For love of our country, people of the United States next Thursday will shoot off fireworks, sing the National Anthem and other patriotic songs, and display the Stars and Stripes almost everywhere: in front of businesses and homes, on public spaces, even from cars and boats.

Independence Day evokes the best of Americans. It’s a beautiful thing.

And so is our flag. As the day approaches, we think about American flags that have been erected in pride of place and then, sometimes, sadly neglected. Who has not seen the flag tangled in the halyards around the pole, left flapping through the night dews and the thunderstorms and the sleet storms, until it sometimes appears to be a ragged, forgotten yard decoration?

After the shock of 9-11, thousands of automobiles began to wave little flags. And not long after that, tattered, torn-loose flags began to appear on the muddy shoulder of the roadsides.

The pride is wonderful. We merely ask our readers to treat our flag properly, with resp...