Flying the United States flag at half-mast or half-staff is a symbol of honor, remembrance, and mourning in response to a loss of human life. [A quick aside: In the U.S., the term “half-mast” is used on ships and “half-staff” is used on land, representing what the flag is normally attached to – a mast at sea or a staff on land.]
The U.S. President orders the flag to be flown at half-staff upon the death of a prominent domestic leader and sometimes even upon the death of a prominent international leader (For example, President George W. Bush ordered flags to half-staff in response to the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005). Governors of specific states and territories may also order the flag to half-staff in responding to a loss of life that affects their particular community.
We also have some annual observances where we as a nation fly the flag at half-staff in response to the deaths of a particular group of people. For example, on Memorial Day the flag is ordered to half-staff until Noon in remembrance of those who died while serving in the armed forces, and on Patriot Day, September 11th, in remembrance of the nearly 3,000 people who died on 9/11/01.
I have a proposal for all Catholic and non-Catholic Christian leaders in positions of authority: Give the order to lower the flags to half-staff for the buildings, churches, and schools under your charge in remembrance and mourning for the thousands of innocent pre-born children killed each day by legalized abortion in the U.S.
We must look at and deal with the reality that pre-born humans are equal to born humans, and that each and every day in the U.S. about 3,000 pre-born children are being killed and thrown away like garbage.
When 3,000 born humans are killed, for example on 9/11, we rightly call it a national tragedy and we lower our flags to half-staff accordingly and appropriately.
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It is time for us to be authentically consistent. We have a national tragedy happening every single day in the U.S.
Let’s lower our flags to half-staff until we have legislation or a human life amendment to the U.S. Constitution that enshrines the right to life for all pre-born children, from the moment of conception, into law.
It is certainly within our First Amendment rights to lower our personal and private property flags to honor, remember, and mourn the loss of human life as we see fit. It is quite fitting for us to do so on the grounds I have laid out here.
If you are not a Catholic or non-Catholic Christian leader in a position of authority, and I realize most reading this are not, please contact your pastor and/or bishop and, with the highest respect, please ask them to consider giving the order to lower the flags to half-staff for the buildings, churches, and schools under their authority in honor, remembrance, and mourning for the thousands of innocent pre-born children killed each day by legalized abortion in the U.S.
