Less than 48 hours after Nelson Mandela's death, a South Carolina sheriff is drawing national attention for refusing to lower his office's American flag to half-staff. Pickens County Sheriff Rick Clark says even though President Obama has ordered all flags flown at half-staff in honor of the former South African leader until Monday, his department isn't participating.Why?
In the statement he posted on Facebook, Clark said Mandela was not an American. He adds the appropriate place for the flag to be lowered is at our embassy in South Africa. CLARK: "This struck me, in my opinion, that having the flag at half-staff is for Americans who sacrifice for their country and who serve for their country. That's justa simple opinion, and that's what I thought."
While a president ordering flags be lowered for non-U.S. citizens is rare, it has been done in the past.
George W. Bush ordered flags be lowered for Pope John Paul II in 2005. The same was done for former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin and former Egyptian President Anwar Sadat in the 80s and 90s following their assassinations. Clark told The Greenville News that the practice of lowering the flag to half-staff would lose its value if it was done for Mandela, but a local NAACP member said she hopes the sheriff lowers it in honor of Mandela as a sign of respect. MSNBC points out the flags actually were lowered to half-staff at the sheriff's office — but for a different reason. Clark said it was lowered Friday to remember a deputy who died in the line of duty and Saturday in remembrance of Pearl Harbor Day. Even though President Obama ordered flags be lowered, Clark likely won't face any consequences for his decision, as there's no penalty for those who don't follow the order. The Congressional Research Service says the Flag Code, "functions simply as a guide to be voluntarily followed by civilians and civilian groups." (Via Congressional Research Service) Nelson Mandela died in South Africa on Thursday at the age of 95. He is expected to be laid to rest Dec. 15.



YOUR THOUGHTS??

I agree with the Sheriff

^^ Why so?? Is Mandela any different than other fallen heroes that its been done for??

The Sheriff has a point but why didn't we hear something like this when Pope John Paul died?

He is a racist.. He can "go and die". Idiat!

What do you want me to say?

I'm not surprise jor.

THERE MUST SURELY BE A JUDAS!

The sherrif is a racist....datz all!

The Nigerian flags on my street are flying at full mast.

She has a point and she followed it

Afam4eva: The Sheriff has a point but why didn't we hear something like this when Pope John Paul died?

Perhaps this is another media stunt by the sheriff who might actually need the attention

Enough with the sentiments.. the Sheriff is totally right, he has contributed nothing to the US. No doubt he is a hero, but to the south Africans, and maybe to some extent an icon to africans as a whole.
To the ameriacn, he's really irrelevant. No disreapect, but that just fact..

Obama don suffer, see comon sherif refusing central order

The oga at the top ordered everybody to fly the flag at half staff, but the racist says he won't cos isn't American and white.

He should go and die.

Doing d right thing wrongly.

I haven't eaten since thursday night after the death of Nelson Mandela, that's my way of paying respect to the African.

Mynd_44:
Perhaps this is another media stunt by the sheriff who might actually need the attention

^^ I tell U....there is always a BUTT in the BUNCH...!

chimajii:

^^ I tell U....there is always a BUTT in the BUNCH...!

But the sheriff is right to an extent sha

Mynd_44:
But the sheriff is right to an extent sha

^^ him for wait after ds time.....Y nah for mandela turn?

The sheriff messed up,Mandela's influence cut across the world,he's someone to be reckoned with,he was a Hero to South Africa,and Africa as a whole..

Omen100: I haven't eaten since thursday night after the death of Nelson Mandela, that's my way of paying respect to the African.

. You can lie ooooooooooooooooooooooo. How many days dry fasting and you still have the power to type,my guy God is watching you.

chimajii:

^^ him for wait after ds time.....Y nah for mandela turn?

Attention seeking na

Omen100: I haven't eaten since thursday night after the death of Nelson Mandela, that's my way of paying respect to the African.

Others dey write tributes and lower flags, you dey participate for the Hunger Games Olympics.

Anyway, all join.

Imagine such in a Nigerian scenario. . .

nevermind that idiat! I'm sure he's one old white publicity seeking fool going by way of disrespecting Obama.

yitzhak rabin, anwar saadat, pope juhn paul, but not nelson mandela? & these guys don't even measure up.

#myview

.

Filthy attention-seeking racist! Cos he black, ain't it?

He did his mind n I appreciate him for dat, most ppl will act fake saying der r acknowledging madiba, bunch of liers

Afam4eva: The Sheriff has a point but why didn't we hear something like this when Pope John Paul died?

I'm not sure if the sheriff participated in that of pope John Paul, nor has done this for a non American but if he has, I'll have nothing to say other than to blame it on skin color.

He his right, it's not like he his the only one who won't do that.

Capt. JH Miller:
Enough with the sentiments.. the Sheriff is totally right, he has contributed nothing to the US. No doubt he is a hero, but to the south Africans, and maybe to some extent an icon to africans as a whole.
To the ameriacn, he's really irrelevant. No disreapect, but that just fact..

Sori...double post

Capt. JH Miller:
Enough with the sentiments.. the Sheriff is totally right, he has contributed nothing to the US. No doubt he is a hero, but to the south Africans, and maybe to some extent an icon to africans as a whole.
To the ameriacn, he's really irrelevant. No disreapect, but that just fact..

Don't say what you don't know. How can you say mandela is irrelevant to America? If that were true, then why did he receive so many awards and honors in America. He was even honored by then president Bill Clinton. He visited the site of the terrorist attack and offered words of comfort to the people. He raised money for several charitable organizations in America and you are calling him irrelevant.

The sheriff is just a big fool. Even if his decision is correct, there is no harm in doing it out of respect for the president's order or for the 95-year-old Mandiba

^
Americans ate very patriotic people, that take this kind of things very seriously, u can't compare a u US military personale with that of any other country in this world when it comes to respect and honor. So u can imagine when they ate asked to fly half mast for someone in far away south africa.

Millions of people visit ground zero yearly, hundreds of people raise money for charity.. this are things u can even do, there are lots of people who reach out to the ameriacn people well more than he did but didn't get half mast.
I bet u ask 50 average Americans on the street who he is and 48 of them can only tell he is a south african, I am sure not up to ten will know he is a former president.
So brother, he is irrelevant to them. It's just fact...