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[acoxcae]

I'm aware of the flag code and all that, and I know that individuals have control over their flags, I'm just interested to know if there's somewhere I can go that says "Flag Up: All Clear" or "Half-Mast: Pope Jesus Died" or "No Flag: Nuclear Apocalypse."  I think it's weird that everyone with a flag (government building or not) seems to know when to put theirs at half-mast, and I'm always looking around like, "Where do these people find this out?"

I don't think they're all rabid news-watchers or anything.

[CortJstr]

Found it. Title 4 Chapter 1 § 7 has the exact rules. As to how people find out when the president announces lowerings for other people you got me. I guess you just listen to the news station on the radio.

[AlohaDawg]

Naw, there's sort of a ripple effect I think, emanating from the Federal Building, Courthouse or Post Office.

Remember who the most likely people to fly flags at home are - they have an interest in this already. My guess is that a high proportion of flag displaying private citizens are military, former military, Federal employees and people who are nationalistic (and therefore are likely have a tendency to conservatism)

My guess is that they are news followers (most right wingers are) and also very conscious of the other flags around town. So they see the flag at the post office, or the Federal building or whatever (they probably work somewhere with a flag) and adjust theirs.

[CortJstr]

Plus it's usually pretty obvious that when somebody important (or somebody totally unimportant who happened to snag an important title) dies the flags move down. I wouldn't have necessarily predicted this one, though. And I had no idea about the "until noon" rule for Memorial Day.

It does, however, entertain me that 5 times a year government buildings are required to fly flags in protest of themselves.

[JorgeFabregas]

There was a flagpole at my old house. There was also a Canadian flag in the garage. I eventually flew said flag because, what the hell man, why not?

[jough]

I have a flagpole but no light to put on it, so I only can fly the flag when I know I'll be home to take it down again before dark.

I like flying the flag at half-staff when someone like Richard Pryor dies. 

[Golfhaus]

It does, however, entertain me that 5 times a year government buildings are required to fly flags in protest of themselves.

I'm not parsing - what are these times?

[CortJstr]

Off of the top of my head: Memorial Day, Flag Day, Armed Services Day, July 4th, and Veterans Day. On those days the POW/MIA flag must be flown by gov't facilities. It's the first time in history that a government has official adopted a protest flag that was originally used against it.

[AlohaDawg]

Off of the top of my head: Memorial Day, Flag Day, Armed Services Day, July 4th, and Veterans Day. On those days the POW/MIA flag must be flown by gov't facilities. It's the first time in history that a government has official adopted a protest flag that was originally used against it.

But not even close to the first time a government or commercial entity coopted a symbol or slogan of protest for its own purposes.

[pmcd9]

Martin and Coretta are together in heaven on this day.

~Paul

[Golfhaus]

Off of the top of my head: Memorial Day, Flag Day, Armed Services Day, July 4th, and Veterans Day. On those days the POW/MIA flag must be flown by gov't facilities. It's the first time in history that a government has official adopted a protest flag that was originally used against it.

Huh. And that is legislated? Because I can't recall ever seeing that, but then again, I never really looked, either.

[lprkn]

Speaking of the half-mast issue - is there some kind of website that says whether your flag should be at half-mast or not, and why?

Am I the only one understood this on the sexual end of the spectrum when I first read it?

Just so you know, I'll fly my flag at full-mast whenever I damn well please. And not for Mrs. King, she's old.

[CortJstr]

Huh. And that is legislated? Because I can't recall ever seeing that, but then again, I never really looked, either.

I heard it in a story in the Post a few years ago.

And in 1990, Congress adopted the flag as "the symbol of our nation's concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia."

Congress later passed a law requiring that on six holidays the flag be flown at all post offices, the Capitol, the White House, national cemeteries, military bases and the memorials for the Korean and Vietnam wars. The holidays are Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day and National POW/MIA Day (the third Friday of September).

but when I searched thomas.loc.gov I couldn't find the bill they were talking about.

[Golfhaus]

Aren't there things Congress can do (and I'm going to sound like such a putz when I say this, I'm sorry) that aren't exactly laws, per se, but kinda like almost-laws? Something not quite as non-binding as a proclamation that May 23rd is Roast Beef Kazenzakis Day, but not a literal, You Can Be Arrested For Violating This law?

[CortJstr]

I don't think so but I'm not sure. I found at least one bill from the 90's that seems to match what the Post says above but according to thomas it was never put to a vote.

I know the President can do stuff like that, such as with Patriot Day which I believe has to be re-proclaimed every year.