In my travels around the Metroplex the past few years, I have notice (and said nothing until now) about the way the American flag is being and has been displayed. One of the first things that I recall about a grade school civics class (they don't teach Civics any more, I understand) was the "rules" to display, handle and light the American flag either by itself, or in companionship with a state flag and a vocational or business flag.
With in the past two years, one situation caught my eye with direct contradiction. There is a shopping center with a United States Post Office Branch sharing the same lot of the shopping center. Just so happens, the shopping centers flag was in line with and only twenty to thirty yards away from the Post Office's standard. One flag was at full staff (the shopping center) and the Post Office had their flag at half staff (which was correct) The post office gets official notices when to raise or lower a flag to proper staff.
I inquired to a Bank of America branch directly across the street as I had noticed that their flag was at an improper staff height,too. The branch manager told me that they have no control over the flag outside their building as the property realtor takes care of the flag. Which is about the same thing that the shopping center next to the post office had claimed as their excuse why their flag was at the improper staffing. Even though I already knew the procedures that the Post Office follows, in being fair, I did inquire at the post office and the supervisor did show me the paper that I had expected to see as I have seen them from the Post Office before.
In light of the many deaths from police, fire and local government officials that have passed away, the flags have been running up and down the flag pole like the ' hickory dickory dock, the mouse ran up the clock' when flags every where in this country should be the same coast to coast. But, as witnessed, that just is not the case anymore. Now, I ask myself every time I see a flag at half staff," Who died?" Never had to ask before, It was treated as a real news item!!
Local government and businesses hear something on the news and they drop the flag without any official directive today. It's pure disrespect in trying to show respect. And no one wants to take the time to inquire. The Government Printing Office has free booklets that explain the procedure. Yet, everyone that I have seen displayed wrong pretty much does their own thing.
Today, I even found the flags on the town square in downtown Garland not only displayed improperly, but in this case it was in violation of USC Section 18 statues.
Then, on the way to follow up on the destruction of the Walmart Hypermart USA building that the city of Garland purchased for their Gateway Project, and I do recall a little rift going on in city council about tearing down an armory that had the Mayor in some hot water...I found for the first time in many years, a set of flags properly being displayed and it was a facility of the Garland Independent School District. Kudos to them. They seem to be the only ones who did their homework!
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| Improper : On the square in down town Garland |
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| This is the same as the above image, but to use as an illustration, note that the Texas State Flag is higher than the American flag. That should never be and this is an improper display. |
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| This is a PROPER display using the three flag system. The same as Garland was using down town. Note the difference. The American Flag remains a flag length higher than the state flag or the vocational business flag. Also note that the American Flag is in the center with the other two flags on either side. Someone at Garland ISD learned the procedure well and they should be commended by an American Leigon or VFW post if not a recognition from the city council or some civic group like Rotary or Optimist or Exchange Club for their responsible respect to our flag. |
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| This is the PROPER display and it clearly even looks more respectful than the Improper handling of the downtown Garland flags. |
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