Flags at half staff. Are we doing it so often now, that it is losing its meaning?

We had another moment of silence today. Third one this month; before we hadn’t had one in months.

I’m not even really certain where there’s a flag near me.

Maybe at the library? I’m not sure.

I will say that changing how high a flag flies is doing fuck-all to help anyone.

@Seek – interesting observation. I can tell you that near me, there are flags at the following places:

1) fire stations
2) police station
3) libraries
4) some (by no means all) banks
5) a few churches
6) a couple of car dealers (probably more as an advertising gimmick)
7) schools
8) County administrative building and courthouse

Well, most of those places are near me. I suppose I just don’t pay much attention to the flag in general.

It has not lost its meaning, but it is a sad state of the community, that it has become more. common.

I’m with @Seek

I do not think some diehard tradition like flying the flag at half mast really means much of anything to anyone anymore. In these times of mega information overload we already know what’s going down before anyone can even get outside to lower the damn flags wherever they may be.

Flags at half staff, makeshift roadside memorials, moments of silence, peace rallys, and prayer groups are all the same to me. Impotent responses to actual dire problems.

I understand that people feel the need to do something in the face of tragedy and that the sane response choices are frustratingly limited. I also get that these are meant as signs of respect, but ultimately they accomplish nothing.

@cookieman I agree with the roadside shrine thing too. Out here in my winding hills there are often crosses and flowers and all kinds of crap on the road sides where people have blown off the road and hit trees etc. I always think it is stupid and a form of littering. Yes, it is sad your loved one crashed and burned at this spot but crosses and gaudy displays of fake flowers is just not necessary.

I will surely get flack for this, but I don’t think that nationwide flag lowering was appropriate.

1. Why do we lower the flags for the policemen who are killed but not for the improper execution of citizens by police? Members of minorities will get the message, which is likely to result in more killings.

2. Unfortunately, being a policeman is a dangerous job. Policemen die in the line of duty all the time. I can see lowering the flag in the city where the policemen served. I don’t see the point of doing it nationwide.

I agree with much of this but I still feel the flag flying at half-mast makes you stop and think about recent tragedies – even if some of us don’t need reminding. What is truly sad is how many of them there are lately.

I do think that Congress having moments of silence and “thoughts and prayers” is hypocritical at best as has been pointed out by many. They’re the ones who can do something.

I’ve barely seen a flag at full mast in the past 15 years. It has lost all meaning.

When I’m in a car and see a flag flying low, I ask, “Why is that flag at half mast?”. Usually nobody in the car knows.

Unfortunately, being a policeman is a dangerous job. Policemen die in the line of duty all the time

Mostly in accidents, heart attacks, and illness. Not by people attacking them.

130 Officers Killed in 2015

39 Gunfire
08 Vehicular assault
06 Bomb
03 Assault
56 TOTAL

27 Automobile accident
17 Heart attack
08 9/11 related illness
05 Vehicle pursuit
04 Struck by vehicle
03 Motorcycle accident
02 Accidental
02 Duty related illness
02 Gunfire (Accidental)
01 Aircraft accident
01 Drowned
01 Fall
01 Weather/Natural disaster
74 TOTAL

What do you think the job related death totals would be for lawyers or teachers? Of the 74 job related deaths not caused by execution, many are more likely to occur to a policeman than other professions, such as automobile accident, vehicle pursuit, struck by vehicle, heart attack, duty related illness and accidental gunfire. Should we lower flags to half mast for these types of death?

Yes, along with bowed heads, social media rants, lectures from stages and pulpits, statements of sympathy, op-eds, TV debates, protest marches, and all the other things we do after each tragic event like this. I don’t know what WILL stop or even lessen the violence that is ingulfing us, but I do know we are witnessing so many atrocities now that I fear too many of us are growing numb with the helplessness we feel.

Just yesterday, I saw a flag at half mast and wondered what it was THIS TIME.

I don’t understand why some here mention accomplishment. The question did not pertain to the act ‘getting something done, to change why it’s at half mass.’

It’s a gesture, meant to respect the people or person who lost their life, and the people affected.

Flowers on a grave don’t ‘do’ anything either.

Mortality, and death are things that we as a species struggle with. Sometimes there is nothing that can be done, other than a gesture. Most people who raise and lower flags daily, that I know, are old men and women. There isn’t much more they can do anyway.

Ironically, there is a VFW by my work. I mentioned after the Nice thing, ‘should it just stay at half mast?’ It’s getting fucking ridiculous. (The frequency of such atrocities. )

@LostInParadise, valid point about not doing it for the minorites killed which sparked these events.

With the way things have been going lately, there’s only one way the flag should be flown. Upside down. This country is a mess, and there really isn’t a good excuse, other than greed and racial ignorance. Those problems should have been resolved a LONG time ago. If this is such a great country, then it’s time to step up. Because the status quo is fucking bullshit.

Exaggeration is one of the hallmarks of our collective modern style. And it’s not all that recent, either (I’m talking decades here)—just now its more…exaggerated. We’ve become so jaded by extremes that it takes extremes to get our attention.

And that’s become what it’s all about: attention. Seizing attention and directing it toward someone or something of the seizer’s choice. People’s attention must be seized at all costs. No wonder so many of us feel exhausted.

There is a strong and growing tendency for those in the government to consider citizens to be enemies of the state. As this tendency grows stronger, the citizens care less and less about who the government mourns. For instance they play bagpipes at a cop’s funeral, but nobody plays bagpipes when a cop kills a citizen.

Yes, it is pretty much been reduced to what sex is.

Yeah, it is pretty much meaningless (not agreeing with you @Hypocrisy_Central )

When I see it I have to ask myself: “Ok, who’s dead now?”

@Hypocrisy_Central You fly your sex at half-mast?

I think they have medication for that.

@rojo (not agreeing with you @Hypocrisy_Central )
Heaven forbid that ever happen ~~

@janbb You fly your sex at half-mast?
Not that it is anyone’s beeswax, but these days my sex flies higher than the planet formally known as Pluto because when it happens it will be real and unto death, not a mere commodity.

They have medication for that, too.

@Hypocrisy_Central It did once but I can’t find the instance.

^ It did once but I can’t find the instance.
I have on several occasions,,,,I just never told you.