# What just happened? Flags at half-mast all over **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 25, 2021, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-happened-flags-at-half-mast-all-over/933693 "2021-02-25T01:34:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-happened-flags-at-half-mast-all-over/933693/1 "2021-02-25T01:34:54Z")
This is the forum for breaking news, so I guess it’s also the forum to ask this. Did something BIG just happen today (or yesterday)? I just got home from a multi-stop shopping trip, passing through four (smallish) cities in two counties. There are flags at half-mast all over the place! I saw them at at least one fire station, one police station, one library, two city halls, two post offices, and a bunch of miscellaneous other places (including a car wash). Racing home to get on-line and see the news, I find . . . Nothing obvious. So what happened? Did some major catastrophe happen? Did someone BIG die? Are all these flags at half-mast for Rush Limbaugh? Or Lawrence Ferlinghetti? A mass shooting or massive industrial accident? ETA: Something local or regional (San Joaquin Valley area)? Anybody know anything? If you know something, say something! ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-happened-flags-at-half-mast-all-over/933693/2 "2021-02-25T01:36:36Z")
500,000 people died of COVID-19 in the US. That’s a milestone I never thought I would see, hence the lowered flags. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-happened-flags-at-half-mast-all-over/933693/3 "2021-02-25T01:37:38Z")
500k covid deaths. Since the disease has a IFR of around 0.5%, that implies about 100 million Americans have had it too. Which despite all the lockdowns and advice, is horrifying that 1/3 of the country still got covid. Luckily, the flu this year has been pretty much a non issue. I think flu rates are something like 99% below normal. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-happened-flags-at-half-mast-all-over/933693/4 "2021-02-25T01:37:51Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > 500,000 people died of COVID-19 in the US. That’s a milestone I never thought I would see, hence the lowered flags.   Okay, I got that. I thought that was a day or so ago. Did President Biden order flags at half-mast for that? I must have missed that detail. If so, I would have expected to see headlines about it. Maybe I missed that too? ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-happened-flags-at-half-mast-all-over/933693/5 "2021-02-25T01:38:53Z")
Yes, he did. Most states followed suit. > **[Biden to order flags to half staff to mark 500K virus deaths](https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/539899-biden-to-order-flags-to-half-staff-to-mark-500k-virus-deaths/)** > > President Biden on Monday will order flags on federal land be lowered to half-staff for the next five days to mark the United States surpassing 500,000 deaths from the coronavirus pandemi… ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-happened-flags-at-half-mast-all-over/933693/6 "2021-02-25T01:40:02Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > Yes, he did. Okay, got it! I somehow missed all that. I know I can count on the Dope for instant answers! ETA: I saw a lot of flags at half-mast on private properties too, so it’s gotten traction! ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 1:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-happened-flags-at-half-mast-all-over/933693/7 "2021-02-25T01:46:11Z")
> [@dolphinboy](#): > > Yes, he did. Most states followed suit. Is there any partisan pattern to which states are and aren’t following suit? For example, is there a pattern of deep-red governors of deep-red states NOT going along? ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-happened-flags-at-half-mast-all-over/933693/8 "2021-02-25T01:58:31Z")
> [@Senegoid](#): > > Are all these flags at half-mast for Rush Limbaugh? No joke, Gov. DeSantis of Florida has indicated that he intends to order flags in that state to be flown at half staff to honor Limbaugh. That will probably be on the day of the funeral, which has not been scheduled yet. There is no penalty for defying the order, and some local governments have announced that they do intend to defy it. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-happened-flags-at-half-mast-all-over/933693/9 "2021-02-25T02:06:18Z")
I should have said **some** states, not **most** states, and I don’t see any particular pattern here. Quoting CNN… Multiple governors across the United States have ordered flags being flown at half-staff to honor the 500,000 victims who have died from Covid-19. It follows US President Joe Biden’s speech at a candlelighting ceremony to [mark the milestone](https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/22/politics/biden-coronavirus-ceremony-monday/index.html). The governors of Alabama, Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Hawaii, Kentucky, Nebraska, Oregon and Washington are honoring the lives lost. > **[February 23, 2021 coronavirus news](https://www.cnn.com/world/live-news/coronavirus-pandemic-vaccine-updates-02-23-21/h_efe7fc4262adafb455e1f6dd97b77b60)** > > The coronavirus pandemic has brought countries to a standstill. Meanwhile, vaccinations have already started in some countries as cases continue to rise. Follow here for the latest. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-happened-flags-at-half-mast-all-over/933693/10 "2021-02-25T03:07:39Z")
Now here in FL we have a dilemma. I’d like to support Biden’s call to recognize 500K Americans killed; most completely unnecessarily so and caused by collective stupidity of people who’re supposed to know better. But with DeSantis ordering flags lowered to honor Traitor Limbaugh, I want no part of that. What’s a leader to do? ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2021, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-just-happened-flags-at-half-mast-all-over/933693/11 "2021-02-25T03:11:03Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > But with DeSantis ordering flags lowered to honor Traitor Limbaugh, I want no part of that. Get a big custom-designed flag made with a huge 500,000 on it, and some suitable background design, and fly that at half-staff.