say quite decisively that my French friends would not care about the flag being used that way in a Les Mis show. Nevermind that we actually had this conversation last night in the car, but there is also video evidence... Id say watch it all, but if you are short on time, focus on the snare drummer at the top of the eiffel tower set at 820-830 I wrote the music and drill for this show - but that little add-on was not something I thought of, or even knew about until I saw the video. Yes...its a little toy flag, but in the multicam video, it looks accurate enough. The point remains... that they used a french flag as a prop, and tossed it out onto the field when they were done with it. And, im pretty sure it was done without a second thought. Now - 2 French people are no more qualified to speak for their country any more than any 2 Americans can speak for all of ours. But it should give some insight into the culture, and the general likelihood of someone getting offended. While the "Modern French" can be quite defensive of their culture, language, food, and ideas, I think it is safe to say that they dont have quite the same fervor towards pure patriotism that Americans do. Its a fine, and somewhat strange distinction, but i think it makes sense, when you consider a loyalty to family and regions, as compared to governments and flags... Anyway, none of this is really going to change anybody's mind, nor should it. If one finds this treatment of a nation's flag to be offensive, then it wont and shouldn't matter that a couple of people from the country aren't offended by it, and I certainly wont try to change your mind. I just felt it an interesting insight from someone very close to the source... You wrote the music and drill for SCV this year? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rifuarian Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 (edited) However, the question remains concerning Santa Clara's use of the French national tricolors as a flash flag which is tossed and spun during Les Mis. Consider the chagrin of the administration of the only competitive drum corps in France, from Brittany I think, who are here this week to view DCI East and DCI championships with the hope of bringing their young corps one day to Open Class championships or DCA's All-age. Trust me, they won't care. Americans are for the most part unique when it comes to having massive rods jammed up our backsides when it comes to respect every last little niggling detail of flag protocol. The French love their country as much as we do ours but they don't quite worship the tricolore in the same way we do the stars and stripes. There are desecration laws but they're intended for outrages far more severe than what takes place in a summer marching band field show. Edited August 6, 2013 by Rifuarian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kdaddy Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 You wrote the music and drill for SCV this year? Did you read his post? 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
euponitone Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Did you read his post? Obviously not even a little bit... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flammaster Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Man what a STUPID thread! 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sideways Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 Is this proper usage of a flag? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NakedEye Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 :united:/>/> Is this proper usage of a flag? As long as the yellow dude doesn't spin it, I think we're ok. :tongue:/> 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrownBariDad Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 similarly, if a group uses a US flag with only 48 stars the same rules do not apply. While the Flag Code is silent on the treatment of previous versions of the US Flag, tradition and practice holds that older versions of Old Glory should be accorded the same respect as the current version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rifuarian Posted August 6, 2013 Share Posted August 6, 2013 What's the big deal about, isn't this the real French flag anyhow? :shutup:/> The two million + French men and women who died in the past century while defending their country (about twice as many as the number of Americans who have made a similar sacrifice ever) might disagree with you. Yeah, yeah . . . relax, it's a joke, etc. I'm sure everyone would be relaxed if a similar joke had been made about America and American soldiers. This is the sort of ignorance and disrespect we should concern ourselves with, and not some imagined slight that may or may not have occurred in the middle of a marching band show. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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