FLAGS AT HALF-STAFF FOR A POLICE DOG. OH THE LACK OF HUMANITY.

The Author frequently writes about his home town. The Author is not sure why, as very little happens there that is worthy of documentation. One might even question the need for the documentation of the town's existence.

A few months ago, a Ligonier Police Officer saved his police dog that had swallowed a tennis ball. Samo and Officer Halsey got their “15 minutes of fame”, appearing on some national shows and in many newspapers. The Author even did a post on the story.

My, how things can change. Samo escaped from his kennel earlier this week and ran loose. He was then struck by a vehicle and killed. Very sad. A couple of questions do come to mind, however. Should a trained police dog attempt to get out of its cage? And once out, should it run loose? The Author is implying nothing. He is merely asking the question. And it is a valid question, especially for taxpayers that funded the K-9 program.

CITY FLAGS ORDERED TO HALF-STAFF. “HUNH” BARKS SCOOBIE DOO!

The mayor of Ligonier ordered city flags to be flown at half-staff in honor of the dog. This triggered a WTH response from the Author. To the Author’s recollection, only the President of the United States, and perhaps Governors of states, can order flags to fly at half-staff. Nowhere in the US Flag Code does the mayor of a small town have the authority to order flags to fly at half-staff for any reason.

The US Flag code can be found at this link. The flag code is voluntary. It has no enforcement mechanism. But many veterans groups, nativist anti-immigrant groups, and other assorted uber-patriots consider a violation of the flag code more treasonous than the outing of a covert CIA agent for political advantage. So clearly the provisions of the Flag Code demand “strict compliance” in the minds of many Americans.

Just as many Harley Davidson riders wearing US flags on the backs of their jackets slather at the prospect of beating up some birkenstock wearing liberals caught burning a flag, surely some Flag Code Martinet’s must be creaming to pounce on some lawless official that flaunts the Flag Code.

The Author does not personally care if some people violate the Flag Code. Although it is a potent symbol, a flag itself is just a piece of cloth, likely made in Sri Lanka or China. The Author was in Boy Scouts and did learn the flag display rules. And on those rare occasions when he displays the flag (Memorial Day, the Fourth of July), he follows the rules to the letter.

But what is demanded of people who can quote the Flag Code section, subsection, paragraph and subparagraph, is that their unflinching fidelity to the Flag Code be demanded of all others, even those that make good-faith mistakes.

So, to everyone out there that would shoot a flag burner or beat up a Mexican immigrant that flies the Mexican flag in an “improper relationship” to Old Glory, deride and deface Ligonier. Call into your rant radio shows. Flood FREEP and Little Green Footballs with emails riddled with misspellings and unintelligible phrases. Demand that the flag faux pas perpetrators be water boarded and banished to Berkley, Kalifornia. Anything less would be unconfederate.

WHAT THE LEAST OF YOU DEMAND OF THE REST OF YOU LOOKS COMICAL IN THE DESERT OF THE REAL!