Don't matter 4th of july or whenever, when the flag passes in front I stand, my hat is off, tucked under my left arm and my right hand is over my heart. 

Damn heathens can't manage to stand, take off their backwards baseball cap, etc.. yet they think they 'deserve' what everybody else had to work for..??

I salute the flag for 2 reasons, My country/my flag and for respect of the millions of fellow American's who have died for the flag and America.  Least I can do is show the flag that much respect.

Go to a rodeo sometime to see what respect for the American flag is. At our Rodeo, the announcer say's something to the effect about "a moment to salute America" and instantly 10-12 thousand people all stand, take off their cowboy hats, face the flag pole and have their right hands over their hearts. Except for those who are retired or active Military who give the flag a military salute.