All these flags being half-staff have been making me nervous. A little Internet work, and it turns out to be legit. Formal mourning for a president is 30 days. It’s in the U.S. Code. The pertinent section is “m.”
Poor President Ford. Now the real histories can start to be compiled. I bet scholars will find through his papers that he was surprisingly decisive and carefully deliberate, attributes that bring leaders criticism at the time, but look great in retrospect.
So 30 days is from Dec. 26 to Jan. 25. Hoist ’em, I-540 car dealers. You and your giant flags. Is it love of country — or something that says, “Look at me. Come on over,” that no one can speak against. Clever.
Yet, the Memphis paper says Mississippi and Arkansas may leave their flags in the gloomy dumps an extra day, thanks to the order last month of then-Gov. Huckabee. The Commercial Appeal goes on to note that flags are dropping increasingly for any local Joe Blow.
It’s a trend (this is me, not the CA) for people who want to contribute something concrete for their country without contributing anything of any substance. Very safe, and no weekends. Symbols have no substance; that’s why they’re symbols.
Cymbals are brass. Keep that in mind. “Bang a gong.” -30-
