Flying The Flag at Half-Staff: A State of Perpetual Victimhood (VANITY)

9/16/2012 | rlmorel

[Loud Mime]

Since our family has it’s own 30’ flag pole, we use half-staff at our discretion. Tomorrow it will be at half-staff to honor my father’s death two years ago. He was in the Army Air Corps, an original member of the USAF, and a WWII and Korea war Vet.

Tomorrow is also Constitution day.

[upsdriver]

Lowering the flag in any instance is more disrespect for the flag rather than respect for the deceased. It should only be lowered in rare instances. Obama has no respect for the flag so he has no compunction to ordering it lowered often.

[rlmorel]

I don’t think I disagree with you...I think people can fly their flag at half-staff for a variety of reasons, and I think towns and municipalities or even states might as well. If a soldier from a town is KIA, I would have no issue with the town, city or individuals flying the flag at half-staff.

And because the government decrees it, I don’t always follow it. I didn’t when Ted Kennedy finally died. And I sure as Hell won’t when certain others go.

So I agree with you.

[Colonel_Flagg]

Generally speaking the lowering of the national standard is done by decree. To my mind it’s the same issue as flying the flag upside down.

When my father, who was a veteran, passed away, I wanted to lower the flag but didn’t. He’d have been most upset if I had and there was no direction to do so.

[luvie]

Thanks for letting me know. If I had owned my flag then, I would have probably lowered it for your dad and would have upset you. :(

God rest his sweet soul...

[Colonel_Flagg]

Dad taught me respect for the flag. He wouldn’t have wanted it lowered for him. But you’d have been sweet to consider it.

[luvie]

Thank you...I wouldn’t have wanted to do anything against his or your wishes. So, I’m glad I didn’t have the flag pole installed then.

Your Dad was an awesome man.....and one of my heroes.

[ExGeeEye]

I wouldn't fly Old Glory upside down unless I was in need of rescue and had no other means to communicate. Like dialing 911 to report lousy pizza, IMHO. Unfortunately, the message has been so diluted by political use (look at me! i’m in distress because the people in charge won't do it my way!) that it has probably lost its meaning as a genuine distress call.

Also IMHO, different from a display of the flag at half-staff because of personal mourning. Some I know do it on the anniversaries of certain events (space shuttle incidents, the deaths of Mother Teresa or John Paul II, etc.) Added together, people like this could add to the general sense that the flag is half-staff everywhere and all the time, but I will not judge them.