No explanation by Obama on flags not lowered to half-staff for Chattanooga shootings..[update..will lower flag to half staff]

[Dexter]

Rituals, like funerals, are always about the living.

Then why does it matter so much that the flag was not brought to half-mast for these marines? It's just a ritual to make us feel better; it's not for the marines that lost everything. If Obama disrespected anybody it was the people that put a lot of value on that particular ritual.

[NavyCanDo]

Respect for Tradition. Some things we just "do." Revile in the morning, taps in the pm.

And presenting a folded flag to a widow or mother. None of these will bring anybody back, or punish those that did the killing, but like revile, taps, honoring the lost with a flag  half staff or hanging a wreath on a tomb, they are American traditions worth preserving and protecting. 

[Relic]

He hates America and is doing all he can to tear her apart.  It's sickening on many levels, yet the GOP voters are more concerned with getting their perfect 100% ideological candidate and are busy arguing with each other.

And some posters, while observing that there is a true enemy in the White House, can't resist taking shots at fellow citizens who also oppose Obama.

[musiclady]

Rituals, like funerals, are always about the living.

And yet in honor of and respect for the lives of those who have died.

Honor and respect are never without meaning.  And when it comes to our military.......... and these particular heroes who died here on our own soil at the hands of the enemy...... it is extremely important to maintain the tradition of respect.

Of course, Obama has no respect, so he had to be pressured to do so from outside his very selfish, childish little being.

[musiclady]

Then why does it matter so much that the flag was not brought to half-mast for these marines? It's just a ritual to make us feel better; it's not for the marines that lost everything. If Obama disrespected anybody it was the people that put a lot of value on that particular ritual.

Yes, that's it Dexter.  It's only about us.  It's all about us.  It's not about honor.  It's not about the sacrifice of those who died at the hands of a terrorist on American soil.  It's only about us.

You nailed it.   

[Relic]

Memorial Day honors the marines that died in Chattanooga too. Why is dying here more significant than dying over there?

Lowering the flag doesn't imply that these deaths are any more or less meaningful than others. But, like so many others, context only matters to you when it's to your advantage.

Service members who are in a combat zone when they are killed are not less valued than the people at the recruiting station. However, the deaths in a combat zone are more expected, and the people killed, in general, are combatants, armed, and ready.

Here's an analogy. A policeman arrives at the scene of an active shooter and is killed in the line of duty. Another policeman is attacked in his home, while he is unarmed, and killed in cold blood. While both deaths are tragic, and both officers are valued equally, the second shocks us more.

So yes, flying the flag at half staff to commemorate the lives of service members who died when they are at ease, and supposedly safe makes sense to me.

Must you always be obtuse?

[Relic]

See, it is easy to grow cynical and even sarcastic about "GOP voters." Join the club.

And it's also easy to notice some posters only contribution is to attempt to try to widen the divide.

[Relic]

Then why does it matter so much that the flag was not brought to half-mast for these marines? It's just a ritual to make us feel better; it's not for the marines that lost everything. If Obama disrespected anybody it was the people that put a lot of value on that particular ritual.

Yes, Americans.

[EC]

Yes, Americans.

 

[truth_seeker]

And presenting a folded flag to a widow or mother. None of these will bring anybody back, or punish those that did the killing, but like revile, taps, honoring the lost with a flag  half staff or hanging a wreath on a tomb, they are American traditions worth preserving and protecting.

Simply, it is a small show of official recognition and respect to the family, for the service members contribution to his/her country.

No excuse at all for Obama to delay it in this case.

[Dexter]

I guess the reason I'm being cantankerous about this is because I really don't think this is a big deal at all. There are plenty of legitimate reasons to hate Obama, but this is not one of them. The GOP must learn to save its outrage for things that are truly important if it wants to be taken seriously.

[Relic]

I guess the reason I'm being cantankerous about this is because I really don't think this is a big deal at all. There are plenty of legitimate reasons to hate Obama, but this is not one of them. The GOP must learn to contain its outrage and get angry about things that are truly important.

Be careful of your wording. At first read, it looks like you're saying the deaths are no big deal.

I get your meaning, and you do have a point. You didn't have to be a db to make that point. However, I will disagree. Just as the leftist push is constant, on all fronts, the pushback must be the same. It's important to point out exactly what the left is, and what they bring. If Americans still welcome that, they are beyond help.

[EC]

It's not about Obama.

It's about death. Which is ALWAYS a big deal.

[musiclady]

Lowering the flag doesn't imply that these deaths are any more or less meaningful than others. But, like so many others, context only matters to you when it's to your advantage.

Service members who are in a combat zone when they are killed are not less valued than the people at the recruiting station. However, the deaths in a combat zone are more expected, and the people killed, in general, are combatants, armed, and ready.

Here's an analogy. A policeman arrives at the scene of an active shooter and is killed in the line of duty. Another policeman is attacked in his home, while he is unarmed, and killed in cold blood. While both deaths are tragic, and both officers are valued equally, the second shocks us more.

So yes, flying the flag at half staff to commemorate the lives of service members who died when they are at ease, and supposedly safe makes sense to me.

Must you always be obtuse?

Thank you for taking the time to explain that, Relic (even though it IS obvious).

Well done.

I don't have the patience to handle the incessant and deliberate obtuseness......

[Dexter]

I'm sorry if my opinions have offended anybody.

[truth_seeker]

I'm sorry if my opinions have offended anybody.

I am a vet, as was one grandfather, my father, my uncle, my niece and my father-in-law.

It costs people nothing to be respectful of the people who sacrifice to protect the others.

Disrespect from Obama and Trump means disrespect, however you parse it.

[Carling]

We've lost about 7,000 soldiers in the Middle East and over 1 million were wounded. How many times did we fly our flags at half-mast for them? How many for the hundreds of thousands of soldiers that lost their lives in Vietnam and the world wars? No disrespect to these marines, but a lot of soldiers have been ambushed and murdered by rage consumed extremists. Why is their loss more significant than the loss of so many others?

Because this was a terror attack that killed 5 soldiers on US soil, and because he lowered the flag after the Navy Yard shootings.

Keep defending Obama.

[Dexter]

Keep defending Obama.

I defend reality regardless of who it benefits. Anybody that actually reads my posts knows that I'm not an Obama supporter.

[musiclady]

I defend reality regardless of who it benefits. Anybody that actually reads my posts knows that I'm not an Obama supporter.

Do we?

[rb224315]

I've read only a few of the posts so maybe I'm saying something that's already been mentioned, but here goes . . .

My problem with not lowering the flag is that the 0bama administration breaks their necks to make gestures to honor or acknowledge some people but not others, and the "others" in this case are more deserving than the ones they've made gestures for.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see where 0bama's loyalties lie, and that's my problem with the flag flap.  Indeed, it's my problem with most of what he does.

He sends representatives to Michael Brown's funeral but not Kate Steinle's.  In fact, he hasn't as much as mentioned the Steinle case.  Trayvon Martin looked like he could be 0bama's son.  What about the military personnel gunned down in Chattanooga?  Oh, right.  A Muslim fanatic gunned them down, not a "white hispanic".

The administration found a way to bathe the White House in rainbow colors by sunset on the day of the homosexual marriage ruling (ok, I exaggerate) but couldn't be bothered to lower the flag in honor of people under his command.

[olde north church]

And it's also easy to notice some posters only contribution is to attempt to try to widen the divide.

But others should note it's a contribution to wake the f*ck up.

[olde north church]

I've read only a few of the posts so maybe I'm saying something that's already been mentioned, but here goes . . .

My problem with not lowering the flag is that the 0bama administration breaks their necks to make gestures to honor or acknowledge some people but not others, and the "others" in this case are more deserving than the ones they've made gestures for.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see where 0bama's loyalties lie, and that's my problem with the flag flap.  Indeed, it's my problem with most of what he does.

He sends representatives to Michael Brown's funeral but not Kate Steinle's.  In fact, he hasn't as much as mentioned the Steinle case.  Trayvon Martin looked like he could be 0bama's son.  What about the military personnel gunned down in Chattanooga?  Oh, right.  A Muslim fanatic gunned them down, not a "white hispanic".

The administration found a way to bathe the White House in rainbow colors by sunset on the day of the homosexual marriage ruling (ok, I exaggerate) but couldn't be bothered to lower the flag in honor of people under his command.

As long as their is no MEANINGFUL response, there will be no change.

[Bigun]

As long as their is no MEANINGFUL response, there will be no change.

Post of the day!!!

ABSOLUTELY right!

[Dexter]

Do we?

Truth be told I've never been very concerned about whether or not people believe what I say.

[Relic]

Truth be told I've never been very concerned about whether or not people believe what I say.

With good reason!