Vanity - Flags at Half Staff More Often?

[pfflier]

It seems that I see the flag flown at half staff more frequently during the obama administration.

First let me say that I have spent more than 30 years on military bases and become very familiar with the sight and it's protocol. I am also familiar with the criteria established in the US Flag Code.

It seems to me that this administration is using the custom now as a visual prop to reinforce it's agendas as much as to honor the dead.

[madison10]

Obama has the flags flown for every little thing. He has made the lowering of the flag trivial which is sad.

Thank you for your many years of service.

[Graewoulf]

The US Flag should stay at half mast until Benghazi Coward B. Hussein Obama is IMPEACHED!

[stylin19a]

I believe President Bush authorized state governors can use their own discretion regarding half-mast U.S. flag flying.

[mnehring]

Whitney Houston- Half Staff

Chris Kyle- Not Half Staff

[DManA]

This has been a concern of mine for some time. Our enemies celebrate every time we dip our flag. They interpret it as weakness. It gives them courage. We should actually add extensions to all the polls and after every attack we should fly it HIGHER.

[grobdriver]

Symbolism / Substance

[Fiji Hill]

Whitney Houston- Half Staff

I've noticed that a lot of flags have been at half staff over the past couple of days. Perhaps Obama ordered them to be lowered following the passing of gospel singer George Beverly Shea.

[fidelis]

I was thinking this very thing. It was my understanding that the flag being placed at half mast is to honor those who have died in service to the country (or at least the community at large) and not for pop celebrities or even victims of every loony who goes in to mow down innocents.

As much as I weep for the victims of recent violence, they were unwitting victims of crimes, not military, police, fire, statesmen or other citizens who willingly gave their all to preserve our freedom.

[Resolute Conservative]

It needs to be upside down, we are in distress.

[silverleaf]

our govt is broken, riddled with arrogant twits

Chris Christie lowered the US flag to half mast for Whitney Houston

[knarf]

Change the language and change the thought process.

Change tyhe thought process and change the culture

Language is changed in many ways and it is becoming more popular to use public discourse/conversation to do the job.

Gravitas

Sequester

Democracy

[zerosix]

You are very correct, it almost seems as though we get half-staffed flags if Michelle has a hang nail.

[mnehring]

People are doing it on there own.

[mnehring]

Errrrr... their, not there

[knarf]

Which makes my point in #12

[MNDude]

Here are all the times the MN Flag was down in the past year: US - 4/16/2013 US Flags to Half Staff Honoring Victims of the Tragedy in Boston, MA MN - 2/22/2013 US Flags to half-staff in honor of Officer Josh Lynaugh MN - 2/3/2013 US and MN Flags to Half Staff in Honor of the 70th anniversary of the tragic sinking of the United States Army transport Dorchester US - 12/18/2012 US Flags at Half Staff in Honor of Senator Daniel K. Inouye US - 12/14/2012 US Flags at Half Staff Honoring the Victims of the Tragedy in Newtown, Connecticut US - 12/7/2012 US Flags to Half Staff on 12/7/2012 - In Honor of Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day MN - 12/5/2012 US Flags to Half Staff in Honor of Cold Spring Police Officer Thomas �Tommy� Decker MN - 11/28/2012 US Flags to Half Staff in Honor of Lance Corporal Dale W. Means US - 10/16/2012 US Flags to Half Staff on 10/16/2012 - In Honor of Arlen Specter US - 10/7/2012 US Flags to Half Staff on 10/7/2012 - Fallen Firefighters Memorial Day MN - 9/29/2012 US and MN Flags to Half Staff in Honor of Kyle B. Osborn US - 9/12/2012 US Flags to Half Staff Honoring the Victims of the Attack in Libya US - 9/11/2012 US Flags to Half Staff in Honor of Patriot Day US - 8/31/2012 US Flags to Half Staff in Honor of Neil Armstrong US - 8/6/2012 US Flags at Half Staff in Honor of Oak Creek, WI Shootings MN - 8/1/2012 US and MN Flags to Half Staff in Honor of observation of the Interstate 35W Bridge Collapse US - 7/20/2012 US Flags To Half Staff in Honor of Aurora, Colorado Shooting Victims MN - 6/25/2012 US and MN Flags to Half Staff in Honor of Taylor J. Baune MN - 6/20/2012 US and MN Flags to Half Staff in Honor of Kedith L. Jacobs, Jr MN - 6/12/2012 Flags to Half Staff in Honor of William E. Swanson http://mn.halfstaff.org/

[Roos_Girl]

We have a flag in our front yard. It is lighted at night. We put it at half mast after the last election and have left it there.

[Past Your Eyes]

You took the words right out of my mouth.

[MNDude]

yikes, can’t fix that formatting.

In any case, the MN flag has been ordered at half mast 20 times in the past 12 months. Some of these times it has been down for a week at a time!