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Signing flags

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Someone asked me an interesting question concerning (US) flag etiquette: "Is it considered defacing property if you "sign" a flag? With all that is going on w/the USA tragedy, would it be considered defacing property if elementary students (grades K-5) signed a flag to send to a local firefighter who went to New York to help in the 9/11 recovery efforts. We would like to have 300 students sign their names on a flag to present to this firefighter as their token of appreciation for being our "hometown hero"."

I honestly don't know US law on this (it is not "desecration" by any means), though it seems like a nice gesture. Frankly I suggested that they not do it if the fireman in question would be offended by it, but to go ahead if he's not. Al Kirsch, 23 September 2001

This "defacing property" bit sounds like some legal term. If it is, I expect it applies to modifying the look of an other person's property. I wouldn't expect this to apply, since I take it the firefighter doesn't yet own the flag when its being autographed.

Where the rule of not writing on a flag (different from the rule not to add lettering to a flag design) in concerned: I see the strict rule of not writing on the flag as a product of its time: The high ideals of the start of the new century (now the old century). Nowadays such rules probably are strictly valid only in closed groups (like the military), with the practice in society being much more varied. For one thing, in the USA, a separate use of flags can be noticed where flags or flag images on e.g. walls are used as a field for images etc.. That in itself is no disrespect to the flag, it's a recognition that the flag stands for the USA and it is used as such. Of course, the image itself could be disrespectful, but that's a different matter.

I guess, the same holds for these autographs. Indeed, some of those wall-flags were used in the last week to display a message of grief or of hope, collecting the autographs of all who supported them. So whether the message is just "We're all proud to be American!", or whether a message is actually written on the flag, collectively autographing a flag has become a way to add meaning to the flag, rather than take meaning away from it.
Peter Hans van den Muijzenberg, 23 September 2001

I guess that I may be considered part of a group that "might feel stricter", though I wouldn't say that my military training would have anything to do with it (over here the flag issue in military is much different). But, anyway - in many vex-books one may find, if I am no much mistaken, a notion that writing (or otherwise adding anything) on a national flag is not considered best custom. This being variously observed in different parts of world and in different time - from ignoring it to entirely mystifying the untouchable nature of the flag.

In many legislation (and flag codes and whatever) regarding national (and subnational) flags, there is found a provision that prescribes that the flag should be "as determined here, and nothing should be added or omitted" sometimes also adding "except in conditions prescribed by law" (allowing e.g. for military and rank flags to be derived from the national flag).

A flag is a finished "item" and should not be adorned additional and "overburdened" with additional symbolism and meanings. After all, the vexillological theory (and practice) knows a perfectly acceptable, nice and decorative mode how such addit