Raise the flags

[mnkywrch]

OK.

I was sorry to see the Gov. of Indiana pass away.

I never voted for him, but you don't wish death on anyone.

I'm sure it was a tragic, and sudden, loss for his family and friends.

HOWEVER.

He was not killed by an assassin. He was not murdered by a terrorist. He was 73 years old. He died of, basically, natural causes.

So why are flags STILL at half mast here in Indianapolis, one week after his passing?

I mean, 16 Hoosiers have been killed in Iraq, and I feel a lot worse about them dying than Frank O'Bannon. And I don't see the flags lowered for them.

EDIT: Now I see that flags will be lowered 15 days.

[Truth Detector]

I'm waiting for one of the anal-retentive types to point out that flags aren't half-mast. They're half-staff.

Oops...looks like I just did it.

[Whosyer-Sparkplug]

Has partisanship become so jaded that time spent honoring the passing of a Governor has become an issue?

I agree that more needs to be done to honor the ultimate sacrifice made by our troops in Iraq. However there has been a request from our President that we only promote the warm and fuzzy stories coming out of Iraq. That the mistake that has been made so far is that we have made too big deal over the negatives.

[mnkywrch]

Partisanship? I don't even have a political party.

To me, it's sad that he died, but I don't think his passing from natural causes is cause for lowering flags for 15 days.

Not when, all too often, the shooting of a soldier or police officer goes barely noticed.

I guess I feel that person paid a lot bigger price.

[trac-champ]

Originally posted by Whosyer-Sparkplug
Has partisanship become so jaded that time spent honoring the passing of a Governor has become an issue?

I agree that more needs to be done to honor the ultimate sacrifice made by our troops in Iraq. However there has been a request from our President that we only promote the warm and fuzzy stories coming out of Iraq. That the mistake that has been made so far is that we have made too big deal over the negatives.

Sure don't want to let the death of a few measily military personal spoil all the good news pooring out of Iraq these days.

[cheeseczar]

"The flag is to be flown at half staff in mourning for designated, principal government leaders and upon presidential or gubernatorial order".

I found this on a flag etiquette sight.

Although everyone above has quite valid observations, it would appear proper to fly the flag in this manner for the late Governor.

[Whosyer-Sparkplug]

Originally posted by mnkywrch
Partisanship? I don't even have a political party.

To me, it's sad that he died, but I don't think his passing from natural causes is cause for lowering flags for 15 days.

Not when, all too often, the shooting of a soldier or police officer goes barely noticed.

I guess I feel that person paid a lot bigger price.

I agree that not enough attention is being paid to our soldiers who are making the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq. We know the smallest detail about Jessica Lynch but nothing of those who died around her??

However Police officers who give all normally get much better treatment, at least down in Florida they do.

You do have a point that our soldiers are being slighted, but that really doesn't have anything to do with how the state of Indiana pays tribute to the passing of a sitting Governor.

However now that I think I'm reading you better. Your concern is not that the flags will be lowered 15 days for O'Bannon but that the sacrifice of others are being ignored.

On that point I completely agree with you. We should know their names and especially be doing more when the current administration is lowering the compensation paid to the families of our war dead.

[jandj]

Originally posted by Truth Detector
I'm waiting for one of the anal-retentive types to point out that flags aren't half-mast. They're half-staff.

Oops...looks like I just did it.

You mean the same kind of person who would remind people that you raise the flag all the way to the top , then lower it to half-staff?

[Whosyer-Sparkplug]

Originally posted by jandj
You mean the same kind of person who would remind people that you raise the flag all the way to the top , then lower it to half-staff?

Yes... and when did they change the rules and made it okay to fly a worn and tattered flag? Been seenin' way too many of them lately.

[roadracer]

or during the night, or when it's raining. see it all the time. is it too much to ask to tighten up on the respect factor?

the guys losing their lives in Iraq - troubling. i'm a big patriot... but what are they dying for. feel every one of them. it keeps coming around...

[mnkywrch]

Originally posted by Whosyer-Sparkplug
However now that I think I'm reading you better. Your concern is not that the flags will be lowered 15 days for O'Bannon but that the sacrifice of others are being ignored.

I don't mind them lowering the flag for him. I'm OK with that. But his last memorial service was last week.

Follow the code - it should be lowered from the time he dies until he is buried.

It's this week that troubles me. We have flags lowered for two weeks for (to put it blunty) a guy who passed from natural causes while he happened to occupy political office... while folks who are being killed in combat are barely noticed.

Myself, I'd lower the flag for 24 hours for every soldier and policeman who dies in active combat/in the line of duty... if that means the thing stays down, so be it...

[jrandrew00]

I do think 15 days is a little two long. I would say 7 days max.

[akhindallas]

Originally posted by Whosyer-Sparkplug
I agree that not enough attention is being paid to our soldiers who are making the ultimate sacrifice in Iraq. We know the smallest detail about Jessica Lynch but nothing of those who died around her??...

An interesting article in yesterdays USA Today (9/23/03). Seems some folks are wondering just why it is that there is such a hue and cry (movies, books, etc.) about Pvt. Lynch who was basically a traffic accident victim and got "rescued" from a hospital, and almost no attention given to Shoshanna Robinson(?), the black single mother in Jessica's unit who actually suffered two gunshot wounds and was held as a POW with other members of their unit. I have the ultimate respect for all those who serve our country in uniform, but it makes me a little queasy to see Lynch garner all this attention at the expense of "real" heroes. Just MHO...

[StatMan]

Not to take away from the sacrifices of soldiers or police officers, or any other hero who gives his or her life for others, but if we lowered flags every time one of them died, we might as well just keep the flags at half mast forever and never raise them to full height.

[Lucky161]

"...I have the ultimate respect for all those who serve our country in uniform, but it makes me a little queasy to see Lynch garner all this attention at the expense of "real" heroes. Just MHO..."

Have you noticed that Jessica Lynch has not had much to say about her ordeal? I wouldn't want to go through what she did, but in the back of my mind (where the conspiracy theories start) I am wondering if she hasn't tried to tell what really happened and when it didn't match the hype, was told to keep quiet.

[kikigirl]

Originally posted by akhindallas
An interesting article in yesterdays USA Today (9/23/03). Seems some folks are wondering just why it is that there is such a hue and cry (movies, books, etc.) about Pvt. Lynch who was basically a traffic accident victim and got "rescued" from a hospital, and almost no attention given to Shoshanna Robinson(?), the black single mother in Jessica's unit who actually suffered two gunshot wounds and was held as a POW with other members of their unit. I have the ultimate respect for all those who serve our country in uniform, but it makes me a little queasy to see Lynch garner all this attention at the expense of "real" heroes. Just MHO...

I agree....typical media overhype.