A Sheriff in Pickens County, S.C. is defying U.S. President Barack Obama by refusing to lower the American flag to half-staff in honor of former South African president Nelson Mandela.
“The flag at half-staff is for Americans’ ultimate sacrifice for our country,” Sheriff Rick Clark told The Greenville News. “We should never stray away from that.”
Actually we shouldn’t even lower the flag for that … not these days.
“The government of this country spies on its own people (and the rest of the world),” we wrote recently. “It invades other countries and sacrifices thousands of lives based on outdated imperialism and fabricated intelligence. It’s even willing to join forces with the same people who attacked us if it means gaining some geopolitical leverage.”
In other words American soldiers are clearly not fighting for “our freedom” anymore … although the government, mainstream media and corporate America continue to perpetuate that myth.
Anyway, Obama ordered flags at half-staff to honor Mandela. Incidentally this order extended to the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) – which ratted Mandela out to the South Africans (leading to his 27-year imprisonment).
In other Mandela-related news in South Carolina, a Facebook tribute to the deceased leader from S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley drew numerous sharply worded rebukes.
101 comments
http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way/2013/12/06/249247973/u-s-flags-lowered-for-mandela-a-rare-honor-for-foreign-leaders
The irony of Obama ordering flags to half-staff for a Commie is just too rich to be ignored.
The irony in you face symbolism of Obama ordering flags to half-staff for a Commie is just too rich to be ignored.
Fixed it for ya!
lol….thank you.
I was going to leave it alone, but after the “downvote” by someone here I decided to post him also singing about killing whitey too:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yC8qQE4Y2Js#t=30
Now, in fairness this is a propaganda piece for BOTH sides, as the literal translation isn’t “white” as noted in the video, but instead a reference to Afrikaners/Dutch farmers(who happen to all be white), who were pretty damn oppressive to native blacks and committed violence on them first.
That being said, though, let us not think of Mandela as some peacenik or saint.
If he would have instead simply said, “They took our land by force, we are taking it back.” I would have been fine with that.
Instead he thought communism was the solution, not recognizing it for the perpetual violence it is.(and in fairness to him, communism has some history in Africa)
Yeh,sure you would have been.
Have I ever said anything that would lead you to believe otherwise? If so, be specific. If not, shut your trap.
No need for specificity old chap.I know EXACTLY where you are coming from!
Mind lending me your mind reading powers?
TBG wagers that FITSNEWS is the only blog on the internets that counts both The Big Crocodile and The Bashful Baron of Barlow Bend amongst it’s regular commenters.
Next time you need a cold one while at Clemson, tell Jimmy to set you up on my tab. Make that two…..maybe I’ll join you.
If TigerNet existed when I wuz alive, I woulda coached the 1981 National Champions. Me and Danny is the all-time favorites of TNet. Course you know that, TBG, being the Clemson man you are.
FITSNEWS plays a distant non-contending position to The Orange & White. As you also know, that ain’t a compliment.
Next time you need a cold one while at Clemson, tell Jimmy to set you up on my tab. Make that two…..maybe I’ll join you.
Appreciate that. Might take you up on it.
TBG believes the ESSO Club is serving FREE BEER…tomorrow.
Yesterday the Chic-Fil-A in Orangeburg had it’s flag at half mast. (TBG assumes for Mandela…)
Chic. Fil. A.
There is no disputing that Mandela was a communist. (Admittedly some communists have the best intentions and mean well…)
Mandela was also a terrorist. (Admittedly, it is a legitimate argument that in his and similar positions terrorism is an effective weapon of change.)
Admittedly, when Mandela gained power, he was not nearly as *bad* as he could have been. (see Pol Pot, Mao, Stalin etc.)
Like many historical figures he he was a complex mixture of good and bad. Not a saint. Not incarnate evil.
TBG suspects his legacy will be that of good intentions leading straight to Hell..but hopes (for all South Africans) the future will prove him (TBG) wrong.
Should the US fly flags at half mast in his honor?
No.
+1 bro, good commentary.
My poor has been at half mast since Labor Day.
^^^Cock^^^
Agreed…excellent comment
No, Chik Fil A is just as racist as you are. They just aren’t as clueless as you and lowered the flag for Pearl Harbor Day. I’m sure they will raise it again being the good christian racists they are.
Clueless, eh?
Pearl Harbor Day is December 7th. Not December 6th.
Today is today. Yesterday was yesterday.
Sadly, neither one of us knew how to spell Chick-Fil-A.
My Dad was stationed in Pearl Harbor the day the Japanese flew in.
johnny boy,
sounds lie you are a racist bigot…
It only flies at half mast if it is on a ship. It flies at half staff everywhere else. If American flags are ever lowered, it should only be done to honor Americans. I don’t think any South African flags in Soweto were lowered to honor the memory of any American who passed away, ever.
Not that anyone cares, but Paul Walker died.
Libertarians…THE best reason to bring back the draft.
Democrats…THE best reason to bring back FDR’s interment camps.
In other words…..”Huh?”
I think what he’s saying is that forcing people into the armed forces helps squash libertarian thinking.
It’s one of several refuge’s of scoundrels. When you can’t win the intellectual debate you simply force people to fall in line to your way of thinking by the barrel of a gun.
When you can’t win the intellectual debate you simply force people to fall in line to your way of thinking by the barrel of a gun.
Chairman Mao likes this.
What a crock! 2016 just can’t get here fast enough! Tom Cruz has the star appeal Hillary Clinton doesn’t have.
Yes, by all means, the Republicans should run “Tom Cruz.”
I love his movies! Really, what has Hillary been in?
Oops! My aunt just told me he’s no Christian. I can’t vote for a person not of the faith.
They’ll have a lot better chance with Tom than shit for brains Canadian Ted.
“Actually we shouldn’t even lower the flag for that … not these days.”
Do you have to try SO hard to be a disrespectful jackass? I know it’s your whole shtick, but give it a fucking rest. Like many who traveled to the sandboxes I buried a few buddies over in the wars, all of whom did good work while we were there, and were serving for the right reasons (politics notwithstanding). Life isn’t nearly as black and white as you apparently believe it to be. Mandela is a great example of this, just as is observing our customary signs of respect for fallen soldiers.
Mike – Will is an irrelevant doofus who is about half as smart, a third as clever, and a quarter as good a writer as he thinks he is.
Fractions were never TBG’s forte.
Wow, I love it when we just invent things like the flag only being flown at half mast for strictly American things.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Half-mast#United_States
Christ, people, we did it for the pope and the tsunami in the Indian ocean. Generally it is to mourn something in the USA but it isn’t strictly limited. The president can order it for foreign dignitaries or a major disaster, even if it happens in another country.
Nelson Mandela passed away. You’re more than welcome to ignore the president and not fly the flag, but the least you could do is respectfully disagree in silence rather than opening your yap and saying something dumb.
Yeh ,but Mandela was a “Commie.” And you know how. Republicans(see Tonto and?) feel about “Commies!
The only good “Commie” is a dead “Commie.”
Damn fracking right. A DEAD one.
TBG is NOT a republican, Big Crocoshit!
Yeh,I know.there are no Republicans here,just” Independents”
Hahaha!
Admit what you are Bo,
Cut the BS!
*Card carrying* Libertarian for about 20 years beginning in 1986. Little “L” libertarian, since. Have more respect (as people) for *honest, well-intentioned* Democrats than I do for RINOs, PW.
One can call themselves anything they want.
I just subscribe to the old adage that if it walks like a duck etc etc etc.
Your posts are uniformly supportive of the Republican position.Oh sure theres the occassional kick at some silly ass Right Wing nut(an increasing part of todays GOP) and then, by your own admission, your “disrespect” for RINOS(apparently those being politicos who dont conform to YOUR view of what your fellow REPUBLICAN should think).
Great fun actually watching you and the other Republicans here wrap yourselves in pretzels denying what you Obviously are.
Actually TBG you are my favorite type of Republican.You, ?, Folks, and numerous others here,Republicans who dont even know thats what you are!
lol, you can call me whatever you want. I’ll just point out that you are going to upset Republicans by lumping us in with them.
You might end up doing more harm that good in Dems (or Commies, progressives, etc.) attempt to find a workable majority for more “progress” in Congress if you keep telling Republicans that we constitute some of their rank.
I guess with the Black Jesus in office you can always fall back on executive order, government is moving in that direction anyway.
So that being said, if you are branding me a Republican, then in good humor I’ll brand you a Democrat that’s a closeted Commie.
No I admit I’m a Democrat.
Why would “lumping” you with those whose policies you so obviously support upset them?
My favorite move is when you,TBG, Folks all who “claim” you are NOT Republicans start labeling other Republicans RINOS.
I mean if you’re Not a Republican then on what basis do you question whether one who admits to being a Republican is a “real” one?
All great fun, I admit.
Your point seems to be,”I am not a Republican, but if I was one,I know this person isnt!”
Gotta love it!
“Why would “lumping” you with those whose policies you so obviously support upset them?”
So what policies have I supported that makes me a “Republican”?
Even further down this bunny trail though, don’t Democrats support some policies that Republicans support? Are you telling me there’s not one supposed policy of Republicans you do not agree with?
As far as whether someone is a “RINO” or not, I really don’t care for that debate too much anymore. Probably six years ago I might have, but today, not one iota.
When it comes to discussion of “RINO”‘s though, you have to admit their own written platform calls for “limited government”, it’s right IN THEIR PLATFORM. The is a value they claim to subscribe to and actually sign off on to become a card carrying member.
So while I’m not a Republican, you have to wonder why so many of the claim they are when they don’t adhere to their platform. Hence all the “RINO” discussion in general.
It’s not me saying, “I’m a Republican”, really I can’t stand most of them. It’s really more me saying, “You liars can’t even hold up to your own written ideals.”
edits: “Republicans you DO agree with”?
“THIS is a value they”
“THEM claim they are”
So while I’m not a Republican, you have to wonder why so many of the claim they are when they don’t adhere to their platform. Hence all the “RINO” discussion in general.
It’s not me saying, “I’m a Republican”, really I can’t stand most of them. It’s really more me saying, “You liars can’t even hold up to your own written ideals.”
This.
I have no problem with Commies as long as they don’t try to force their system upon me. If they want to get together voluntarily and live in a commune, a la Jamestown, on someone’s private property that allows then that’s their business.
The only time I’d want a “dead Commie” is if he tried to force me to be a be a Commie too.
Dead Republicans are even better!
when Ambasssador Stephens was murdered in Libya, were flags lowered for Ten Days?
No, the flag was flown at half staff for 5 days for Ambassador Stephens – he didn’t rank high enough for a 10 day order.
Let’s have a national day of reflection for the brave Iraqis that fought side-by-side with the Marines in the 10 year war on Terra.
How about 20 minutes for the women and kids who died in a rain of white phosphorus in Fallujah?
A moment of silence for the 14 year old girl that was raped, and set on fire – and her family murdered?
Nah, they don’t even rank high enough to spit on.
NO!!! he was just an American soldier as some say doing his job…..ask old HIllary!!! Wake Up! America
I’m confused – the President may order the flag at half staff on federal Installations – what power does he have over the sheriff of Pickens County? The law only requires federal institutions to follow a state lead in the event a governor determines it appropriate to display the flag at half staff.
4 USC § 7 – Position and manner of display
(m) The flag, when flown at half-staff, should be first hoisted to the peak for an instant and then lowered to the half-staff position. The flag should be again raised to the peak before it is lowered for the day. On Memorial Day the flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon only, then raised to the top of the staff. By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law. In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States or the death of a member of the Armed Forces from any State, territory, or possession who dies while serving on active duty, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff, and the same authority is provided to the Mayor of the District of Columbia with respect to present or former officials of the District of Columbia and members of the Armed Forces from the District of Columbia. When the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, or the Mayor of the District of Columbia, issues a proclamation under the preceding sentence that the National flag be flown at half-staff in that State, territory, or possession or in the District of Columbia because of the death of a member of the Armed Forces, the National flag flown at any Federal installation or facility in the area covered by that proclamation shall be flown at half-staff consistent with that proclamation. The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress. The flag shall be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, unless that day is also Armed Forces Day. As used in this subsection—
(1) the term “half-staff” means the position of the flag when it is one-half the distance between the top and bottom of the staff;
(2) the term “executive or military department” means any agency listed under sections 101 and 102 of title 5, United States Code; and
(3) the term “Member of Congress” means a Senator, a Representative, a Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.
I notice you are confused a lot.
Idiots like yourself are never confused, that’s why they are idiots.
You’re close, but not technically correct. The idiots are, in fact, confused. They just don’t know it. Self awareness is a drug like no other- the assclowns who need it most have no interest in drinking it. The Colonel, I believe, was using “confused” in the satirical sense. The real confusion is on the part of the sheriff in Pickens if he thinks BHO can tell him where, when, or how to fly his flag (and I guess Will too, if he thinks the Sheriff is “defying” anyone by not lowering it to half mast).
Saying “I’m confused” is kind of like saying “I always lie” It’s not logical.
In your case Euwe, saying “I’m confused” would confirm what most of us already know…
Well at least you have the point of view correct – the person confused couldn’t claim to be confused.. because that’s a stable analysis of the situation that could in no way be considered confused, which would negate the statement itself.
Therefore, anyone reading it would have to assume that the statement was sarcasm, or some sort of peasant colloquialism.
Any kind of independent state of consciousness leading to an unauthorized conclusion by a grunt like me is what they call in the military “thinking outside of your pay grade.,:”
Let me see if I understand your premise correctly – you are asserting that a person can’t know they’re confused?
a person can’t know they’re confused
——-
a person that *is* confused, can’t *know* they’re confused.. otherwise, whatever element within them that *knew* they were confused, itself was not confused, eliminating the purity of the state of confusion, and negating the claim of *being* confused.
However, in South Carolina, as in most southern states, it may be a peasant colloquialism to assert one is confused in the same way a person might attempt to assert that he, himself is a liar – assuming that the audience consists of only partially conscious, mostly inebriated sex addicts whose view of absolutes is from the cheap seats.
Actually, now that I think about it, most people are confused and have no idea what that means, and don’t really care.
I think you’re confused and I know I am confused by the logic of your assertion. “Peasant colloquialisms” aside, the dictionary defines “confused” this way:
con·fuse /k?n?fyuz/ [kuhn-fyooz] verb (used with object), con·fused, con·fus·ing.
1. to perplex or bewilder: “The flood of questions confused me.”
2. to make unclear or indistinct: “The rumors and angry charges tended to confuse the issue.”
3. to fail to distinguish between; associate by mistake; confound: to confuse dates; “He always confuses the twins.”
4. to disconcert or abash: “His candor confused her.”
5. to combine without order; jumble; disorder: “Try not to confuse the papers on the desk.”
In every form, the subject of the verb is aware that they are in fact confused. Make a wrong turn over on the “college streets” in Forest Acres and you will find yourself confused about which way you need to turn – if you don’t recognize your confusion, you will find yourself lost. It is entirely possible to not know you’re lost.
I didn’t see an example of “I am confused” in that list which is a *statement of being*. Like I said – people may be accustomed to using this statement, but like “I never tell the truth” – it’s not a logical statement, but something for the fuzzy headed. Go ahead and look up “dead” and see if “I am dead” is in there. It might be, but as a statement of being, it just doesn’t cut it as a matter of current fact. A character in a dime-store fiction about the undead might get away with it.
I don’t think you would tell me what round is used in an AR-15 by saying “its bullets be pointy and shit” or “this here gun shoots military bullets” or even better “the kind that kill people,” even if in common speech, you can find people saying just that.
I’m like, you know, being all technical and shit.. like when someone axes me what round my rifle fires.
Wow, just wow – how you manage to come up with this bs so quickly is astounding.
By the way, I prefer to use “.223 Remington” when talkin bout the pointy brass and copper colored things what goes in my pea shooter – Merican name for Merican ammo.
Actually, I carry a Eyetalian shooting iron what uses that faggity, effete, German crap in something known a 9 millimeter or sum such crap…
While the external case dimensions are very similar, the .223 Remington round and the 5.56 by 45 millimeter round differ in both maximum pressure and chamber shape.
The maximum and mean pressures for some varieties of the 5.56 millimeter – different cartridge designations have different standards – exceed the SAAMI maxima for the .223 Remington, and the methods for measuring pressures differ between NATO and SAAMI.
The 5.56 millimeter chamber specification has also changed since its adoption, as the current military loading (NATO SS-109 or US M855) uses longer, heavier bullets than the original loading. This has resulted in a lengthening of the throat in the 5.56 millimeter chamber.
Thus, while .223 Remington ammunition can be safely fired in a 5.56 millimeter chambered gun, firing 5.56 millimeter ammunition in a .223 Remington chamber may produce pressures in excess of even the 5.56 millimeter specifications due to the shorter throat.
Therefore, the standard military issue for a round fired by my M-16A1 rifle is a Full Metal Jacketed 5.56 by 45 millimeter, 183 grain NATO round in a standard 20 round magazine.
SIR!
Hey (not so) Great,
I realized that I failed to u$e the “$arca$m font” $o you probably didn’t catch it. I’ve revi$ed my $tatement to make it ea$ier for you.
“I’m confu$ed – the Pre$ident may order the flag to half Staff on federal In$tallation$ – what power doe$ he have over the $heriff of Picken$ County?”
Better now?
Come on, maaan.
No! Follow private message procedures. You went rogue, now look at us. Having it out in the comment section.
Dude, you’ve turned into a monster!
You made me this way.
Maybe.. and I’m just guessing here.. maybe Obama thinks he’s King John and he’s commanding the Sheriff of Nottingham.
Of course the judgement of the pissant sheriff of Pickens County supersedes that of the President of the United States and the stipulations of United States Code. Do you think he would have objected to half-staff for Winston Churchill or Pope John Paul II? I doubt it.
No. They were White.
Exactly!
“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people”
The “pissant” has as much right to an opinion as the President does and as much right to determine who to honor.
Each and every pissant in America is allowed his or her opinion and the right to voice it. The decision on the flag is the President’s. not the pissant’s. You posted the excerpt from the United States Code.
Actually if you know how to read the US code you would understand that in fact it is not just the President’s decision.
The President’s mandate only applies to federal installations and property. The word “shall” means that you will do something under force of law. The word “should” means just that, that you “should” do it but no force of law applies.
In other words – The Sheriff of Pickens County may be a big dumb redneck or a great stalwart of our union – either way, he is under no obligation to place the flag at half staff because of a Presidential directive. The mayor or business manager may be able to order him to depending on the county rules but Barack has absolutely no say beyond making a recommendation.
manray…you are projecting…please provide evidence that said sheriff would support 10 days of half staffed flags for W. Churchill and the pope but not Mr. Mandela…demonize and denigrate….that’s how progs kill debate…
I don’t know, that’s why it was a question. I continue to be amazed at the disrespectful and irrational behavior of Obama-haters. No matter if the sheriff likes it or not, lowering the flag is the President’s call — not his.
Thats why no one gives a shit about this sheriff except Fox News and the Republicans
I bet that sheriff and evey living relative of that sheriff will get a nice big, fat audit from the IRS for Christmas!
That’s just how it is, folks!
Just ask Dr. Ben Carson and that poor chap in Chucktown with cancer who lost his health insurance due to ocare…audits for eveyone who dares to disagree with the ONE!
I hope so.
Hope they lock the bastard up too!
As for you Necklace?
STFU and Pay Your TAXES!
so you are cool with the widespread abuse of the IRS to discriminate, intimidate, and silence minorities?
…zounds like are a good little brown shirt…
watch yer mouth buddy! I suspect that I pay more taxes in 1 year than you do in a decade…and, hell yea, I got audited 2 years ago after contributing to a certain political goup…so, yea, I sympathize with Dr. Carson, who was mysteriously audited after openly disagreeing with el presidente…rather 3rd worldish with a fascist spin….but little brownshirts never look in the mirror….
POTUS has no authority over State or Local governments. PERIOD!
Actually we shouldn’t even lower the flag for that … not these days.
Read more at https://www.fitsnews.com/2013/12/07/sc-sheriff-defies-nelson-mandela-flag-order/#qGAGUemf8ToOct31.99
TBG told her the same thing.
“Actually we shouldn’t even lower the flag for that … not these days.”
You sir, and I use the term loosely, do not have a clue. We that have served know the Military is run by DOD civilians and do the beck and call of the CinC and Congress and that is as it should be.
Next time you are out and about thank a service member or vet for your blog, you may have built it but without us you wouldn’t be able to keep it.
Well did you at least lower the flag for the Exalted Cyclops when he died?
The guy has innocent blood in his hands. Do folks in america even know who and what created the ANC????
innocent blood
——–
does he have any innocent arab or persian blood on his hands?
….I’m just sayin…
check out the youtube of Winnie praising the barbaric practice of necklacing…
Maybe they were trying to find out where the WMD were.
What’s that got to do with anything?
You don’t understand the need for allies that we can count on for extreme rendition? What are you, some kind of bleeding heart LIBERAL?
http://www.latimes.com/nation/shareitnow/la-sh-south-carolina-sheriff-refuses-to-honor-mandela-with-flags-at-half-staff-20131207,0,7905364.story#axzz2mtsHOG98
Who gives a shit about Mandella and South Africa? If you want to know the truth, blacks have had the whole continent of Africa since the dawn of time and they are still struggling to even rank as a 3rd world.
Do people in Africa lower their flags for us?????
Well, we made the Drudge Report….
http://charlotte.cbslocal.com/2013/12/07/pickens-county-sheriff-wont-honor-mandela/
I was disappointed it wasn’t Laurens County sheriff…so we could ask him if he lowered his flag for his mistress’ forced abortion. Ahh, not so lucky this time.
All seem to be missing the larger point, which is that as this bit of news crawls along the bottom of television screens across our nation, the prevailing response is “there goes racist SC again!” I would also bet that those posting here about Mandela the terrorist or Mandela the communist are the same people who are quick to point to MLK, Jr.’s failures.
Did we lower the flags when Thatcher died?
Enjoy your permanent minority status, Republican assholes.
Title 4, Section 8 of the US Code which applies to flag etiquette and is advisory in nature only. While various suggestions are made as to when to fly our flag at half-staff, there are no hard and fast rules with the exception of those rules self-imposed by our military.