Posted on 06/07/2004 3:03:14 PM PDT by HighWheeler
As I was driving today on business, I noticed more than half of the American flags were still at flying at full staff. So I started jotting down these company’s names as I drove. I had a list of 26 in about 20 minutes. The other sad thing I noticed was how few places are flying Old Glory anymore. Over the weekend, I had put her back up at my house 5 minutes after I had heard Ronald Reagan had died.
So now I had this pile of offender’s names written down, so when I got to a computer at lunchtime, I started looking up and collecting the phone numbers. Then I started dialing up to ask them why they were not flying their flags at half-staff. All were somewhat shocked at the call. Some responses were unbelievable. I will highlight only a few.
First Call:
The first call was to a local city that had flags in a park flying full staff. The city’s operator was very nice and seemed almost embarrassed that the flags were still not lowered. She said she would get right on it and notify the proper people. Sure enough, in less than 45 minutes when I drove by again, the flags were flying properly.
I called one small business and it went like this:
HW: “I drove by your business this morning and I am calling to ask why your flag in front is not flying at half staff.”
Operator: Uh, I don’t know. Is there someone you would like speak with?
HW: Well, the American flag is supposed to be at half-staff.
Operator: “I don’t know why it’s not at half-staff.”
HW: (approaching a Hannity Man-on-the-Street moment) “Do you know why the flags are supposed to be at half staff?”
Operator: “Uhh,….It’s because of …..uhhhh, because the…..Uh…..< quietly> I don’t know.”
HW: “President Reagan died this weekend and it’s the way American honors the death of our Presidents.”
Operator: “I’ll tell them right away, is there anything else?
HW: “No thanks, you have a good day.”
The call to McDonalds:
HW: “I drove by a few of your businesses this morning and I am calling to ask why these stores are not flying the American flags at half staff.”
McD: “Uh, < long pause> There hasn’t been a directive put out.”
HW: “Oh, so are those stores are just out-of-touch?”
McD < half terse and mildly condescending>: “Well I don’t think so.”
HW: “So, they are doing this intentionally.”
McD: < really irritated> “I didn’t say that.”
HW: “Well, it’s one or the other. Either they are out of touch with America, or, if they're not out of touch as you claim, then they're doing it intentionally.”
McD: < much, much softer> “Uh, who are you?”
HW: “I am a customer.”
McD: “Would you like to speak to someone?”
HW: “No. Why don’t you carry the water for me on this one, OK?”
At the end of the day, every single one of the McDonald’s flags I saw were flying at half staff.
-----------------------
Well the others were not as much fun, but obviously none of these businesses were aware of the flag etiquette, but all were aware that Ronald Reagan had died. After I drove home back the same way, I saw almost 100% compliance. Only 2 were still not lowered.
were flying their very large flag at full staff.Now this
store in at a major intersection in town and gets a
lot of business.Well I drove by thinking one of the
customers would correct them and the flag would be put at
the right position.This morning as I was driving to
work,there was the flag still at full staff.I pulled in
and the place was very busy.I walked up to the clerk and
asked him if he knew he was suppose to be flying the
flag at half staff.He said he didn't know,so I told
him out of respect for our former President
Reagan,his flag should be flying at half staff and stay
that way for 30 days.He thanked me and said he would
correct it.Well I am happy to report on my way home
from work tonight,the flag is now flying in it's
rightful position in honor of President Reagan.
Just drove by the "Family Fun Center" looks like they've gotten their act together, and decided to fly right. It's just too bad it took them so long.
We don't have a flagpole, but have a sheltered area where we hand Old Glory from the end containing the field and stars. I'm very picky about how the flag is presented and, of course, our field is to the left of the majority of observers. No way to lower it, of course. I am considering putting a black bow at the top on each side, however.
Along the same lines as your individual freep, when GWII began, I was driving through to get supper at Mrs. Winners' Fried Chicken. I noticed that their flag was tattered, faded, and torn to the extent that it was touching the ground. Now, that really irked me and I asked the drive-thru attendant to send the manager to the window. I pointed the problem out to him and he gasped that his WWII vet grandfather and Vietnam Vet Uncle would kill him. That flag was down before I got 3 feet from the building.
Thanks for doing what you did.
Thanks! I'll be doing that later today.
The reason they don't know is because they are too busy watching reality shows, sitcoms, sports events, and having a good time to give a damn about their country.
It appalls me to no end seeing these quasi patriots waving their flags and acting like they care when something happens in this country. I'd just soon they not wave their flags at all if they don't know why they are doing it.
I stopped at a local bank on Monday afternoon that still had Old Glory flying high. Talked to the kind lady at the reception desk and she assured me that it would be taken care of. By Tuesday morning it was properly flown.
To be fair to this bank, they have a lighted pole and the flag is there 24/7. The rope end is inside some kind of lockbox. My guess is that they had to call in someone with the proper key!
Thank you for your efforts. I'll be on the lookout.
Thank you for taking the time to contact McDonald's. We truly appreciate customer feedback and welcome this opportunity to share some information with you.I'm sorry you are disappointed with the flying of the U.S. flag at full staff at some of our restaurants. Wherever possible, McDonald's restaurants in the United States proudly fly the American flag and follow the proper codes for doing so. The company sent out a corporate communication to all U.S. restaurants asking them to follow proper protocol in regards to the passing of former president, Ronald Reagan.
Again, thank you for contacting McDonald's and sharing your comments about the U.S. flag and the passing of our 40th president. We look forward to serving you for many years to come.
We raise and lower the Flag at our Little League Complex every day there is a game. I went to our game on Monday and someone had raised it to half-staff.
I was quite proud that I was not the only one in our League who had thought of it. I heard one mom ask why it was at half staff and a disgusted teenaged voice spoke up with *Because a great President died, ma'am!"
I have one of those 3 X 5 flags on a four foot metal rod mounted into a bracket on our fence by the highway. It is secured to the pole with two plastic ties. I was able to slide it to "half mast" and it makes a very powerful statement. After the funeral on Friday, I may put it back to full mast for a day or so, and then bring it in.
Thank you for your service sir. Also, appreciate seeing the flag etiquette. I did not know that flags went half mast on Memorial Day until noon. My little flag out front is at half mast. On an earlier post, I volunteered that this strays from common practice, but a very powerful statement is made nevertheless.
I was thinking the same thing for Clinton: I'll probably not fly it at all as opposed to honoring the "Oral Office's" former occupant.
My local McDonald's - in response to my call about their flag being at full staff - told me that they are not allowed to lower the flag without approval from the corporate office.
I went onto the McDonald's website and sent off an email. The next day I got a call from a very nice woman in the corporate office. She seemed to be really sincere and quite embarassed by the behavior of the local managerette. I honestly didn't feel that she was feeding me a line. The flag has been flying properly since then.
I've been calling every local business (every day if necessary) and bugging them about their flags. It seems I'm the crazy woman of South San Francisco but who cares? Not me! :)
Thata girl!
I remember when we first got the flag pole years ago, my daughter was upset. She said "Mom! Only old people put flag poles in their yards!", LOL!
Sounds great. You've got it covered except for land it is Half Staff and for sea it is Half Mast.
By the way after reading the other day about a Freeper calling businesses about their flags not being flown at half staff, my husband took note while out and stopped into a MAJOR business to ask about the flag. They had to end up taking theirs down completely because the way the pole was configured they could not fly it at half staff. At least they took it down rather than be inappropriate and that's why I would not name them. They weren't being disrespectful, in fact they were shocked they themselves had not thought about it. We appreciated that. Would be nice if they had your configuration. :)
With all my heart, I want to give you my full admiration and thanks for a job well done.
While one man can make a difference it takes all to educate the uneducated in the masses where they gather. Not where the uneducated refuse to be educated but the locations of them that are being misguided by falsehoods but are still willing to be truthfully educated.
My boss once said,"those who are educated live a better life and are more productive than those that are uneducated and relate only to falsehoods". It is the job of all truthfully educated person(s) to spread the knowledge of truth to person(s) that are relating to falsehoods. Masses must be met with masses while individuals too must be met with masses in order to properly educate the uneducated. Without the masses and reenforcement of truthful education, some will again fall prey to the falsehoods of the unwilling to be educated that lurks amongst us. It is the only way to allow our survival as the greatest nation on the face of the earth. I speak not just as educated in the terms of schooling but the truthful knowledge in ones heart. While I cry with most of the world for the passing of President Reagan, I know he will always be remembered and optimism will once again take hold of America's future. God Bless President Reagan and God Bless The United States of America.
This is exactly what I mean as uneducated. It's a quote from an individual who relates to the news of over 1 million jobs being created and the lack of credit President Bush has received for it.
"I don't think he's created anything", an undecided voter from East Flat Rock, N.C. "I know a number of people who are educated people, and they are working two or three minimum-wage jobs just trying to put groceries on the table and keep their families alive."
Truly educated people would be a bit more optimistic about over 1 million jobs created.
This so-called news comes via liberal media during President Reagan's funeral.
Similar experience with a customer's business. No idea THEY HAD A FLAG let alone one flying half-mast. The company directive went out later from their HQ.
Don't get me started with the flying of tattered flags 365/24/7.
I walked into a bank last Tuesday who was still flying the flag at full staff and asked to speak to the mgr. He/she wasn't in. So I talked to a young man who said he was in charge. I had noticed that the cleat for the line up the mast was over my head when I walked in but figured w/a jump or step stool I could easily reach it. Anyway, I asked him why they hadn't lowered the flag and he said that they were not allowed to interfere with anything outside the building and that sometime in the past (for some other occasion - probably September 11th) they had tried to lower it but couldnt' reach it and were told by mgmt not to touch it. I explained that this was disrespectful and asked him to come with me to lower - that we could do it together. But he just spouted the party line and said that their maintenance man was coming the next day from somewhere else in the state to lower the flag. I checked on Thursday and they had lowered the flag to half staff. Needless to say, I won't do business at that bank and I may write the manager a letter expressing how inappropriate their initial response was.
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