Flying the US Flag at half mast

Fort Worth, Texas

Jul 24, 2012 @ 13:56:40

I went on a little road trip with my dad on Sunday and noticed that US and Texas flags were all flying at half mast. I was highly confused. I wondered if something happened that I wasnt aware of. When I got back home, I googled it.
Apparently, President Obama made a proclamation to have them flying at half mast until the 25th for the shooting in Colorado. I found that kind of an odd reason to do it. Dont get me wrong, I know it was a terrible thing. I just didnt think it was flying the flags at half mast terrible. But, after telling my dad the reason, he informed me they do it for anything considered a tragedy.
At what number of deaths/injuries do they consider it a tragedy?

0

boxerdc

Deleted

,

#2

Jul 24, 2012 @ 14:17:30

@SimplyxComplicated Said

At what number of deaths/injuries do they consider it a tragedy?

Any senseless act that involves hurting or killing people is tragic.. when it captures the attention of the entire country, it becomes a tragedy.

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DorkySupergirl

, Canada

#3

Jul 24, 2012 @ 14:42:18

I do not think it has to be a set amount of victims but its based on the tragedy of it and done to reflect on the loss and show thoughts to the victims and their families.

0

ninozara

Cheshire, United Kingdom

#4

Jul 24, 2012 @ 14:58:09

@SimplyxComplicated Said

I went on a little road trip with my dad on Sunday and noticed that US and Texas flags were all flying at half mast. I was highly confused. I wondered if something happened that I wasnt aware of. When I got back home, I googled it.
Apparently, President Obama made a proclamation to have them flying at half mast until the 25th for the shooting in Colorado. I found that kind of an odd reason to do it. Dont get me wrong, I know it was a terrible thing. I just didnt think it was flying the flags at half mast terrible. But, after telling my dad the reason, he informed me they do it for anything considered a tragedy.
At what number of deaths/injuries do they consider it a tragedy?

I don't think it is a numbers thing, this caught the attention of the world. Though 12 dead (including 2 children) and 58 injured is a fair amount (Columbine had 13 killed and that is called a massacre).

It could be 2 people or 200 people and it would still be tragic. And death is usually the reason flags are flown at half mast, out of respect for the dead.

0

DorkySupergirl

, Canada

#5

Jul 24, 2012 @ 16:02:38

@ninozara Said

I don't think it is a numbers thing, this caught the attention of the world. Though 12 dead (including 2 children) and 58 injured is a fair amount (Columbine had 13 killed and that is called a massacre).

It could be 2 people or 200 people and it would still be tragic. And death is usually the reason flags are flown at half mast, out of respect for the dead.

I think it was a couple years ago, we had a tainted meat situation. It was one of the biggest companies in Canada that had the tainted meat. Fifteen people died from it. We flew our flags at half mast. I am in no way trying to compare tainted meat deaths to people dying from a shooting spree, I am only seeking to give example that even if its not hundreds, its a tragedy people died and it affected a whole country so in such times, flags are flown at half mast.

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SimplyxComplicated

Fort Worth, Texas

#6

Jul 24, 2012 @ 16:06:56

Ah, okay. That makes sense, I guess. Just kind of makes me wonder why we dont just KEEP the flags at half mast then, during a war time. People are dying everyday during war. Granted, our "war" has been going on for far too long, but even still... I dont know what Im trying to say, really. I dont wanna accidentally say something thatll offend people and have you get the wrong idea of what I am saying.

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DorkySupergirl

, Canada

#7

Jul 24, 2012 @ 16:13:58

@SimplyxComplicated Said

Ah, okay. That makes sense, I guess. Just kind of makes me wonder why we dont just KEEP the flags at half mast then, during a war time. People are dying everyday during war. Granted, our "war" has been going on for far too long, but even still... I dont know what Im trying to say, really. I dont wanna accidentally say something thatll offend people and have you get the wrong idea of what I am saying.

No worries at all on offending anyone. I think I know what you mean. I think what is it, its quite sad so many men and women have died due to the war but its a situation that is understood to happen, that lives will be lost and the war is ongoing. But in this case, it was a situation where it was not understood to happen that people would die attending a movie by the hands of some unstable individual. Though its sad and heartbreaking that people die during a war, its what happens and we can wrap our heads around it. Its harder to understand and wrap out heads about this tragic event. No one expects to die going to a movie.

0

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