Tuesday, June 16, 2020

Not That Kind of Flag

Before one explodes in outrage over the disrespect done veterans etc... by George Floyd's family receiving a triangle folded, presentation cased, American flag from Nancy Pelosi...

It was not a veterans memorial burial flag... It did not drape his coffin, nor was it folded or presented by an honor guard.

According to Pelosi, it was "the flag that flew over the capitol" on the day Floyd was killed... Which is almost sort of true... Because it was one of the more than 300 flags that fly over the capitol every day but thanksgiving... More than 100,000 per year. 

You can actually buy one of those flags from your congresscritter. Each senator and member of the house has the right to have a flag or flags flown over the Capitol any day, and then give them or sell them to constituents.

You can also pay to specially request a flag be flown in commemoration or memoriam for any individual or event... Do a search for 'buy capitol flags' and you'll quickly find it. It's formally called the "Architect of the Capitol (AOC), Capitol Flag Program". They even take PayPal (not a joke, they really do). 

I used to have one when I lived in Idaho. They're not cheap, but they're not particularly expensive either. In fact they sell them in several different sizes and materials... from a small nylon desk top flag, or a 3' x 5' cotton wall mount, to a special linen or silk hand embroidered 8'x12' (most only offer nylon and cotton, but some accept special requests, or will let you send them a flag of your own, and charge you the same price they otherwise would have for a flag of the same size, to have it flown over the capitol)... They run from about $20, to over $300... Maybe more if you want a specific date (which usually requires 8 weeks notice, unless it's for a funeral).

Essentially, it's a fundraising perk for congress.

So... nothing to do with disrespecting veterans, or anyone else... Except perhaps in Pelosis sheer political opportunism and condescension.