Editor's note: This post is part of a series by Dr. Baker on Our Values about core American values. This week Dr. Baker is discussing the important symbols of America.

Yesterday was Memorial Day, a day the nation pauses to pay homage to American servicemen and servicewomen killed in the line of duty. Originally called Decoration Day, it means many things to many people. One is a reminder of Vietnam and the POW/MIA flag. This flag has become an American icon.

Now, some vets want to bury the flag. Is it time?

The flag was created during the war by those who felt (correctly, I believe) that the U.S. government was downplaying the issue of the war’s prisoners and missing in action. John McCain, presidential candidate in 2008, was one such POW.

The POW/MIS flag has become a potent American symbol. And it has also become a commercial symbol. I recall an episode of American Chopper where when one of their custom motorcycles sported the carved silhouette of the downcast face.

A Michigan chapter of Veterans for Peace says it’s time to bury the POW/MIA flag, according to news reports in Michigan. The symbol has been commercialized, they say, and for some it is a symbol of the glory of war.

Their mission is “to abolish war as an instrument of national policy.” For them, the POW/MIA flag is a symbol of the use of force to resolve conflicts. This Memorial Day is the time to bury this “symbol of hatred and revenge.”

The POW/MIA flag stirs strong emotions in many people, as do other flags.

If you see a faded, ripped and torn Old Glory flying on a flagpole, how does it make you feel? Ashamed? Angry? Indifferent? Americans love the flag, as we’ve discussed on OurValues.org. Our flags are potent symbols.

Repeated waves of polling show: Almost all Americans say that seeing flags fly makes them feel good. Look around today — many flags raised yesterday for Memorial Day are still flying. But what about tattered flags?

Seeing a torn flag upsets many people — like a 30-year member of the Fraternal Order of Eagles when he returned home to Michigan after wintering in Arizona. He was appalled to find a ripped American flag still flying over the chapter’s lodge (known as an “aerie”).

According to local media, he took it upon himself to replace it at his own expense. He claims he was suspended because of it, though the group disputes his claim.

Claims aside, what do you think of his action?

Should he be congratulated for taking the initiative to replace the torn flag? He’s not alone in taking dramatic action — read the caption under the photo at the top, today.

The United States Flag Code spells out in great detail how the flag should be handled and cared for. There are many standards of respect. The flag should not be displayed as decoration, used to cover a ceiling, for advertising, as an article of clothing, stepped on, and so forth.

A flag that is no longer serviceable should be disposed of properly. Flag Keepers, a voluntary organization, is one of many organizations that play that role. If you see a tattered or dirty flag, you can report it online to this organization and they will contact the owner of occupant of the building.

The United States Flag Code is law, but it is rarely enforced. The flag is often used in advertising, on clothes, picnic ware, and so forth. All are violations of the code. But the Supreme Court considers enforcing the code to be a violation of free speech. So, we are pretty much free to do whatever we want with the flag.

What kind of emotion do flags evoke in you?
Is it time to bury the POW/MIA flag? Or, would we lose an important American symbol if we did?
What’s your feeling about a tattered American flag?
Should the U.S. Flag Code be enforced?

Dr. Wayne E. Baker is a sociologist on the faculty of the University of Michigan Ross School of Business. Baker blogs daily at Our Values and can be reached at ourvaluesproject@gmail.com or on Facebook.