Veteran Wraps Baby in American Flag

Administrator

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A photographer and Navy veteran is fighting back after a photo she posted to Facebook started an online backlash.

Vanessa Hicks said she had no idea her photo would be considered controversial. The photo, from a military family’s newborn photo shoot, showed a newborn infant wrapped in an American flag held by his father, who was in his military uniform.

Hicks, a Navy veteran herself and the wife of an active-duty Navy member, said her intention was to honor the flag as well as her clients, who wanted to incorporate their military service in the photo shoot.

“This is what he was fighting for, his son wrapped in an American flag,” Hicks told ABC News. However, when she posted the image on her page, she started to get comments accusing her of desecrating the flag.

On one Facebook page an unidentified poster put up her picture writing and wrote they found it was “disrespectful, rude, tacky, disgusting, and against the U.S. Flag Code.”

The Federal Flag Code has guidelines for the proper treatment of the U.S. Flag but there are no rules for punishment related to violations. In the past, the Supreme Court has found that people are protected from punishment under the First Amendment for manipulating or even burning the flag.

Hicks said she was surprised when messages suddenly started to pop up on her Facebook page and even her own website criticizing her photos.

She said she stayed up until 4 a.m. recently to take down comments from her business and company page, even on shoots that had nothing to do with the flag.

“I know how low I felt during those first few hours,” said Hicks. “[I felt] am I not a good American or veteran or wife. It’s a train-wreck you can’t help but watch.”

As Hicks tried to stop the comments from taking over her pages, others started to take notice and her picture went viral on social media sites. After that, Hicks found that many people, both military and civilian, told her they did not find the picture offensive.

“I have seen first-hand what is desecration of the flag,” Hicks said of her time in the military. “At the end of the day I didn’t do anything that disrespected this flag.”

Hicks, whose husband is still on active duty in the Navy, said the flag is a symbol of U.S. freedoms including the First Amendment right to free speech.

“[My husband] wouldn’t die for a flag, he would die for the freedoms that this country offers,” she told ABC News.

After her story grabbed local headlines, Hicks has been inundated by requests for photos shoots, and she said she plans to give 15 percent of all profits related to these shoots to the USO.

Opinions?

Blogger

I see nothing wrong with the photo. I think it's actually adorable.

VIP

Someone in a mom's group I admin posted this photo and I LOVED it. This is such a beautiful photo and is not desecrating the flag at all...Some people just have nothing better to do than to cause ridiculous drama over something so beautiful.

Administrator

I'm not too concerned with her supposedly doing the flag wrong, I don't think she's harming it at all. However I do find myself concerned with how the baby is being help up in it. There is nothing protecting the baby and if it kicked its foot or just twisted a little it would fall out because there is no protection. What happens when you are laying in a hammock? Unless you are a pro at those you are probably going to end up on the ground at least once. That is what people should be noticing. Look past the flag and see the potential danger of the babe. If someone posted a pic online of another person holding a babe like that in just a regular blanket or towel it would get response too.... but for the safety factor.

VIP

A flag is a symbol. I don't believe in the fact you can be disrespectful to the object. You can use the object to show disrespect for what it stands for. That is not at all what was happening in this pic.

Staff Team

I have no issues with the using of a flag. I think it is done appropriately and it is adorable. I do agree with Tori though. I hope someone was maybe laying underneath out of shot just in case.

Guest

I don't know anything about the flag code, so I have no opinion about it being against that. I think it's a very adorable and well done picture. I am sure the photographer is well versed in baby safety and wouldn't do something to potentially harm baby. The picture is small but to me it looks like the baby is swaddled or wrapped up, so he/she can't kick or anything and the baby also looks fairly newborn so I am sure it can't really flail yet either. The flag appears to be held tight enough on each end to support the baby just fine. When mamas have babies at home and they are weighed they are put in a sling and suspended from the scale (if mom doesn't have a baby scale for baby to weigh on) Picture below to show what I am talking about. I personally don't see any danger to baby in this

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VIP

I dont find it offensive at all! I love the pic. I have cousins that are in the army and one of them had their newborn photographed wearing his army hat and the baby was naked. Is he shaming the army cause a naked child was wearing it? I dont think so. People will find something to complain about. It never fails. People need to get lives and realize the world does not revolve around their opinions or beliefs.

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Veteran Wraps Baby in American Flag

Veteran Wraps Baby in American Flag

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