Flag etiquette question...I am disgusted...

[grannylib]

I have a question about proper circumstances in which to fly the US flag at half-mast. There is a couple here in Minnesota whose mansion on a lake was destroyed by fire, suspected to be arson. While I have sympathy for these people in the loss of their home and personal property (no amount of money IMHO can make up for the loss of irreplaceable personal items) I found it very distasteful to see a picture in the newspaper of the US flag flying at half-mast over the burned ruins of their home, as though it were appropriate to mourn their loss in this way.
I am fully in favor of free speech and all that, and I have far greater respect for that which our flag represents than for the piece of cloth itself (no disrespect whatsoever intended to those who disagree) but I found this really upsetting.
I used to love being in the color guard when I was in Scouting and I just thought this was really inappropriate...
Thoughts from other DUers??

[THUNDER HANDS]

1. why does it bother you?

It's their flag too, not just yours.

As a symbol, people are entitled to get whatver "they" want out of the flag.

Whether that means burning it for a political statement.
Draping it over the casket of a dead soldier.
Lowering it at half mast for a burned-down house.

It's all the same. It just matters what "YOU" get out of the flag.

[Loonman]

2. Only Prez, Governor or mayor

Only Prez, Governor or mayor can authorize flying flags at half staff.

[gratuitous]

3. Let it go

This was a mourn-worthy event for the people involved. They flew their own personal flag at half mast to signal their sadness and grief at their loss. They didn't insist that every other mansion on the lake do likewise. It's a judgment call, but I'd say find something more worthy of your attention today.

[Paschall]

4. You can check the Flag Code here

http://suvcw.org/flag.htm

Flying the national flag at half staff for a personal loss, like the burning of one's home, sounds a little pretentious. I don't know if it would be considered illegal. But the Flag Code is violated regularly, particularly by politicians and businesses, since the flag is not supposed to be used for any campaign or advertising purposes.

[Drifter]

5. If it's your own flag ...

you can do what ever the fuck you want with it. You want to put it at half staff and set it on fire ? It is yours, you can do what ever you want with it.

Cheers
Drifter

[SlavesandBulldozers]

6. who cares?

I thought worrying about the display of the flag was a Republican thing.

[umkhonto]

9. It is time to take back the flag

For too long we have allowed these Rethug freaks and their dastardly minions to own the flag and manipulate it for their purposes.

Dissent is patriotic. I say we take back the flag. 'Queer' was taken back, after all.

[grannylib]

10. I agree...it is our country too, after all...and if we want to take pride

in it, isn't that OK? Isn't that our right?
I am not trying to 'dis' anyone who disagrees, I was just stating my feelings about it.
To the best of my knowledge the flag was not flying at half mast before the fire, it was done afterwards.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

11. No. Or well, it should not be just a GOP thing, it should

be at least a concern in the back of everyone's mind. And by that, I believe it should be fair both ways.

You can't jail a Abby Hoffman for wearing a flag shirt and let Anita Bryant do it, for instance.

You can't order scruffy long hairs to take the flag down when you let clean-cut GOPers do the same thing.

See what I mean?

It is a rights issue, a respect issue for veterans, and it goes al ong way to why there is no respect for the US Government in general.

[Lars39]

7. Were they flying the flag at half-mast before the fire?

Or did the article make a point of them flying the flag that way because of their burnt mansion? I know many here have spoken about flying the flag at half-mast, and not just for Veteran's Day.

[oneighty]

8. The code

only applies when the Flag Waving
Sunshine Patriots and Summer Soldiers
wish it to be so honored. That is why I do
not pay attention to the misuse anymore, nor
do I display my flag anymore.

180

[Rabrrrrrr]

12. If it's because their house burned, that's wholly inappropriate

If they've been flying it for a long time at half mast as protest against the war, or because we have a misadministration that elected itself into the government, etc., then their flag being at half mast is just fine, because it's for good reason.

But to go half mast just because your house burns down? No, that's just wrong, and is insulting to those circumstances for which the flag IS flown at half-mast.

So you'd really have to ask them. They're either good patriotic people, or self-indulgent asswipes, but you can't make the judgment from one photo.