Governor's abuse of flag code confuses flag owners

Helvitorial.com ^ | 6/27/07 | Alan Helvig

[BigAlPro]

The American Flag is a perpetual symbol of independence, freedom and liberty. It is a declaration of the sovereignty of the United States. Old Glory flies high atop her pole as the ultimate icon of truth, justice and democracy. Our flag is a standing reminder that our nation is a republic, which broke away from the grip of tyranny, in order to form a more perfect union.

The American Flag soars over our federal buildings and welcomes us to our national monuments. It lines the streets of our cities and leads the way in our parades. Our flag flies proudly at our job sites, our schools and our places of worship. Our National Ensign sways in the wind aboard our naval vessels and greets us at the gates of our military posts.

The American Flag personifies the patriotism of our elected officials and our government employees. It is a reminder of the commitment and dedication of our nation's police officers and fire fighters. The Stars and Stripes also represents the honor, courage and sacrifice of every American who has served in our armed forces and it drapes the coffins of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

Our flag is all of this and much more. It is many things to many people. However, one thing the American Flag was never meant to be is the symbol of a state mandated protest against war. Unfortunately, that is exactly what is happening right here in Michigan.

Governor Granholm has abused her authority by using the American Flag to stir up animosity toward the Bush Administration's management of the war in Iraq. Ordering the flag to be lowered to half-staff every time a service member from Michigan is killed in combat is not authorized by the U.S. Flag Code and yet, that is exactly what she has done. Can you imagine this being national policy? The flag would be at half-staff every day for ten years, just because of the war in Iraq.

The Governor has confused a great number of Michiganders regarding the historical purpose of our National Ensign and has bewildered the state's flag owners with her half-staff protest. On any given day, you can drive down the city streets of any Michigan town and find some flags at full-staff and others at half-staff. Sometimes, these opposing posts will be on adjacent properties. The spirit of the flag has been severely darkened and the significance of lowering the flag to half-staff has been profoundly diminished by this deviation from protocol.

While it is acceptable for individuals to lower their personal flags because of the loss of a loved one, it is inappropriate for the governor to abuse the power of her office in this way. The U.S. Flag Code does not grant her the authority to disparage the American Flag under the guise of honoring our fallen service members. If the policy were meant to be used this way, every flag in the country would stay at half-staff every day. In fact, it would take 95 years just to honor those who died on Iwo Jima, thus eliminating the significance of lowering the flag.

If you have not done so recently, I would ask you to read the U.S. Flag Code. Be sure to look up the half-staff requirements and a governor's authority in subparagraph (m). While you are there, read the segment on Memorial Day. Even on the national holiday for honoring our fallen heroes, the flag is to be lowered to half-staff only until noon, then briskly raised back to the top of it's pole.

Governor Granholm's policy may appear to serve an honorable purpose, but after reading the U.S. Flag Code, one cannot help but question her motives. If Michigan cannot convince her to retract this policy, Michiganders should at least stop participating in her protest. We should all disregard her calls to lower our flags and instead abide by the federal policy. As for me, I have not and will not lower my American Flag at the command of a pretentious and seditious Canadian.

[BigAlPro]

Author is a Marine Corps Veteran and the father of an Active Duty Marine.

See also: Half-Staff Protest

[SFC Chromey]

Can you imagine this being national policy?

---

It is, there was a recent Presidential Executive Order that made this possible, if I’m not mistaken. I’ll see what I can find and post it when I find it.

[ASA Vet]

The USMC Vet has Comrade Granholms agenda correct.

Sadly the USPS Western Michigan District Manager who is from another State has fallen for the ruse.
He has ordered US Flags on Postal buildings to half-staff every time Comrade Granholm issues another order.
Could those of you who don't work for him please let him know he's been suckered by Granholm.
He might have forgotten Post Offices are Federal not State.

[gridlock]

The Governor can only order flags at state government institutions to be lowered. Everybody else should just ignore her.

And anybody who lowers a flag at a post office, military installation or federal building at the order of a governor should be summarily fired.

As for private businesses and homeowners, they should be free to do as they wish.

[hschliemann]

Repeal the 19th amendment.

[stylin19a]

BINGO....! we have a winner !

[GodfearingTexan]

“In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff.”

Based upon this statement in the flag code, the question becomes whether or not these soldiers she is attempting to honor were members of the state’s national guard, or not. If they were, it could be argued that they were officials of the state government. If they weren’t, if they were merely residents of Michigan serving in the reserve of the armed forces or serving as a member of the active US armed forces, then that argument can’t be made.

[no dems]

Well, Michigan reelected the “Canadian Marilyn Monroe Wannabe Bimbo” so, what can I say?

[stylin19a]

President Bush was presented with the bill on 6/20/07.
I’m not sure if the Pres. signed it into law. As of today, Thomas.gov shows it hasn’t been signed.
The law allows the Gov. of a state to order Federal Flags in the state to fly at half-mast for the death of a service person from that state, who has died in combat

[SFC Chromey]

You’ve got it. I looked throught the Executive Orders, and didn’t see one published covering this. It looks like the law that was passed by Congress would have landed on his desk on the 20th. Nothing further that I could find.

[Jason_b]

The American Flag is a perpetual symbol of independence,

It shouldn't be. It was the colonies which got their independence. The fact that they "teamed up" is irrelevant. There was no nation when independence was won. It was just a league. The state flags collectively should symbolize independence. This 4th of July, I'm flying the flag of the Virginia Commonwealth, a Republic.

freedom and liberty.

The Virginia declaration of Rights. The Virginia Constitution. The several states codified freedom and liberty in their constitutions and/or declarations of rights (if applicable). The federal government was never supposed to have much power and even after the Constitution, the only consideration for freedom and liberty was to tell the new federal government to leave the states and the people alone.

It is a declaration of the sovereignty of the United States.

And an area covering 100 square miles (less since virginia took back her part), guam, puerto rico, marianna islands, a few forts magazines etc, should be the ONLY area over which it flies or has sovereignty.

Old Glory flies high atop her pole as the ultimate icon of truth, justice and democracy.

Whatever.

Our flag is a standing reminder that our nation is a republic,

Actually it was meant to be a compound republic, a republic of republics.

which broke away from the grip of tyranny, in order to form a more perfect union.

It's a union now? I thought it was a nation. Make up your mind.

The American Flag soars over our federal buildings and welcomes us to our national monuments.

As it should, because they are federal.

It lines the streets of our cities [except for DC, Why?] and leads the way in our parades. Our flag flies proudly at our job sites [why?], our schools [why?] and our places of worship [WHY???].

Don't get me wrong. I don't dislike the flag. But it doesn't belong everywhere. It belongs where it belongs, in DC and federal possessions. Virginia is not a federal possession. Neither are the several states. It needs to go. Proudly fly the state flag instead.

Our National Ensign sways in the wind aboard our naval vessels and greets us at the gates of our military posts.

As it should. Military and federal areas is where it belongs. Not elsewhere.

The American Flag personifies the patriotism of our elected officials and our government employees.

Don't you love those elected officials, ted kennedy, barney frank, and those adorable government employees, especially the lovable ones at the IRS.

It is a reminder of the commitment and dedication of our nation's police officers and fire fighters.

The state flags can fulfill that function just fine thank you.

The Stars and Stripes also represents the honor, courage and sacrifice of every American who has served in our armed forces and it drapes the coffins of those who have given the ultimate sacrifice.

As they were federal at the time that is fine.

Our flag is all of this and much more. It is many things to many people. However, one thing the American Flag was never meant to be is the symbol of a state mandated protest against war.

Unfortunately, that is exactly what is happening right here in Michigan.

<...snip...>

Governor Granholm's policy may appear to serve an honorable purpose, but after reading the U.S. Flag Code, one cannot help but question her motives. If Michigan cannot convince her to retract this policy, Michiganders should at least stop participating in her protest. We should all disregard her calls to lower our flags and instead abide by the federal policy. As for me, I have not and will not lower my American Flag at the command of a pretentious and seditious Canadian.

Well just remove the U.S. flag from Michigan. It doesn't belong there anyway. Fly Michigan's flag only and if Michigan code allows, fly it at half staff to call attention to Michigan's war dead.

[BigAlPro]

Wow! I'm guessing you haven't served in the military or in any federal position.

When you have about 12 minutes, you should check out this video on youtube: Reveille

[Snoopers-868th]

You owe me a keyboard. My is all wet. Great video.

[Jason_b]

You could have flamed the hell out of me. I appreciate that you didn't.

The video was great. I'm not unsympathetic.

Family: Dad: U.S. Army Air Corp, 50 cal turret gunner/instructor, Texas, war ended and he was discharged. Career economist USDA (government and one of the few good ones).

Uncle: Navy, trained in in SNJ T6 as pilot, war ended, he was discharged. Math teacher New York State public school system.

Myself: I talked to Air Force recruiter about senior year high school, they never called back, so wonderful the impression I must have made on them.

Our military is so busy defending the country that they won't even notice when it is taken over. Michael New got a taste of it when he was asked to work for the U.N. and I am glad he resisted. I believe he has blocked that move by the globalists for now.

The North American Union is coming and it will have its own military just wait and see. And the disarming of law abiding citizens in New Orleans is just a dry run. It will happen again. The tragedy in WACO, with tanks, posse commitatus? The failure/refusal to defend the Southern Border.

Please don't misunderstand me. It is more of a love the sinner but hate the sin, type of thing for me but applied to elements in the federal area which no one can claim is without fault.

Sovereignty, the expresson of the will of the people, and the protection of their fundamental rights, should be at the State level and no higher. Not in the U.S. Congress. Not in whatever body will preside over the North American Union. But here in Richmond, for me. And there in Michigan for you. If it is allowed to float from one federation to the next, to the next, that is the definition of losing our sovereignty which is happening. But it has already gone too far when the United States claims sovereignty belonging to the several States. The Unied States should have delegated powers, not sovereignty. I don't remember the Constitution actually conveying sovereignty to the United States from the several States United. Do you? No, just a few delegated powers.

Sure, I want the (U)nited States to exist and defend the several States. And have its flag be respected. But I don't want it to be the leviathan it has become and some of the Founders did warn this could happen. And they suggested we be vigilant about it. I don't think it is any offense to reread the Constitution and not that its authority was confined to a square piece of land not to exceed ten miles on each side, and territories, forts, magazines, etc., and ask the flag to fly there so that my flag

can be respected too, and be the symbol of the rights of Citizens of Virginia Commonwealth. These rights are our God given rights.

"Adopted unanimously June 12, 1776 Virginia Convention of Delegates drafted by Mr. George Mason"

Virginia didn't help create the federal government to take its place in protecting those rights. We were supposed to do it ourselves in perpetuity. Nor is it protecting our rights now. Members of congress, many from other states, are busy trying to figure out ways to impose unconstitutional gun control everywhere, and they already have our kids in public schools indoctrinating them with leftist propaganda. I am a nationalist but my Nation is Virginia. Most folks are so unfamiliar with that concept that it sounds wacky.

It's a tough subject. We have a love/hate relationship with the federal government. We love it for what it was created to be and we hate it for how it abuses us. As for myself I'd be happy to see it retreat to its area but keep doing the job it was created to do. I certainly don't intend to offend patriotic members of the U.S. military.

I support Ron Paul. Flight Surgeon, USAF. I hope I don't come to regret it. He knows where things are headed. It needs to be turned around. Who knows what the future will bring.

Thanks for your kind reply earlier.

[BigAlPro]

The video is about a year old, but it is extemely powerful. As for the new keyboard, I had to dry mine off as well. I didn’t make it to the half-way point before losing it. I also made the mistake of watching it just before going to church. I wept until the singing was over.

[BigAlPro]

There is no doubt that the feds have overstepped their bounds. Many things that should be controlled by the states are not and many things that shouldn’t be controlled at all are. It would be nice for our government to get back to the basics and live within the confines of our constitution. However, until “we the people” stand up for ourselves and force issues like term limits for legislators, things will not get better. (See tagline)

[Kieri]

I live near the town of Chelsea, MI. A year ago there was a terrible helicopter accident in which the pilot, the Chief of Police AND the Captain of the Fire Department were all killed. Chelsea is a small, close-knit (but liberal) town, and everyone was devestated.

There was a huge flap about Granholm’s refusal to allow the flags to be flown at half-staff to honor these dedicated men. She cited US Federal policy to back up her decision!

Apparently Canadian Trash Jenny only follows the rules when she wants to...that’s why Michigan continues to be “blown away.”

[BigAlPro]

Too many people couldn’t wait five years to be “blown away”. They’re gone already. If we lose another 300,000 citizens, we will lose a seat in the U.S. House.

[gridlock]

I guess it is too much to hope for a Presidential veto. This law is so bad, it should be a no-brainer.