Flag Controversy

To the Editor:

In 1954 President Dwight D. Eisenhower issued a proclamation ordering that the United States flag be flown at half-staff upon the death of certain officials and former officials. The rules for display of the half-staff flag were formalized during President John F. Kenny’s administration.

The U.S. Flag Code, Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 7, part m states ... By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-mast upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government ... as a mark of respect to their memory ... The flag shall be flown at half-mast 30 days from the death of the President or a former President ...

In accordance with this code, President Biden ordered the flags to be flown for 30 days following Jimmy Carter’s death on December 29, 2024. Similarly, President Trump issued the same proclamation on December 1, 2018 upon the passing of George H.W. Bush.

Trump had the flag at Mar-a-Lago raised to full staff 16 days before January 29, 2025 and Governor Abbott ordered the flags to full staff for January 20. We’ve had flags burned in protest, knees taken during the Anthem and now the refusal to fly flags at half-staff.

David McCall Waldeck