Why Are The Flags Flying At Half-mast?

[Gabriela]

I checked the news, and I can't figure out why.

 

:idontknow:

[Mary's Child]

It could be something local. At least in my area they lower them for police officers and firefighters. If it wasn't a line of duty incident they may not publish that in the papers.

[Gabriela]

Ok, I checked the local papers and it's the JFK thing.

[Era Might]

An old custodian I know gets annoyed at this...something from the old days about you're only supposed to lower the flags for something big, he says they do it for everything now.

[brandelynmarie]

Ooooooh, I couldn't figure it out either! Thanks :blush:

[Gabriela]

An old custodian I know gets annoyed at this...something from the old days about you're only supposed to lower the flags for something big, he says they do it for everything now.

 

I agree with this. It's as if we think everything is a national tragedy (a product of the therapy culture, no doubt). It is really annoying, because it loses its significance when you do it for everything. It used to be powerful, moving, something to make you stop and reflect. Now it just makes you go, "Oh, I wonder what happened..."

Edited November 25, 2013 by curiousing

[Winchester]

Cultish nonsense, lowering that thing for the death of a figurehead. 

[Gabriela]

Cultish nonsense, lowering that thing for the death of a figurehead. 

 

But he didn't just die yesterday. It's an anniversary of something that happened decades ago. I mean, I can understand if some people really love(d) the guy, but it does seem that there's a danger of divisive politics entering into something that should express national unity in mourning. On the other hand, any time one of our presidents is assassinated, it really IS a national tragedy, so regardless of whether one supported him or not, I can see the sense in lowering the flag for that.

 

It just seems odd to do so so many years after the fact...

[AnneLine]

I think it's not inappropriate to commemorate a 50th Anniversary.  Some of us (including me!) remember that day.

 

And I think of it as a reminder to pray for him and his family.  

 

I don't mind seeing flags at half staff... even if I don't know the reason, it is a reminder for me to pray for someone....

[Gabriela]

I think it's not inappropriate to commemorate a 50th Anniversary.  Some of us (including me!) remember that day.

 

And I think of it as a reminder to pray for him and his family.  

 

I don't mind seeing flags at half staff... even if I don't know the reason, it is a reminder for me to pray for someone....

 

I didn't realize it was the 50th anniversary. (Although if I'd have done the math, or read the news more closely... ;))

[AnneLine]

Yeah.. numbers aren't my thing, either!

 

I remember 1963-4 as the years my grandmother, my president and my dog died... and at age 8.... I am not sure which was the most important for me!  But they all got me asking what happens to people... and dogs! .. when they die... which got me connected with Church... which brought me into the Catholic Church at age 10!  So, yeah, I knew it had to be .... 50 years!  :blink:  hard to believe...

 

This is one of those things that I think Phatmass and internet can really help us with --- someone knows the pieces we are missing! :)

 

The year I remember was the year that RFK and Martin Luther King and Dwight D. Eisenhower died within a few months of each other.... seemed like every week we were being herded to Mass as a kid in school.... and then the brother of one of my classmates was killed in a place I had never heard of... Vietnam.   Yeah, I suspect we will be in for a few interesting years of 50th anniversaries, Curiousing!