It goes without saying that the senseless killings in Colorado were just horrible, inexcusable and the person responsible should be put to death by firing squad, lethal injection, hanging or let a representative from each affected family fire a couple of rounds into this person.
But my reason for writing is not the horrible killings, but the fact that our nation's flag are at half mast. President Obama has ordered that all flags be flown at Half Mast until July 25.
It truly is a travesty that this has happened. I feel so sorry for the dead, the injured and the families of these poor people but we have lost countless brave soldiers defending our freedom but President Obama hasn’t lowered the flag for any of them. I question his timing and the fact that we have elections coming up.
David Smith
East Brainerd
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Maybe Mr. Smith should get over his hatred of the President. Two of the first six identified victims were in the military.
I guess we should salute the NRA instead, huh?
Mark Rudisill
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I have to say that while I do not hate the President, I, too, have to wonder why he is flying the colors at half mast.
I agree with Mr Smith that the shooting in Colorado is senseless and horrible. It is equally horrible that there are parents losing children everyday in this crazy war we are fighting. Again, there is no price on human life but if we are honoring the fallen with the half mast colors then every day we lose someone in our military, they should be flown the same way.
I can't imagine the pain these parents are feeling. Maybe this is the only way the President can think of that makes him look like he cares. I only wish he could care a little more for our guys/girls that are being shot at daily.
Tammie Clark
Ringgold
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Mr. Rudisill, I have no hatred for President Obama, but I too have questioned this. I honorably served this country for 20 years and care deeply for the loss of all the people of this horrendous crime. I however question that if this was not an election year and the fact Colorado was now being consider a swing state in this election if President Obama would have made the same choice.
Dee Layne
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Here's why:
Having lived in Colorado in the 1970s (Fort Carson), the state is home to multiple military bases. Not many people living there aren't present military, retired military or family members of active and retired military. There were military veterans and other military persons along with their families in that theater. No matter what President Obama does some people looking for an excuse to hate will find one. If he'd done nothing, they'd been all over him for that too. Ironically, no one attacked the then president when there was a request to fly the flag was flown at half mast for Bob Hope. Here's a little history lesson about flying the flag at half mast: Flying the flag at half mast is not just for military purpose only. It is symbolic of grief and sympathy and the practice dates back to 1612.
However, just in case some still want to find issue with the president's decision, here are just a few of the victims who died and their ties to the military:
Military veteran Jonathan T. Blunk of Aurora, Colo., threw himself over a friend to keep her from getting shot. .
Staff Sgt. Jesse Childress was an Air Force reservist assigned to units at Buckley Air Force Base in Colorado. He was 29.
John Larimer, age 27, U.S. Navy. Hometown, Crystal Lake, Illinois.
According to Department of Defense, two more airmen and another sailor were injured. Another sailor was still unaccounted for at last update.
Source: multiple.
Brenda Washington
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When the Virginia Tech Massacre occured in 2007, then President Bush ordered flags at half staff, which is exactly what he should have done and no one questioned him. So why are people questioning President Obama for doing the same thing in the same situation? The mass shooting in Colorado is the worst mass shooting in the history of this country.
Lowering the flag to honor the fallen is not just reserved for the military or political figures. It's completely disrespectful to the victims of the mass shooting in Colorado to use what happened as a way to crucify the President or to use it for any other political agenda. It's a tragedy, and should be recognized as such.
As for lowering the flag to honor a fallen U.S. servicemember, why are you expecting to leave that responsibility soley to the President? The governors of each state also have the authority to order flags at half staff for however long they wish. So if the flags aren't being lowered for our servicemembers, that's not soley the fault of the President. I'm not Obama's biggest fan, but I find it ridiculous and outrageous that people would use the incident in Colorado as yet another way to cast fault and blame on the President. Talk about being disrespectful to the injured and the dead... you can't get much more disrespectful.
Mariah Smith