Half-Staff Nation

Everyday, I drive by a fire station.  There is an American flag flying in front of that fire station.  I have noticed that it is very frequently at half-staff.  In fact, it has so often been at half-staff that it has begun to irritate me, especially when I have no idea why.  Did a President die recently?  Did a sitting Congressman die?  Is it before noon on Memorial Day?  Why does it feel like the flag is constantly at half-staff?  The growing unease of seeing the flag humbled finally convinced me to do a bit of research.

 

In March of 1954, President Eisenhower issued rules for lowering the flag to half-staff.  There are certain days and occasions that merit the lowering of the flag, most notably Memorial Day, but the president may also issue an executive order to lower the flag.  Since Eisenhower, every president has done so.  At first, this was an infrequent occurrence.  Eisenhower issued 12 such orders for the remainder of his presidency.  Kennedy only issued 3.  Nixon upped the ante when he issued 16 calls for the lowering of the flag, an average of one per 4 months.  Carter and Reagan each rolled out an executive call to lower the flag about every 5 months.  George H. W. Bush only called for the lowering of the flag twice a year, showing more restraint than any since LBJ.

 

Starting with Bill Clinton, executive orders for lowering the flag have exploded.  From the time Eisenhower established the rules to the inauguration of Bill Clinton, the flag had been lowered by executive order on 83 occasions.  In his 8 years as president, Clinton issued 50.  With this new precedent, George W. Bush issued 58 such orders.  So far, Obama has issued 66!  In the near 40 years after Eisenhower set the standard, there were only 83 occasions to merit an executive order.  However, in the last 24 years, there have been 174 occasions.  Really?

 

The value of such a gesture is relative to the frequency of its use.  The last three president have greatly diminished the value of flying the flag at half-staff.  Infrequently flying the flag at half-staff is a show of great respect for, or veneration of, a public figure or figures.  Frequently flying it at half-staff feels like surrender, like the nation can't muster the pride or energy to raise the flag all the way.  It's depressing.  It needs to stop.

 

The flag is the symbol of the nation.  It should spend the vast majority of the time flying proud and high.