Full-Staff or Half-Staff? Let’s ALL Fly It Correctly!

I have been told that from time to time one needs to clear the air and just get some things off one’s chest. So with that in mind, it is my turn for some air clearing and chest emptying. Despite all of the recent turmoil and criticism of the United States of America lately, there is no other place on the planet that I would rather live than right here in America. Oh, she has her problems, but show me a country that doesn’t.

When I think of where I could have been born and raised other than here, I count my blessings.  When I think of where this country was in 1776, 1812, 1865, during two World Wars, Korea, Vietnam and now the Middle East conflicts, I can’t help but think of the sacrifices made by others for me to have my freedoms today.

And when I see our American flag flying I feel honored to call myself an American.  It is that flag and what it stands for that, in many ways, is the envy of people around the world.

It hurts me to see it flying a half-staff so often lately. It seems it has been there more than at full-staff during the first six months of 2020. That bothers me, but it bothers me more that many who are flying our great American flag are not doing so uniformly. I drive down one street and the flag is at full-staff and then on the next block its half-staff.

Many are taking it upon themselves to lower the flag to half-staff. Accorded to Flag Code, only the President of the United States or a state Governor can order the U.S. Flag to half-staff status.

I will conclude by thanking all of you who do fly our great American flag, but remember the protocol on how you can fly it.  My air is now cleared and my chest is now empty.  I look forward to my next sighting of the stars and stripes. God bless America and all the good she has to offer!