The town flies a US flag on the flag pole at the intersection near us.
It is currently at half mast. As best I can determine (and I do NOT have full confidence in this) it is in honor of a local citizen who was a selectman who passed away recently.
My question is this: Is it "legal" or acceptable etiquette to lower the National Flag for an ordinary citizen that has no influence, recognition or position outside our little village?
Be careful when following the masses. Sometimes the M is silent.
Posts: 15639 | Location: Downeast Maine | Registered: March 10, 2010
4 USC section 7 is the statute covering display of the Flag of the United States of America.
Paragraph (m) covers flying the flag at half mast.
quote:
... By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law.
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 death of a member of the Armed Forces from any State, territory, or possession who dies while serving on active duty, or the death of a first responder working in any State, territory, or possession who dies while serving in the line of duty, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff, and the same authority is provided to the Mayor of the District of Columbia with respect to present or former officials of the District of Columbia, members of the Armed Forces from the District of Columbia, and first responders working in the District of Columbia.
When the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, or the Mayor of the District of Columbia, issues a proclamation under the preceding sentence that the National flag be flown at half-staff in that State, territory, or possession or in the District of Columbia because of the death of a member of the Armed Forces, the National flag flown at any Federal installation or facility in the area covered by that proclamation shall be flown at half-staff consistent with that proclamation.
The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress.
The flag shall be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day.
Thus, it appears inappropriate.
Nice is overrated
"It's every freedom-loving individual's duty to lie to the government." Airsoftguy, June 29, 2018
Posts: 32374 | Location: Loudoun County, Virginia | Registered: May 17, 2006
It has nothing to do with a local selectman. Maine lost a State Trooper in the line of duty this morning, and the Governor ordered all flags in Maine to half staff starting at roughly noon today. From https://www.wabi.tv/content/ne...ooper-508059121.html
quote:
Maine Governor Janet Mills directed flags be flown at half-staff "immediately" to honor the Maine State Police Trooper who was struck and killed on I-95 in Hampden Wednesday morning.
quote:
Originally posted by Sig2340: 4 USC section 7 is the statute covering display of the Flag of the United States of America.
Paragraph (m) covers flying the flag at half mast.
quote:
In the event of the death of... a first responder working in any State, territory, or possession who dies while serving in the line of duty, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff
It's Governor directed, and in honor of a first responder killed in the line of duty. Totally appropriate.
Sig2340 -- the information that you quoted, defines when the flag should be flown at half staff, but I do not see that it is limited to the occasions enumerated there.
As far as I can see, there is nothing prohibiting additional occasions, over and above those that are named.
I might have missed something. Actually, additional occasions are probably covered by the last phrase of the first paragraph that you quoted: "or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law." The way that I read it, this is not an exclusive listing.
הרחפת שלי מלאה בצלופחים
Posts: 31712 | Location: Central Florida, Orlando area | Registered: January 03, 2010
