DES MOINES – Governor Kim Reynolds ordered all state flags in Iowa to be lowered to half-staff effective immediately until sunset on Monday, February 19, 2018, to honor the murdered and injured in Wednesday’s tragedy at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida. The governor’s order is issued in conjunction with President Donald Trump’s order to lower all United States flags to half-staff for the same length of time.
Flags will be at half-staff on the State Capitol Building and on flag displays in the Capitol Complex. Flags will also be half-staff on all public buildings, grounds and facilities throughout the state.
Individuals, businesses, schools, municipalities, counties and other government subdivisions are encouraged to fly the flag at half-staff for the same length of time as a sign of respect.
It is disgraceful to offer thoughts and prayers and admonitions to lower the flag to half-staff and, yet, to do nothing to understand and stop the carnage. Can we learn why other countries don’t have this same epidemic of violence that we do in the US? Are there things that we can try to reduce these gun attacks? Or do we continue to send thoughts and prayers and wait for the next attack, hoping it won’t be in our school, our mall, or our church.
Pistols, rifles, shotguns, yes. Military grade assault rifles, No. They belong on a battlefield. Which is what America’s streets have now become. It not mental illness that is causing this carnage it is the promotion of violence through are entertainment centers that then go directly into the brain. You are what you eat, so to speak.
And no. The Russians aren’t coming either to invade are country.
Those who dishonor our American flag are a disgrace to what it truly represents. It is at times like this I shed many tears and feel as one with my countrymen in mourning this horrific violence.