We do sort of get used to the flag being lowered, I think. But I got a reminder last week that people DO pay attention to it.

I was traveling across North Carolina and took a break at one of the rest stops. As I walked toward the building, a lady approached me and asked simply and innocently, "Who passed away??"

I said, "The President... President Bush. It's a 30-day lowering when a President passes." In my inside voice I thought, "how does someone not know about his passing?" We chatted for just a moment, and went on our separate paths.

As I left the rest stop I saw her again, getting into a minivan... with Canadian license plates. I understood much more clearly then why she didn't know about the lowering, and I had great respect for her curiosity.

i wondered why it was there as well. 30 days. Seem's somewhat ridiculous. Nobody is that important, and I mean nobody. Imho.

quote:

Originally posted by old rugged cross:
Nobody is that important, and I mean nobody. Imho.

Office and institution. Not necessarily the man.

My wife told me at 11:30pm as I was going to bed that he had passed. The next morning at my son's swim meet I noticed the flad at half mast as we were singing the National Anthem and afterwards asked the person mext to me why it was at half mast. Doh, but I was half asleep when my wife told me.

And yes, office and institution.

Thank you for the PSA...

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:


I said, "The President... President Bush. It's a 30-day lowering when a President passes." In my inside voice I thought, "how does someone not know about his passing?"

I know he died but I have to admit I didn't know about the 30 day flag lowering rule. It's not it's an everyday thing that a president dies.

Seems we had the flag at half staff for more days this year than full staff.

Gotten to be quite irrelevant.

30 days for a former President seems within reason to me.

5 minutes for Whitney Houston is ridiculous.

While I don't mean to be heartless, I don't think the flag should be flown at half mast for any murder victims - even school children.

That is a symbol meant for people of national and public importance. Not figures important in popular culture.

quote:

Originally posted by Rey HRH:

quote:

Originally posted by vthoky:


I said, "The President... President Bush. It's a 30-day lowering when a President passes." In my inside voice I thought, "how does someone not know about his passing?"

I know he died but I have to admit I didn't know about the 30 day flag lowering rule. It's not it's an everyday thing that a president dies.

Exactly. Heck, I don't think I knew about the 30-day rule until then.
My point was that I had made an incorrect assumption -- thinking *every* American knew about President Bush's passing, and assuming the lady I was talking to was American.

I could never catch it right so I signed up on a web site to get e-mail notice for official US flag half staff notices. I expect several places do this but I currently use American Flag Pole and Flag co.

The first place I signed up on was an official government site but never worked.

My wife is pretty gullible and I like to mess with her for fun.
I told her the flag had to go back up at midnight per the official order and I would set an alarm clock...

I still don't know if she believed me or not but I raised it after she went to bed but before I did.

quote:

Originally posted by OMCHamlin:
We bring our flag down to half mast for so many (non) reasons, I'm beginning to wonder if we shouldn't just keep it there...

I agree it has become over used. I have great respect for the office of the President, and especially George H.W. Bush, but 30 days was unnecessary. IMO, many of the flag lowering should not be done, and like this most recent one, many are too long.

It happens so much, and for so long the significance of it has been greatly diminished.