Estella Casas, Kaley Cuoco and Desecration of the American Flag

I was told when I was a kid that you can't ever wear an American flag and that to do so would be an insult to patriots everywhere. My kid brain took that to mean "anything that looks like a flag". But, I've since learned that "flag" means "an actual American flag" which is why Wal-Mart can sell flag-motif napkins without being called a bunch of pinhead by Bill O'Reilly. You can wear clothes that kind of look like a flag. What you're not supposed to do is cut up and actual flag and make an article of clothing out of it.

Over this Independence Day weekend two celebrities, one local and one from Hollywood , ran afoul of the varied and often byzantine rules of flag etiquette.

First, the actress Kaley Cuoco. Apparently, there is a television show , The Big Bang Theorem, I believe it is called. (Am I doing a good job of convincing you that I not only don't watch this show but barely know what it is? Good.) Ms. Cuoco posted this:

Those are her dogs sitting on what appears to be Old Glory. Well, Instagram lost it's shit over this.

"Showing disrespect for the flag, it should never touch the ground, or let your pet stand on it!"

"Shame on you, Kaley. You lost a fan."

I don't expect a Hollywood celebrity, or a Californian for that matter, to have any sense of patriotism or respect from the flag. But, the first though I had was, "Maybe that's a beach towel that looks like an American flag. They sell them at Target." But I know that isn't the case because Kaley Cuoco calls it a flag in her profuse apology.

"Yesterday I made a mistake by posting the picture that was taken of my sweet dogs posing on an American flag. I sincerely apologize to..."

She could've just said it was a beach towel and that probably would have nipped it in the bud. But, a flag it is, and even an out-of-touch Hollywood liberal should know you don't let your dogs sit their stinky canine buttholes on the Red, White and Blue.

El Paso anchorwoman and beloved local icon Estella Casas likewise ruffled feathers by wearing a flag(ish) print scarf during her newscast.

All kinds of patriotic viewers who've obviously never been in a party supply store in the six months leading up to July fourth let Estella know that what she had done was an unforgivable act, akin to spitting on a bald eagle. So much so, that Estella devoted 5 minutes the next night to address the issue AND wrote a blog on her station website.

I don't understand why it took so long to say, "It's a scarf, morons".