Facts Every U.S. Resident Should Know

While flag burning, also called flag desecration, is looked down upon as the lowest of low, but it is protected by the First Amendment of the US Constitution. This issue has been fiercely contested for years. In 1989, a Flag Protection Act went into effect banning the desecration of the flag. In protest, a group of 500 people in Seattle defied the new law and desecrated every flag they could find.

Due to a 1990 Supreme Court case (U.S. v. Haggerty and U.S. v. Eichman) and an amendment to the Flag Protection Act, flag burning is now considered free speech. In 2006, the Senate rejected another attempt to make flag burning against the law. There is a set of rules called the United States Flag Code that Americans are expected to follow when displaying the American flag.

Is it illegal to burn money?

Burning money is in fact a violation of a U.S. Statute (Title 18, Section 333 or US Code). This rule states that someone who defaces or destroys money can be fined $100 and imprisoned for up to six months. The government looks at burning money as a crime because when money is destroyed the government eventually has to pay to replace it. It costs about five cents to make one bill! So it's probably not a good idea to burn money in front of an officer of the law.

If a dollar bill has it's corner ripped off, is it still good?

Yes, regardless of whether the money is ripped, it still has value. Even if it's missing all four corners, as long as it can be verified as a real bill it is still good money. If you are afraid that retailers and other people you want to pay will have a problem taking the money, just bring it to your local bank. They will give you a new dollar and send the other one in to the US Treasury as a damaged bill.

What is the highest ranking officer in the US Armed Forces?

According to the modern ranking system, General is the top ranking officer in the US Armed Forces. After the General is the Lieutenant General and then the Major General.

Which US states allow gay marriage?

The following U.S. states allow gay marriage or civil unions:

- California (though recently overturned by the very controversial Proposition 8 that passed in November 2008)

- Connecticut

- New Jersey (called civil unions)

- New York

- Massachusetts

- Washington (domestic partnership)

- Hawaii (domestic partnership)

- Iowa (legal but under appeal)

- Maine (domestic partnership)

Sources:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_desecration

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7148966/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_of_the_Army_(United_States)

http://www.bep.treas.gov/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Same-sex_marriage_status_in_the_United_States_by_state