Flags at half-staff

Here in AR through Friday, in mourning for the Pope, according to S. Baptist minister/Gov. Huckabee. I have some questions:

1. Have US officials ever ordered flags at half staff for the death of a Pope before?

2. Are any other US officials doing this?

3. Is anyone else queasy about yet another example of the blurring between Church and State?

the DeadPope was also a head of state, but, no, you're right, and this is just another Constitutional rape.

Flags are all at half staff at the Giants/Dodgers game in SF.

at CA state buildings too.

:shrug:

signed in 1954.

Churchill died? When they flew them at half-mast for Sonny Bono I was freaked (just because if anyone had said in the 1960's that'd happen when he died people would have laughed so hard their joints went out) although it is standard protocol.

Flags are at half-staff all over the Tampa Bay area.

To me it all depends on the answer to number 1. If the answer is "no" then I am queasy as hell and worried about what'll happen when Falwell and others of his ilk buy the farm.

I think it's fairly acceptable and usual.

I remember the flags flying at half staff through the funeral of Churchill in 1965...and it was lowered when Paul VI died in '78...not sure if it was repeated when John Paul I was found dead.

I live in a heavily Catholic area and this area and I see this as a sign of respect to these people and to a man who, like him or not, did have an influecne in world events. I have no problem honoring this man, since for the most part he was a man of peace not of greed.

Also states have the ability to raise and lower flags as well. No, I doubt we'll see flags at half staff for Fatass Falwell when he goes to pergatory...but I wouldn't put it pass those in South Carolina to pay some tribute when whichever Bob Jones goes next to see that flag lowered.

and its not a breach of church and state since in addition to being the leader of the catholic church, the pope is also the head of state for the vatican. lowering the flag is a common act for the passing of many dignitaries. i'm also willing to bet that flags were put at half staff at the death of the last pope, but i can't be certain.

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
April 2, 2005
President Bush Orders Flags Flown at Half Staff in Honor of Pope John Paul II

A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America

As a mark of respect for His Holiness Pope John Paul II, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half staff at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset on the day of his interment. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half staff for the same period at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand five, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty ninth.

GEORGE W. BUSH

http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2005/04/20050402-3.html

4. In the event of the death of other officials, former officials, or foreign dignitaries, the flag of the United States shall be displayed at half-staff in accordance with such orders or instructions as may be issued by or at the direction of the President, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law.

<snip>

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States of America to be affixed.

DONE at the City of Washington this 1st day of March in the year of our Lord nineteen hundred and fifty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the one hundred and seventy-eighth.

(seal) Dwight D. Eisenhower.

-SECREF-

Welcome to DD :hi:

You'll find that we use other terms around here, ranging from POTUS (kindest) to "blivit" to "*" to pResident to "commander in cheat".....You get the idea.

Very kind of you.

Go to www.whitehouse.gov and click on "executive orders".

The pope is a head of state; I am unclear if it is a general policy for POTUS to issue executive orders for all heads of state.

I imagine if you really wanted to know you could search the executive order archives.

....of the proclamation issued by President Johnson ordering flags to half-staff to honor Martin Luther King, Jr., who was also a religious leader, but not a Head of State, who had far fewer followers worldwide than the Pope and who was an active public figure for far fewer years.

http://www.nps.gov/malu/documents/johnson_king_death_proclamation.htm

Please don't interpret this as any slight against Dr. King whatsoever as it is not, but this obsession (not necessarily by you, but in general) over finding fault with paying respects to the Pope in this manner is really getting tiresome. This isn't prayer in schools or a nativity on the lawn at City Hall or even "under God" in the Pledge. It's a flag, flying at half-staff to honor the memory of a man, not his church, the man, who was a Head of State and a much-beloved public figure the world over.

And I don't think that the separation of church and state is threatened at all. After all, foreign countries don't have the same separation clause that we do, but we deal with them anyway.

But I'll be expecting them to fly the flag at half-staff when the Dalai Lama dies, though!