To Half or Not to Half

It seems that quite a few people aren't happy with the New Jersey governor's decision to lower the flags to half mast in his state to honor the passing of singer Whitney Houston.  The reason why they're not happy is that Houston was a drug addict; she did not die in the service of the country.  However, the governor decided that flags should be lowered because the singer was a New Jersey native.

The general controversy over whether flags should be lowered to half mast for celebrities and not just members of the military got me thinking: when did the tradition of flying a flag at half mast as a sign of mourning and respect begin? 

Apparently, lowering a flag to half mast has been going on for hundreds of years, at least since the 17th century.  No one knows, though, exactly how the tradition began.  In the United States, the government (usually the President or a state governor) decides when flags get lowered for the recently deceased.  If you're curious which states are currently flying their flags at half mast and for whom, you can check out Half Staff American Flag Notifications for national and state half mast notices. 

Lowering the flag is a big event with many protocols to follow.  Something to ponder the next time you see flags at half mast.

Patriotically yours from the perch.