An American flag flown upside down is a signal of distress.

At half-staff, the flag is a sign of mourning.

Jeffrey Smith figures both dire conditions describe the United States now that Barack Obama has been elected president - which explains the intentionally startling appearance of the Stars and Stripes outside his house in rural Huntertown.

“Ships fly their flags upside down when they're sinking, and I see that happening to our country,” said the staunchly Republican Smith, 42, who considers his actions patriotic, not disrespectful.

“I'm for the Bill of Rights, and I'm concerned about Obama's positions on the ‘fairness doctrine' (which some observers believe would target conservative talk radio) and the Second Amendment (the right to keep and bear arms).” Smith, a financial planner and former Eagle Scout, also worries about Obama's stated desire to “spread the wealth around,” his support for abortion rights, his ability to appoint liberal judges and his intention to expand the federal government's role in health care and other areas.

Smith knows some will perceive his silent protest as a backlash against America's first black president, but he insists his motivation was policy - not pigmentation.

“I like (Secretary of State) Condoleezza Rice, and I liked (former Secretary of State) Colin Powell before he endorsed Obama,” said Smith, who hopes his flag will motivate conservative voters to undo the damage he fears was done Tuesday - starting with the next congressional election two years from now.

Smith said most of his neighbors “love” what he's done, and this week's results seem to bear that out. Republican John McCain received 204 votes in the precinct containing Smith's house on Carroll Ridge Drive in Huntertown, compared with 124 for Obama.

“I think it's pretty funny, although I don't really care for the upside-down thing,” said neighbor Chris Eastman, 33. “I figured (Smith) would do something with the flag. He's pretty enthusiastic.”

Smith hopes McCain's defeat will compel the GOP to nominate a “real” conservative in four years - somebody like Republican Indiana Rep. Mike Pence. In the meantime, he'll continue to protest policies he finds inconsistent with America's founding documents and ideals. “I was shocked Indiana went for Obama. But I don't think that was an endorsement of him. It was a repudiation of Bush,” he said.

Nor is Smith alone in his protest. The owner of a Decatur tire store flew his flag upside-down - but not lowered - following Obama's victory Tuesday.

But Smith's flag - which he flew at half-staff after Bill Clinton was elected president in 1992 - will probably return to its normal configuration long before there's a Republican in the White House again.

“I'll have to fly my Purdue flag on the weekends and game days, and I'll never let the American flag (which must be flown above other flags) touch the ground,” he said.