So I've noticed a few flags flying at half staff today, and I wondered why. I can only assume they are for the Pope, but if that's the case, I'm very unhappy about it.

This is the American flag we're talking about. It should be lowered to pay respects to Americans, not foreigners, and it certainly should not be lowered to pay respects to foreign religious leaders. I'm certain that this is the first time that the flag has been lowered for the death of a Pope, and I'd be hard pressed to think of ANY foreigner who has had such an honor. Maybe Winston Churchill when he died in 1965, but I'm not even sure about that.

I just think this is highly inappropriate. Not to take anything away from Pope John Paul. He was a great and influential leader, a fine man, and all of that. But he was NOT an American, and we are NOT a Catholic nation.

*edit* I see that the flag code allows for the President to order the flag lowered for foreign dignitaries, but I'm very interested to know who else has received such an honor.

jesus christ, people have the nerve to say im disrespectful

its called respect, as a lawyer, i would have assumed youd have a clue what this is

The only flag I've seen flying at half staff was the Catholic diocese here. Obviously that makes sense. I'll be on the lookout more closely, though.

If they're being lowered on gov't property, maybe Michael Newdow will sue over it.

Ill fly my flag at half staff when they name a new pope.

Suck my dick, Peeps. How's that for respect?

I respect the man, I have done nothing but respect the man since his death. I have not said ONE unkind word about him. I am questioning whether it should be the official policy of MY GOVERNMENT to accord an honor normally given to great AMERICANS to a FOREIGN RELIGIOUS LEADER, regardless of how great the man was.

Blow me.

maybe if you had a dick

i just find it hysterical that a person on this board who feels the need to tell people not to insult each other when neither (least on my end) had complained about said names and to be respectful would bitch about a flag at half staff over the passing of a world renowned leader, religious or not, and yet finds it in his cold cold heart the compassion to to post pictures and crack jokes over a person in a vegetative state, but hey, thats all on you tough guy, not me......

Take your persecution complex and go play with yourself.

fuck the Pope!

PD and peeps, knock it off or you can both take a vacation. Take it to PM if you want to insult each other, I don't want to have to wade through that crap.

i think the stranger aspect is the pope is not only a religious leader, but a foreign government's head official. I don't think people will fly their flags at half staff when Margaret Thatcher finally eats the bugs.

YEA GUYS, KNOCK IT OFF

I'm inclined to agree with Peeps on this one.

I kind of wonder how many countried flew flags at half mast when Kennedy was killed?
can the two be compared at all?
would this country have felt some sense of insult if a comparable world power hadn't shown some official form of respect towards one of our (assumed) great leaders?
I don't know that this bothers me one way or the other but it does make me wonder how much of a problem it can really be, I mean, it's a gesture that's being made, and being made by the most powerful country in the world. Perhaps it's a good thing as it makes some nod at the common respect they are showing for a man who captivated millions of people, of all faiths, and for a very long (relative) amount of time.

I remember the pope when he was still young and vital. He was a very powerful personality, and very bold in his actions to further his desires for peace around the world, regardless of if I agreed with his stances or not, he made a huge impression on people throughout the world from the very beginning.
Is that worthy of a flag at half mast?
I don't know, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

this thread makes me 'half mast'

great follow up to my post, robot.

I was very happy to see the Canadian, American, and Holiday Inn flags flying at half mast today at the Holiday Inn near my apartment.

It's a decent comparison, although Kennedy wasn't a leader to people in other countries the way the Pope is a leader to people around the world.

At the same time, our president and his wife are attending the funeral of the Pope, and that is as high an honor as most leaders get. Often a lower dignitary is sent. I'm not suggesting that we should ignore this obviously momentous event. I was merely questioning whether lowering the flag to half staff is routine or even appropriate in this situation. If it has been customary in the past to lower the flag for the death of a foreigner, I've never noticed it before.

Do you think they would be flying half mast if it was the Dali Lama?


It doesn't really bother me though. I knew it would happen. Americans care more about looking like they care rather than actually caring.

Ya dig?

We have had our flags in Indiana at half staff for a while now because we lost 4 solders after their truck ran over a mine. If any of the flags around here are at half staff for the Pope, noone is noticing.

Shouldn't certain things just be let go? The most important figuire to millions of Americans just died, and they would like to see a little respect payed. It shoudln't be a big deal. Nobody has to lower the flag, and for those that do, good for them. I could care less that the pope is dead, but I'm not going to complain about those that want to mourn the dudes death. Now if Seinfeld died, I would hope they would take the flag down permanently and replace it with a giant salad flag. Anything less and I would burn down the whitehouse.