On April 17, following the Virginia Tech killings, there ensued a debate of sorts on the RWC Campus. A Marine veteran arrived on campus and noticed that the flag was still at full staff; knowing that the President ordered the flag at the White House to be flown at half staff, he took it upon himself to correct the situation. Immediately upon correcting the oversight, he went to the Dean’s office to report what he had done. According to the Marine veteran, the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs thanked him. Later, when this veteran left the building, he was horrified to see the flag returned to full staff. He returned to the Dean’s office and was told that others on the campus were upset about the lowering of the flag without orders from UC President Zimpher. The Marine veteran claims he tried to explain the rule that if the White House is at half-staff, RWC should be also, but to no avail.
Being an Air Force veteran myself, this reporter did not want to rely on her memory of flag etiquette from years ago and so set off to do some research. As it turns out, the Marine Veteran is absolutely correct. The laws relating to the flag of the United States of America are found in detail in the United States Code. Title 4, Chapter 1 pertains to the flag; Title 18, Chapter 33, Section 700 regards criminal penalties for flag desecration; Title 36, Chapter 3 pertains to patriotic customs and observances. Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 7, subsection m gives the President of the United States authority to order the flag at half staff under specific circumstances.
The only other person given authority to order the United States Flag to be flown at half staff is a governor, but his authority is limited to the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of his state. Within the code, it is only the President of the United States who has authority (in Title 4, Chapter 1 Section 10) to modify rules and customs by way of a proclamation.
On April 17, 2007 President Bush ordered by proclamation that “.the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds.until sunset, Sunday, April 22, 2007.”
The National Flag Foundation points out on their website that there are “good-faith misunderstandings,” but believes it is important to point them out because “proper respect for our flag must be maintained–no matter the circumstances.