Clarksville High School Color Guard post The Colors during Memorial Day Candlelight Vigil

Recently our city and county mayors announced plans to fly the national flag at half-staff on a monthly basis. They proposed to do this in honor of our fallen soldiers. The gesture certainly strikes an undeniably appealing accord. It is, without a doubt, noble in its initiative.

It would unquestionably be a notable, emotional salute to our military personnel, especially in light of the fact that soldiers from Fort Campbell and the 101st Airborne Division are facing daily peril in the Iraq and Afghanistan war theaters.

However, upon closer review, there is cause for reconsideration of this action. The flying of our nation’s flag is governed by specific and strict protocols that must be observed.

Navy Honor Detail stands at Turner McCullough Sr. interment, a WWII Navy veteran.

The U. S. Flag Code controls the care, display, handling and disposal of the Flag of the United States. It contains specific and particular procedures for the flying of the nation’s symbol and the controls over how and when it may be flown.

The U.S. Code, Title 4, Chapter 1, Section 175 states:

• (m) …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, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff. The flag shall be flown at half-staff thirty days from the death of the President or a former President; ten 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.

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; and
• (3) the term ‘Member of Congress’ means a Senator, a Representative, a Delegate, or the Resident Commissioner from Puerto Rico.

It should be hoped that our local leaders have contacted the White House, or short of that, our elected federal representatives, to request such presidential orders for this monthly flag salute. None would fault the honoring of our fallen wartime service members. Perhaps a letter writing campaign to Rep. Marsha Blackburn, Rep. John Tanner, Senator Lamar Alexander and Senator Bob Corker could quickly move this initiative forward. Citizens should request their assistance in securing a presidential order authorizing our community to fly the flag at half-staff once a month for the duration of Middle East hostilities or the return of the 101st Airborne Division, whichever comes first. VFW and DAV chapters and other veterans organizations and groups could lead the way in contacting these legislators to ‘greenlight’ this enterprise. However without such presidential approval, the initiative should be held in abeyance. Respect for the laws of the land is the highest honor we, as a community, can show our fallen servicemembers. That, and exercising our right to vote

Upon review, the public must take note that this community also has an Eternal Flame Memorial, dedicated to those same fallen soldiers, located on Public Square. Sadly, the ‘Eternal Flame’ seems to spend most of its time unlit, and is only consistently burning during city-sponsored festivals. It has been noticeably unlit during the federal holidays of Memorial Day, Flag Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day and Veterans Day. It has even remained unlit on Armistice Day. This flag gesture may be viewed as a more economical action. Providing proper protocols and procedures are followed, the community must hope that this enterprise receives better follow-thru than our Pillar of Clouds, Pillar of Fire’s ‘Eternal Flame’ has encountered.

To Contact Tennessee Federal Legislators:

US Rep. Marsha Blackburn: Clarksville Office- 1850 Memorial Drive, 37043; Phone: 931-503-0391; Washington D.C. Office- 509 Cannon Bldg, Washington, D.C., 20515.

US Rep. John Tanner: Union City Office- P.O. Box 629, Union City, Tennessee 38281
Phone: (731) 885-7070, Fax: (731) 885-7094; Washington D.C. Office- 1226 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515-4208, Phone: (202) 225-4714, Fax: (202) 225-1765

US Senator Lamar Alexander: Nashville Office- 3322 West End Avenue, Suite 120; Nashville, Tennessee 37203; Phone: (615) 736-5129, ; Fax: (615) 269-4803; Washington, D.C.- 455 Dirksen Senate Office Building, District of Columbia 20510-4204; Phone: (202) 224-4944, Fax: (202) 228-3398

US Senator Bob Corker: Chattanooga Office- 10 West MLK Boulevard, 6th Floor, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37402, Phone: (423) 756-2757, Fax: (423) 756-5313; Washington, D.C.- 185 Dirksen Senate Office Building, District of Columbia 20510-4205; Phone: (202) 224-3344, Fax: (202) 228-0566

As the Independence Day weekend moves on, the smoke from fireworks has dissipated and the residue from our recent fireworks show have been cleared away. The traffic jams cleared up, and we each go on our merry way. Yes, the city’s celebration was quite a sight. And as noted in previous coverage here, the Pillar of Cloud, Pillar of Fire Eternal Flame Memorial was burning bright and strong at 11:30PM on July 3rd. The flags at City Hall were still sadly un-illuminated but the eternal flame did shine for that night. Hallelujah!!!

Alas, it was too good to last. It was not burning during the daylight hours on our nation’s birthday, and when the evening of July 4th dawned upon us the flame was still NOWHERE TO BE SEEN. It was AWOL again! We took date stamped photographs to verify this.

Are our public officials really committed to keeping our pledge to light the flame, and in doing so honoring our fallen military personnel? Or is this just a “showpiece” there only to be utilized during special promotions and city events?

The Eternal Flame was kept lit for the entire run of ‘Rivers and Spires.” Every day and night it was there. But the flame ceased burning a mere three days following the close of that festival. It stayed that way until two weeks before Memorial Day.

But strangely the flame was once again unlit for the entire Memorial Day weekend. As the Vietnam Veterans Association held their candlelight vigil on Public Square that Sunday, the absence of that flame was conspicuously felt as the names of Tennessee’s MIA were called off. Apparently their sacrifice did not warrant the flame. It was only veterans and MIA service members, after all.

All of last week, workmen were busy installing a new eight or new nine foot diameter water fountain on Public Square. (This is not the fountain that is still planned for location on Legion street). It became functional last Thursday. Thursday night the water was freely flowing, and the interior lights were shining brightly. It is admittedly a lovely sight. Too bad the Eternal Flame couldn’t have been blessed with the same good fortune. It has remained unremarked in the darkness at the other end of Public Square. while the fountain has remained fully functional every day and night since it was turned on.

Recent coverage on Clarksville Online has highlighted the glaring failure of many local government and business entities to properly illuminate our national flag during the hours of darkness. Once again our own City Hall is in violation with two towering flag poles, front and rear, each over thirty feet tall. Neither of which are properly illuminated at night. Perhaps there is a pattern at work here; one of a blatant disregard for our nation’s flag, and for a memorial honoring our serving soldier’s and military fallen.

Despite all our public officials pretty speeches and their placing big yellow ribbons on the sides of our city’s buildings, could it be that deep inside we really just don’t care? Maybe Clarksville’s true claim to the title of “Tennessee’s Top Spot” is for our elected officials disrespect for our nation and the sacrifice of it’s soldiers. You be the judge.

We at Clarksville Online have tried over and over again to get our elected officials to do something about keeping the flame lit, with no luck. If each of you take a moment to email or call our elected officials and tell them to light the flame, and keep it lit! Perhaps at long last they will get the message! Light the flame already! Because if not we will hold them to account the next time they are up for re-election!

The United States flag properly illuminated

With Memorial Day and Flag Day behind us and July 4th just ahead, the proper display of our national symbol takes center stage. A recent late night driving tour around our city revealed that there are many locations where our national flag is on display after sunset. We commend all who seek to demonstrate this patriotic effort. We found several private residences and business operations which were compliant with the U.S. Flag Code.This means that they have installed spotlighting which, after sunset, clearly illuminates the flag. Above we show an example of proper nighttime illumination of the flag.

There is no shortage of after dark displays of our national flag, which is commendable. However the nighttime drive tour showed that churches, banks, various business outlets, public monuments, even City Hall, the police department, some fire stations, the 911 Center, the County Jail, the EMS Rescue Station and other enterprises, all seem in violation of the official United States Code rules governing the display of the Flag of the United States after sunset.

Our nation is, itself, a living entity and our flag is to be regarded as a living representation of that entity. Thus, it is never to be dipped in submission to another country’s flag, never to be gathered up or bound, never to be allowed to touch the ground or floor beneath it, never to be embossed on any item which has a temporary existence, is meant to receive trash or is meant to be discarded (such as. napkins, paper plates and cups, ashtrays, etc., or worn as clothing).

Title 4 of the U.S. Code, Chapter 1, Section 6 states:

1. It is the universal custom to display the flag only from sunrise to sunset on buildings and on stationary flagstaffs in the open. However, when a patriotic effect is desired, the flag may be displayed twenty-four hours a day if properly illuminated during the hours of darkness.
   

While there is no declared standard of proper illumination, having direct illumination would seem to be an obvious objective of nighttime display. The following pictures showcase examples of failing or poor flag illumination. These photos were shot time-lapsed to insure sufficient exposure to capture a clear image. No other manipulation was used on any of them. The intent here is not to embarrass anyone, but to point out glaring shortcomings of the flag code objective- during hours of darkness, the U.S. Flag is to be properly illuminated. In most instances, the deficiency can be corrected with minimal effort.

A gallery of Clarksville’s darkened National Flags: [place pointer on image to reveal location.]