Lower The Flag

Today I did what the president would not do.  I am paying my respects to the fallen service members slaughtered in Chattanooga last week.

I arose before the sun came up this morning.  I went outside to water my shrubbery and rose bushes while the temperature was still tolerable.  I came inside to get a bite of breakfast before going back outside to water my lawn.  As I sat down to eat, Fox News was interviewing Mike Shepard, a Marine whose love of country runs deep.  Shepard blogs at Dc Gazette.

“Most are fully aware of the president not showing support for our fallen and flags continue flying high in the sky.  He invited the family of a traitor named Bergdhal to the Rose Garden to celebrate the release of our enemy. He has yet to call out the terrorist who shot up two recruiting stations in Chattanooga.  Well, we don’t need permission to show our respect for five lives lost. I am reaching out to you America in hopes that we teach Obama about respect.”

“I say we should come together and fly our flags at half-staff until the 30th of July. The 30th will mark the two week anniversary of this tragedy. Let’s show the president what it is to respect this country and our fallen. If you drive by a business, please go in and ask they fly their flag at half-staff.  If we get the whole country to do it the president might get the message.  The message that he is just one man while we are the voice of America. If he won’t call for flags to be flown at half-staff the American people will. Please share this and together we can show Washington what it means to respect… May God forever bless you all, Shep.” 

“Come join our FaceBook Half-Staff Challenge page and share your thoughts and post pictures of your American Flag at half-staff so Obama can see that We the People want and will honor those brave warriors killed on American soil!”

After watching the interview with Mr. Shepard, I was swept up in his plea to lower the flag outside my home to half-staff.  My neighbors, who were retrieving their morning newspapers, asked why my flag had been lowered. I explained it was to mourn the loss of five of our service members in Chattanooga because The World’s Most Dangerous Community Organizer had not ordered the flag over the White House to be lowered.

Mine is the only home in the neighborhood with an in-ground flagpole. My neighbors asked how they could join in the observance since their house-mounted flags cannot be lowered. I informed them that flagpoles mounted on their homes should have a black ribbon or streamer at the top of the American flag.  Neighbors who only display the Stars and Stripes on the Fourth of July brought out their flags.  I cannot adequately express my gratitude to them for uniting in this expression of respect and mourning.

According to Stars and Stripes, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) proposed legislation to arm recruiters against attacks similar to Chattanooga.  On Monday, his staff criticized the president for not issuing a proclamation to lower flags.

“They deserve our respect, and the significance of this event should be matched by the lowering of the flag,” said Joe Kasper, Hunter’s chief of staff. “It’s a simple gesture that will reaffirm to the military and millions of Americans that these servicemen will be rightly honored. This is one that shouldn’t take any second thought on the part of the White House.”

The president eventually ordered flags to be flown at half-staff at the White House in the noon hour, but not before critics and the American public condemned him.  Shameful.  Simply shameful.