Democrats Trash 12,000 American Flags, Republicans Recycle Them – UPDATED

David Harsanyi had a Republican in Denver contact him about what they found in the garbage after the Democratic National Convention:

…a worker at Invesco Field in Denver saved thousands of unused flags from the Democratic National Convention that were headed for the garbage. Guerrilla campaigning. They will use these flags at their own event today in Colorado Springs with John McCain and Sarah Palin.

Before McCain speaks today, veterans will haul these garbage bags filled with flags out onto the stage — with dramatic effect, no doubt — and tell the story.

Photo from Denver Post.com

“What you see in the picture I sent you is less than half of total flags,” a Republican official emailed. “We estimate the total number to be around 12,000 small flags and one full size 3×5 flag.”

As one of Harsanyi’s commenters noted, there is a proper way to dispose of an American flag:

When a U.S. flag is so worn it is no longer fit to serve as a symbol of our country, it should be destroyed by burning in a dignified manner. Most American Legion Posts, VFW Chapters and Boy Scout Troops regularly conduct dignified flag burning ceremonies, often on Flag Day, June 14th. Contact your local American Legion Hall, VFW Chapter or Boy Scout Troop to inquire about the availability of this service. NEVER THROW A FLAG IN THE GARBAGE!

This is pretty poor judgement on the part of the Democrat Party.

UPDATED:

The Obamatons are saying the Republicans stole the flags:

Democratic convention organizers claimed the flags were snatched from the site of Obama’s historic address so as to carry out a “cheap political stunt.”

But McCain supporters said the flags were discovered by a vendor at Denver’s Invesco Field after the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention. The vendor supposedly found trash bags full of flags in and nearby dumpsters, and turned them over to the McCain campaign.

Boy Scouts were sorting 84 bags of flags in Colorado Saturday morning, before a McCain supporter had veterans distribute them to the audience.

Too bad there is so many pictures of the flags in the trash AT THE CONVENTION.

And Ed Morrissey writes:

Remember when the DNCC was supposed to be the “greenest convention ever”? How they worried about the color of the food and using organic materials in their merchandise? I guess we can see where the “green” concern ends … at red, white, and blue.

He also hopes the RNC disposed of their flags better than the Democrats did…and so do I.