The centuries-old practice can be a visible, public answer to extraordinary loss, as when more than four dozen people were killed last month at a gay nightclub in Florida. But as the nation marks Independence Day on Monday, flag buffs have noted that the honor has been extended more widely over time, including to celebrities and police dogs. And some have questioned whether the country has lowered the bar on the lowering of the flag.
“It can be a very powerful symbol, but it can also be overdone to the point that it loses its significance,” said John Hartvigsen, president of the North American Vexillological Association, a flag aficionados’ group. “You can’t spell everything out about this in rules and regulations, because it has so much to do with emotion.”
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This is why I don't fly a personal flag and why I am glad I am not responsible for a public flag. there are too many know-it-alls who want to tell you every petty thing you are doing wrong with the flag.
ReplyDeleteMy understanding was the US flag was to be lowered for deaths of Presidents and Military only. All this other is a bunch of political BS, look what I am doing for you. Lets get back to the American way.
ReplyDeleteFlags are military appendix. they have very specific purposes on the battlefield.
ReplyDeleteIn our court rooms, they bear the gold fringe signifying it is a military tribunal.
Let the military control its flag.
The elected leaders should merely salute the flag and take orders from those who know better.
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Hardly any flags were at half staff for Antonin Scalia's passing, but every flag in town was for the gay club that got shot up.
ReplyDeleteJust sayin'..
I've said it out loud too, 8:19PM
ReplyDeleteShould be flown everyday at half staff until such time as the USA is rid of the proven liar coward, traitor, criminal and divisive wanna be kenyan king and his entire socialist administration. And in the event we should elect another lying coward, criminal, democrat as president, the flag should remain at half staff. Only honest, truthful, patriotic and brave presidents should be honored with the flag being flown at full staff!
ReplyDeleteYes, Osama ordered the flags at half staff for a drug addict singers death!
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThe short answer is 'Yes'. Flags at half staff used to be rare and signified someone of significance had passed.
Side stepping the happy talk that we're all 'special' the flag seems to be at half staff more than fully raised.
We should revert to past practice to restore some semblance of significance to the gesture.
Yeah, when Obama ordered the flags flown at half staff for Crack Head Whitney Houston sh!t started going downhill from there. Then for 49 queers in Orlando, that is quite the overkill. Now if Obama would have admitted it was an act of terror on American soil then maybe I would say, well it was and act of war, but that is not the case.
ReplyDelete...And while we're at it: How about backing-off the word "hero" a little bit?
ReplyDeleteNowadays it seems that anybody that simply does the right thing in a crisis is branded "a hero".