50% of US Flags at Half Mast - why?

[Doug Hobkirk]

I drove 500 miles (MA, CT, NY) on Thursday and Friday and I observed that just about half the flags I saw were at half mast, presumably because a justice of the Supreme Court just died. But I think there were probably just as many that were at full height. I could discern little pattern, it seemed about 50% whether the flag was on a small company, a national chain, or city/town government buildings.

Is there an "official" list of who merits half mast and for how long?

I'm curious, as always.

PS - Justice Scalia was one of the most polarizing individuals to hold his job - "If my majority opinion is 6-3, I think I should have pushed harder." Which makes me wonder if a major factor in "half mast" was personal choice.

[Jon Nuckles]

Google suggests that all flags on federal lands/buildings are to be flown at half-staff per presidential proclamation:

The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
February 13, 2016
.
Presidential Proclamation: Death of Antonin Scalia
As a mark of respect for Antonin Scalia, Associate Justice of the United States, I hereby order, by the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States of America, including section 7 of title 4, United States Code, that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and on all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, on the day of interment. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same period at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this thirteenth day of February, in the year of our Lord two thousand sixteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and fortieth.
BARACK OBAMA


I imagine States may have their own rules and that individuals and corporations may make their own decisions.

[Jon Nuckles]

A more complete answer from Wikipedia (though there is more that I did not copy, and the numbers in brackets are footnotes):

Under 4 U.S.C. § 7(m) and established traditions by Presidential proclamations, the flag of the United States is to be flown at half-staff on rare occasions, in the following circumstances:[44]
For thirty days after the death of a current or former president or president-elect, as occurred after the death of President Reagan and the death of President Ford.
For ten days after the death of a current vice president, current or retired chief justice, or current Speaker of the House of Representatives.
From the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a secretary of an executive or military department, a former vice president, the President Pro Tempore of the Senate,[45] or the governor of a state, territory, or possession.
On the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress.

[Brian Elfert]

I doubt it is people purposely not lowering their flag because of politics. I suspect a lot of people just simply don't know that they are supposed to have the flag at half mast, or they just don't take the time or expense to lower the flag. Some businesses actually have a company that maintains their flags. They probably get charged every time the flag has to be at half mast.

How did people know when to lower flags prior to the Internet? Did newspapers publish the fact that flags are supposed to be lowered? I'm sure there are apps or services these days that can send emails or texts when the flag is supposed to be lowered.

[Jason Roehl]

I'm responsible for the flag at a government building (county courthouse). I actually forgot about it this time (and hadn't seen the presidential proclamation in the news), but got an e-mail from my boss about it on Monday, so I lowered it immediately. Of course, it was to remain at half-staff until sundown of the day of interment, which was Saturday, so it will remain there until Monday morning, when I get to work.

[John Goodin]

I have a 20 foot flagpole and it can not be adjusted to fly half mast.

[Mel Fulks]

People never take the pomp and ceremony of government as seriously as as the government takes itself. Currently there is little style formality at the top ,so there is less at the bottom. When I was growing up there were frequent allusions to the protocol that needed to observed and references to the "Head of Protocol". There is still an office of protocol (I checked) it just gets little use. Even something like awarding The Medal of Honor is done in an inappropriatly non formal way. This is not a political thing it is a USA thing. The leaders of most countries lay a wreath sized wreath on the graves of the fallen. Here a giant wreath is carried by several movers while the president guides it with one hand like he is in a commercial for a floor polisher.