In a move that has sparked intrigue, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has instructed that all flags on state buildings, facilities, and installations be raised to full mast on Inauguration Day, January 20th, 2025.
This directive comes in contrast to President Joe Biden's order to fly all United States flags at half-mast for 30 days to mark the passing of former President Jimmy Carter.
According to RedState, Governor Abbott's decision to raise the flags on Inauguration Day, when Donald Trump is set to be sworn in for his second term as president, is grounded in a federal statute. This statute stipulates that the flag should be displayed on all days, including Inauguration Day. The president-elect, Trump, has publicly opposed the idea of flags being at half-staff on the day of his inauguration.
Flying the flag at half-staff is a long-standing tradition, symbolizing national mourning, typically observed upon the death of a president. This practice dates back to 1799 following the death of George Washington, America's first president. The Navy Department ordered all ships to fly their flags at half-staff in his honor. President Dwight Eisenhower later formalized this tradition with a presidential proclamation in 1954. Therefore, Biden's directive aligns with the standard protocol surrounding the death of a former president.
The National Flag Foundation provides further insight into the half-staff tradition, detailing the number of days for various government officials and certain days of observance. However, Governor Abbott's decision seems to stem from a concern that the left may conflate the symbolism of commemorating one president's death with the inauguration of another.
President-elect Trump echoed this sentiment in a post on his Truth Social platform, stating, "The Democrats are all giddy about our magnificent American Flag potentially being at half mast during my Inauguration. They think its so great, and are so happy about it because, in actuality, they dont love our Country, they only think about themselves. Look at what theyve done to our once GREAT America over the past four years - Its a total mess! In any event, because of the death of President Jimmy Carter, the Flag may, for the first time ever during an Inauguration of a future President, be at half mast. Nobody wants to see this, and no American can be happy about it. Lets see how it plays out. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!"
This is not the first time such an occurrence has taken place. In 1973, flags were flown at half-mast to commemorate the death of former President Harry Truman during Richard Nixon's second-term inauguration.
The question that arises is whether concerns over potential left-wing propagandization of this observance should supersede a tradition of respect for the office of the President of the United States, particularly in the event of a former president's death. This tradition, which began with our very first president, continues today. Given the relentless criticism and demonization that the left directs at President-elect Trump, it is understandable why Governor Abbott would seek to prevent them from exploiting this situation for propaganda purposes, at least within Texas.
However, is this giving the left too much power? Is this a gesture of respect for the incoming president or merely an attempt to counteract potential left-wing propaganda? President-elect Trump is correct in highlighting that the left will likely misinterpret this situation, possibly intentionally. Indeed, this will be used as a propaganda tool against the incoming president, despite the fact that there is no connection between the observance of a 200+-year-old tradition on the death of a president and the inauguration of another president.
Governors do have the authority to order these kinds of observations at the state level, not just for the deaths of government officials. Governor Abbott, widely regarded as one of the nation's top governors, has made a decision that is sure to provoke discussion. Whether this move is the right one remains to be seen, but it certainly underscores the complex interplay of tradition, respect, and political maneuvering in our nation's highest offices.
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