( CNN ) It 's a striking image : a new baby cradled in the American flag , held by a Navy sailor whose face we ca n't see . But is it a patriotic photograph or desecration of the American flag ? Navy veteran Vanessa Hicks , a Virginia Beach photographer whose website is filled with sweet images of babies and their parents , shot the picture of the sailor and his baby and posted it to her Facebook page . `` I do believe that this picture right here shows what it means to be an American , '' Hicks told CNN affiliate WTKR . `` That flag , the uniform , that baby -- exactly what every service member is out there fighting . '' Not everyone agreed with Hicks , herself a Navy wife whose husband is deployed . A Facebook page titled `` You call yourself a photographer ? '' posted her photo and said that the use of the flag as a prop was a desecration -- and a bad picture . The U.S . Flag Code does state that the flag should never be used as `` wearing apparel , bedding , or drapery . It should never be festooned , drawn back , nor up , in folds , but always allowed to fall free , '' according to a Congressional Research Service report ( PDF ) . Nor should it be `` used as a receptacle for receiving , holding , carrying , or delivering anything . '' The threatening private messages , which she has reported to Facebook , saddened her . But she decided to keep posting the picture and to take pictures of other members of the military who request the same picture with their babies and the flag . Most people posting to the critical Facebook page disagree with the criticism of the picture . Wrote one poster , `` I am a veteran and find this picture beautiful . Clearly the military member loves his country and baby . '' `` The photo is making a point , '' another photo fan posted . `` The flag represents our republic , the republic is supporting our future . There is nothing disrespectful about this use of our flag . It is beautiful . ''
A picture of a flag embedded in the flag raises questions . Facebook critics call it symbolic of the flag . A Navy veteran whose flag is deployed took the picture .