OK Marshfield went through a loose of THREE people Sat night in a plane crash .this was in the paper today ........Tuesday morning, Marshfield Mayor Chris Meyer ordered the city's American flags lowered to half-staff out of respect to James Franklin Edwards III and his sons, James and Joshua, who died Saturday night in a plane crash near the city airport.
Flags will be lowered at sunrise on Friday through sunset on Saturday, the day of their funeral.
This order is to recognize Edwards’ service as past Alderman in the 7th District and as a current member of the Marshfield Electric and Water Utility Commission as well as the community’s collective mourning of this tragedy, according to Meyer's statement...................OK THE THE IS TO FOLLOW FROM SOME PEOPLE IN TOWN ..............................I whole heartedly agree and give my deepest condolences to the Edwards family. With that said, I have never been able to get my head around the Mayor declaring the flag to be flown at half mast. This priviledge is given to the President, Governors, and the Mayor of DC only. Anyone else is stepping beyond their rights. Per the frequently asked questions at http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagetiq.html#f1 the order of the flag clarifies:
Can the mayor order the US flag to half-mast?
No. According to the Flag Code, only the President of the United States, your state's Governor, and the Mayor of the District of Columbia can order the US flag lowered to half-staff.
If everyone were to half-staff the US flag at will, the symbolic value of that honor would be lost. Another option is to display black crepe near the entrance to your building, perhaps with a photograph of the former mayor, firefighter, police officer, etc.
We recommend that you fly your town flag at half staff. THEN SOMEONE ELSE ADDED.................We all in the city share the loss of these three individuals in such a tragic way & at this time of the year, and I'm sure we all offer our sincerest condolence to the Edwards family.
I can understand the Mayor's compassion and I support the Mayor in many of his decisions, but not this time. The previous Mayor also used this unprecedented lowering of the flag for city politicians & employees to designate that some people are more equal than others.
An alderman is not a head of state, nor is he / she a serviceman killed in the line of duty.
This is a demeaning of the flag and it's symbolism.
There was a WWII veteran's passing this week in Marshfield, as well as other individuals yet they received no such honor from the Mayor.
This has got to stop. By what legal right does a city or town Mayor have to "order' flags lowered?
FOLLOWED BY THIS..............................Thank you myslant, you beat me to the punch, I was just about to add that myslf.
............ OK SO I UNDERSTAND ALL THIS BUT I ALSO LOOK AT IT THIS WAY SHUT THE HELL YEP A WIFE AND MOTHER JUST LOST HER HUSBAND AND TWO OF HER SONS LEAVING HER IN SHOCK AND HAVE TO RAISE AND BE THERE FOR THE REMAINING CHILDREN . I MEAN STOP AND THINK PEOPLE ....THESE PEOPLE DIED IN A PLANE CRASH, IN SOMEONES BACK YARD ...JUST STOP AND THINK HOW IS WILL EFFECT THEM AS WELL EVERY ONE IN TOWN KNOWS THIS FAMILY AND HE IS A WELL KNOWEN BUSINESS MAN. MY NEPHEW LOST HIS BEST FRIEND IN THAT CRASH . AND TYLAR WENTTO SCHOOL AT ST .JOHNS WITH THE OLDER ONE ........MAN PEOPLE YOU ALL NEED TO THINK ............................OK THANK YOU FOR LETTING ME VENT I GUESS IT JUST HIT THE WRONG WAY .......
