Honor and Sacrifice

If lowering flags to half-staff to honor Virginia Tech deaths was appropriate. it is much more appropriate to render the same honors to recognize service member deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Let’s lower all flags to half-staff until deaths in Iraq and Afghanistan stop.
Larry Harris

And last, we would like to ask that you request all of our American Flags to be flown at half-mast until our soldiers come home. This will show the families that have lost a loved one during this war and the soldier who gave his life the respect they deserve from the American people and the leaders of our country.
Sincerely,
Your Fellow Americans

I’ve wondered too, why doesn’t the country feel some empathy for the solders who are wounded or killed. I’m sorry about the students at Virginia Tech, but much sorrier for the soldiers wounded and killed in Iraq & Afghansistan.

I always fly my flag and put it at half mast when requested. Our govenor (Nebraska) and mayor (Omaha) request half mast every time a service man or woman is killed. Every state should do this or all flags should be flown at half mast until the war is over and our people come home.

Thank you so much for the above story.
As a wife of a soldier currently serving in Baghdad, I was so angry last week at the attention those who died at Virginia Tech were getting, while the plight of our soldiers is virtually ignored by those not directly affected by the war.
I thought there was something wrong with me for feeling that way. Glad to see I wasn’t out there with my feelings. And glad to see a media outlet pick up on how those who die in this war are often just passed over and quickly forgotten, instead of receiving the attention their deaths deserve.

It is true that only those serving in the Middle East and their families and friends suffer. Most of us go about our lives — going to work, going out for dinner, running errands — what are we really giving up? Nothing.
Those serving are giving up their lives. Even if they do not pay the ultimate sacrifice, their time away from home is beyond difficult, if not impossible.
We all need to take a closer look at what is being given up by these brave people and those that love them. Unfortunately we will never be able to fully repay them.
Tracy M. Graley
Columbia, SC

They should lower all American flags to half-mast the last day of every month in honor of all the men and women who have lost their lives in Iraq and Afganistan that month.

As far as I’m concerned the nation’s flag should continue to fly half staff until this war is over and the troops are home!

President Bush has decreed that no photographers or other media is permitted in areas where the caskets containing the bodies of US troops killed in Iraq are returning to U.S. soil. Out of sight out of mind. This works for Bush. It was impossible to hide the level of carnage at VT. Show us our dead. It may make a difference.

I appreciate you honoring the students murdered at Virginia Tech and our soldiers murdered in Iraq and Afganistan. They aren’t killed, but murdered. Many Americans are unfortunately killed every day. You don’t seem to cover all the American Peace Officers (police) murdered across our country unless there is a manhunt or multiple casualty. Even just one peace officer murdered in a ‘civilized’ society is news also. Thank You!

i watched you story today about lowering the flag everytime a service member gets killed. well here is what i think , you could not do that because we lose people each and everyday. the flag would just stay down. i am a army wife and i think enough is enough.

As sad as the VT Shootings were, our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan are enduring hardships and encountering life and death situations every day. The troops who have lost their lives should be honored and not forgotten because they made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and what they believed in.
It has become politically correct to not support the troops and that is just wrong!

Greatly appreciate George Stephanoupulos’ In Memorium on Sundays listing the names of fallen soldiers—just need to slow it down a bit so that viewers have an opportunity to at least read their names, learn where they were from, etc. Why not expand it and let people see their faces and learn a bit more about them?

As a former Virginia Tech faculty member I was profoundly saddened by the massacre there last week. VT is a school with a strong military orientation and flying flags at half staff to honor the dead seemed very appropriate to me. But failing to similarly acknowledge every soldier and civilian dying daily in Iraq raises a good point. Perhaps we should fly the US flag at half-staff for the duration of this stupid war, as a constant reminder of a flawed and failed foreign policy and a pig-headed administration that refuses to admit a serious mistake that is daily causing American soldiers and Iraqi civilians to just as needlessly die as did the VT students.

As I recall, it was in an interview a few months back, with Charlie Gibson, that President Bush stated (in response to a question about multiple deployements being an excessive burden) that people need to understand that the military is different today, in that the soldiers are not drafted, but are volunteers.
I think that comment fits in well with my impression of President Bush, that the military is simply a tool for him to use, at his will.
If anyone has tried to score political points with the public in their use of the military, it is President Bush.

Our congregation has recently hung a banner from
the front of our historic church that reads,
“Support Our Troops – Bring Them Home!” We are
looking forward to changing the banner to
“Welcome Home Troops!”
Having just viewed you spot on “Honor and Sacrafice,” especially the section on flying the flag at halfmast, I feel that this nation
should fly all flags at halfmast until all of our
troops are home.
Rev. John Pastor
Minister
First Congregational Parish Unitarian
Petersham,MA

Thanks so much to ABC News for this story.
As the wife of a soldier currently serving in Baghdad. I was so angry last week about the attention give to the Virginia Tech tragedy, while soldiers deaths are never given the attention they deserve. Glad to know I wasn’t the only one feeling that way.

I am the daughter of a vet who after 12 years retired volunteered to come back in and serve his country once more. I served 5 years in the army myself, and i am married to a solider who has served for more than 13 years. I have supported my husband through 2 tours of Iraq and 1 tour in Korea. Between 2002 and 2006, my husband was away for more than 3 of those 4 years. I have sacrificed a lot for him, because i love him not because i believe in the President or his policies. I got out of the military because i knew that Bush was going to do something that would hurt the soldiers and their families. I will never regret my choice to leave the army. I am constantly worried that my father or my husband will have to serve another tour in a war torn country. All i want is for this madness to end so that my friends and family can be whole again and not be scared of the next deployment.

As a military Mom – I believe the flag should be flown at half mast while we are at war. Our brave soldiers are dying everyday. Our hearts go out to the children at VT but our hearts also go out to the children in our military.

We should honor the vets in Afghanistan. But, we don’t belong in Iraq; we never did. We didn’t go there to fight terrorists. Rather, we went to steal the oil production from French companies and give it to Cheney’s buddies. We were stooges in Vietnam but were drafted into that war. It’s hard to feel sorry for young men who willingly go off to war but don’t study our recent history.

WE should be lowering our flags at all times till our MEN & WOMEN come HOME!!! I have felt that for a long time. If we all see the flags lowered it will remind us that many are dying everyday!! Thanks for asking for our thoughts. GOD BLESS AMERICA!

If lowering the flag is reserved for the death of an elected official, then why is it lowered for the Virginia Tech deaths. Although tragic, death occurs every day in this useless war we are in. EVERY DAY, and only if they are local service men do we even hear their names. I don’t think that anyone expects the flag lowered for EVERY service man or woman, in that case it would have to just remain at haft mast, but I do think it should be reserved for honoring our service people. I think this country is becoming a real sad state of affairs.

I live in Michigan. Govenor Jennifer Granholm has the flag flown at halfmast for every Michigan soldier killed. So at least in Michigan we honor our service men.

Perhaps, as a nation, we would do more to honor the dead and injured heroes and heroines from our armed services if those who started and continue to prosecute this war would allow the people – whom they are supposed to serve – the freedom to see, and to mourn the flag drapped caskets as they arrive.
I believe the gag rule imposed by Bush and his minions on news coverage of the coffins and bodies arriving at Andrews and other airbases has done as much to dissuade public expression of grief and honor toward our fallen heroes as anything.
While I regret the loss of lives at Virginia Tech – I regret more the America I remember – one that took pride in all it’s young people – both at university and in the armed services.
You are right in observing that it seems only the service people and their families are asked to sacrifice – yet I believe many US citizens would gladly sacrifice for the service people if it would mean they could come home more quickly and safely – apparently that doesn’t fit with the administration’s plan.
Finally, I find it shameful that the current occupant of the white house would use the VT tragedy for political purposes. Lowering the flags to half staff for university students cheapens the gesture – why now? Was it done when the Amish children were killed?
It is simply another case of poor judgement on the part of Bush.
Respectfully,
TJ Springer

My husband served more than twenty years in the military, and I recall having to hear people shout “babykillers,” during the Vietnam War at one of the bases where my husband served. My guess is that the country does not want to know that our soldiers must go to war and fight for all the freedoms that all Americans demand to have. Why can’t we get our priorities straight? Are students who have no intention of serving their country more important than those who do?

on the news tonight (april 25, 2007)it was said americans do not care, or maybe it was, do not support the troops. what a cruel statement. I hope they do not believe that. I am horrified every time I hear of one killed or maimed. I don’t know what to do. Does anyone. Americans want to dance around everything. How are we suppose to win this war? I don’t know. We do not want to kill innocent people, women or children. We are so limited in the way we fight wars. I am not saying this is wrong. I do not know. I do know that since September 11, 2001, when they decided that fighting in their own country was not enough and wanted to bring it over to our country, how are we suppose to know what to do.
Do I want our soldiers over there getting killed. NO! Do I want our country protected? Yes. So what do we do. I have not heard an answer yet.

Sad Commentary:
I am devestated that we even have to debate whose death means more – a student? or a soldier? The loss of a innocent life snuffed out before it is well lived shows us the impact of hatred in our society whether a soldier or a student. As Americans we may not have individual means of solving the ills present in our society but, we do have the collective ability to support those who morn whether a student or soldier!

As the wife of a disabled Viet Nam veteran I too took note of the flags flying at half mast for the VT students. I do mourn their deaths, but let us not forget our servicemen that die everyday. Most times their names are only known to their families..Let us recognize their ultimate sacrifice. Fly the flags for our servicemen..

I FEEL YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT APPLES AND ORANGES. I PRAY FOR OUR TROOPS EVERYDAY!! BUT THIS IS THERE JOB. THEY SIGNED UP FOR IT.
THE MASSACRE AT VT WAS ABOUT INNOCENT PEOPLE, DYING, AT THE HANDS OF A SEVERLY MENTALLY DISTURBED PERSON. AGAIN APPLES AND ORANGES.

I am astounded that flying the flag at half mast for our dead soldiers has been called a political statment against the administration. Of course, I want to support the troops to “Be all that they can be!” Alive.

I think that we are in the situation where the flags should be lowered all the time in the country. Our best men, our heros die every day in Iraq and Afganistan, they deserve our respect the most. I am sorry for VT students and their families, but I don’t think that their deaths are more or less important from the deaths of the soldiers.

It is almost 6:00 P.M. here in sleeply hollow Wisconsin and I have just listened to Charles Gibson discussing the half-mast issue. My flag was raised to half-mast years ago and will remain there until our troops are out of
” someone elses war “. To call this tradgey a war is incorrect…in a war you know who the enemy is , he’s in uniform and so are you.This is a waste of good Americans who , I beleive,were lead astray and feel obligated to stand in harms way because they were told this was the right thing to do. We now know better.
I don’t need my ” governor ” or ” president” to tell me when I should honor anyone.
Sal. Curcurio
American

We agree with you. The soldiers deserve more honoring.

For the past week, I’ve been bothered that we spend so much time peering into the Virginia Tech killings. While I’m sure the students who were shot were good people, and that those who knew them loved them very much, the coverage is, at the least, excessive. I wonder why those who died when the World Trade Center was attacked rate such attention, and their families receive government payments, while those who died in Oklahoma City do not. I wonder why the soldiers and civilians who die in Iraq every day seem to be valued less by the nation. Life and death are not fair, of course, but twenty-four hour attention to memorials and interviews with friends of the murdered are just ghoulish. Such selective coverage of the tragedies of others have forced me to turn away from television coverage of the latest disasters.

The real heroes are the young men and women who choose to serve their country in the military knowing, very well, they might have to pay the ultimate sacrifice. The young men and women who died at the hands of the gunman in Virginia just happened to be in a mad man’s line of fire. I don’t consider them heroes.

I think all flags should be lowered to half staff and left that way until all our boys are home. Since there are boys killed everyday in Iraq and Afganistan I think the flags should be lowered in respect for them.

As I listened to the news report about how our country was honoring the victims of the Virgina Tech. shooting, I am deeply saddened. I realize it is a tragedy that never should have happened, but as the daughter and daughter in law of a career army soldier I am more grieved by how easily we have forgotten our soldiers serving in irag and in other areas in harms way.We lose brave men and women weekly,and how often has our presidentgone to speak to their families. How often has our flag that their lives protect been lowered in respect to their memory.What these men and women do for our safety often goes unnoticed .But, everyday their families live on the edge and pray for their safe return. Yes virginia tech was a tradgedy, but so is the disrespect we have for our soldiers.

At the end of “This Week” with George Stepahnopolis, a list(as released by the military) is posted of the names of the soldiers killed, their ages and their home towns.
I think every newscast should end with a similar list. the American public thought we had spoken at the ballot box, last November, but this President is deaf.
If every newscast ended with such a list, perhaps enough outrage could be generated to reach even into the white House.

Flying the American flag at half staff in honor of soldiers whose lives are lost is a small token of acknowledgement we can make. It will also serve as a daily reminder to all of us of the tragic loss that so many families are facing. It seems that we are not supporting our troops with appropriate health care, their families suffer financial stress, and the soldiers are having their tour of duty extended. We are a nation in mourning and the flag needs to be at half staff.

I am a former Marine and veteran of the first Gulf War. I saw this evening’s report on flying the flag at half staff in reaction to the VT massacre vs not doing the same for fallen troops overseas.
Although I respect the view presented, there is a major difference between service members making the ultimate sacrifice as VOLUNTEERS and college students being slaughtered in their classrooms.
In the military you understand the risk. The students and faculty at VT were completely unware of any danger on the morning of their deaths.
Yes, America must show greater respect in honoring its fallen military heroes. However, VT’s innocent victims are unexpected casualties worthy of lowering the flag in their honor.

Instead of waisting time in the debate about who the flag should be lowered for; we need to thank are solder’s and our veterens that we don’t have to live with these acts every single day as for the citizan’s in Iraq and other countries do. It’s sad that these things happen, but they are going to happen agian. We Americans take things for granet and have the “Well it’s not going to happen to me” attitude. It’s an honor to have the flag lowered when someone passes. For many of the solder’s who to pass in Iraq their home town does honor them by lowering the flag.

why do you even do stories like this? just to get under peoples skin? there is no comparison to these issues. we are at war in a country thousands of miles away of course people are going to die there. it a sad and discusting fact, but we know it is going to happen. and of course we as americans are saddened each time we here of the death and distruction in any war torn country. but when innocent students are attacked in our own homeland it rips your heart right out, as they have been so many times over the past years. there is just no comparison. soldiers and there families know the risk when they are sent into those hostile situations. you don’t think that sending your child to college is going to end in there being gunned down while setting in there classroom. not in america, anyway. yes the flags should have been flown at half staff because a nation was in mourning due to this senseless act of violance. and yes, calling for a momment of silance, was appropriate too. and it was a small gesture of kindness shown by our president to go there and express his and the country’s sorrow. there that’s my two cents worth. Thank God for freedom of press. evelyn in mcminnville

The reason why we don’t honor our dead american soldiers is because the bush administration has out-smarted themselves. Our dead soldiers come back from Iraq and the bush adminstration censors the flights and don’t allow pictures of the coffins.

My 21 year old son serves in the Navy and just returned from duty in Iraq several months ago. He has already been told that he is returning to Iraq in December 2007. Even though I support the troops and my heart goes out to each and every family that loses a loved one I am so sick and tired of President Bush and his tatics. We should be bringing these young people home. They have done their duty. I think it would be a whole different ball game if the Government’s children had to go over to Iraq. I support my son and what he has to do, but I no longer support this on going war. It breaks my heart everytime I see on the news how we lost another troop. Our children that are over in Iraq and their families are the only ones that are making the sacrifice. How easily in our everyday lives we forget the young lives that are being lost everyday.

I feel that we all as Americans should remember the fallen students at VT. I was deeply touched by the picture montage you ran at the end of the show last week, but you report the lose of American soldiers almost every night. I think that ABC, NBC and CBS and any other news program should have a picture montage for the fallen soldiers every time you report them being killed.
The American people need to be reminded in a somber and patriotic way, of the people that sacrificed thier lives for our freedom and liberty. I personally would rather have you sacrifice a little political news for the remberance of our heros.

My wife reminded me that we always honor veterans on Memorial Day by lowering the flag to half staff until noon. This somehow wasn’t mentioned on tonight’s broadcast. Although this is a one time occurance yearly, it is done to honor all service men and women who have lost their lives in the defense of our country. In the small town that I grew up in, Memorial Day was, and still is, a day to revere the servicemen with the school band rendering the National Anthem, the reading of Logan’s Orders, and the lowering of all flags in town. The American Legion offered the rifle salute and the emphasis was the rememerance of the sacrifices rather than the parties and barbeques.
Greg Roosevelt
Swisher, Iowa

Some commented in your story that we should lower the flag for all American soldiers that have died in recent combat, like President Bush had done for the VT students (civillians shot while being free to study).What is not realized is that we (as a nation) honor the soldiers by taking “Old Glory” OFF of the flagpole and COVER OUR HEROS with the greatest symbol in the world, and we HONOR them and their sacrifice. Then when that American flag is taken off the casket, we (the nation) pass that honored flag on to the loved ones of our hero, so that they may know their nation can still be FREE (to study), due to their American soldier that was trained (and volunteered) to do a job.

As a teacher,I understand completely why our nation needed to lower our flag in response to the Virginia Tech massacre. As a proud American, I do not understand why our American flag is not at half mast for our American heroes.I would like to suggest that the American flag which flies on our nation’s Capitol Building be flown at half mast until the war in Iraq has come to an end.

How vulgar and manipulative of ABC to even comment on a correlation between our brave soldiers dying in an effort to bring a better way of life for others, (it’s called freedom, ABC!)and students murdered by a madman with demons who never laid down his life for anyone. The attention or lack thereof is largely in the hands of the media, and that would include you, Charlie Gibson. I don’t know who your “reporting” hurt more . . . families of soldiers in Iraq or those of students at VA Tech. Just keep selling that advertising time, Charlie.

After hearing the news tonight on ABC about the soldier’s who have lost their lives in the Iraq war and how their families and loved one’s are the only one’s suffering their lost. I agree with the people who write in about the VT terror and the flags flying half mass and not flying the flag half mass when one of our sholders are killed in Iraq. I know the VT killing was a massive unnessary brutal killing, but this is happening to our sholders everyday and no one is lowering the flags in America for their deaths. My husband a retired Soldier of the VN war fought for our country for a lost cause. His life was in danger each day and he came home to a non hero’s welcome. Do we want the same thing to happen all over again with the Iracq war? Our Soldiers and families deserve more reconigtion than they are getting.
Thanks for allowing us the American people to express our feelings about this and other news.
Hazel wife of a former Vietnam soldier

I have read the letter from the Sgt regarding the lowering of the flag for the Virginia Tech students. I have to agree with him. My husband and son have both been to Iraq to serve their country, and will be leaving again soon to serve their counrty in Iraq once again. What the men and woman over there do, is nothing less then heroic. I have always wondered why the flag is not flown at half staff when a sevice member dies while fighting in Iraq or Afghanistan. I was very upset to learn that the president allowed the flag to be flown at half staff for a week (some are still at half staff)for the VT students, when you have men and woman dying for their country so that people can go to the school of their choice and they are not given the same honor!! I think flying the American flag at half staff is a small way that we as Americans can show our respect for our fallen heros!

To the person/persons, that questioned the Honoring of the Students at VT and not our soldiers, apparently does not listen to the evening news. In Michigan, Governor Granholm, request that are Flags be flown at half staff all the time to honor our fallen soldiers. The announce the Names and towns they are from and have the flags lowered to half staff to honor our heroes. as far as to who should be honored does it really matter? They all were doing what they were suppose to be doing. It was a tragedy what happened at VT. and it was nice that we remembered them. But that doesn’t mean we think any less of our soldiers. Why aren’t we honoring the police and firefighters that are fallen they were protecting us too. shouldn’t we lower the flags for them also? what the hell why don’t we just leave the Flags at half staff all the time, so we won’t offend anyone. move on and find somthing else to complain about.

World News Tonight highlighted the issue of the lack of honor bestowed on those who give their all, their life in service to their country. Media outlets from all quarters overplayed the Virginia Tech shooting rampage (and the shooter more so than the victims) while daily service men and women die in Iraq and Afghanistan. While the public craves information about the Virginia Tech shooting rampage, the public has no control about the extent and time given to the coverage. Every day, 80 people are murdered in America. Where is the coverage? the lowered flags in our local cities for these fallen? The media has the responsibility in trust to balance the news coverage in proper perspective.

The honorable Governor Jenifer Granholm of the Great State of Michigan had issued an edict some time ago that ALL fallen combatants from our state be honored by flying the American flag at half staff

the news coverage of VT massacre was in our face 24/7. Civilians don’t know what is really going on in Iraq. Coverage of the war seems to fall behind the big news of the day, Brittney shaving her head, Lindsay Lohen going into rehab, etc. During the Vietnam war, I remember coming home from school, and seeing helicopters transporting wounded soldiers, flag drapped caskets, wounded civilians on the evening news. The war was in your face, people knew what was going on, the horror of it. This horror caused rage which caused protests, which forced Johnson to end the war. We need that kind of reporting today. Not the heavily censored reports the goverment permits.Wake up America, your young people are being slaughtered and you are being kept in the dark.

I agree completely that our service men are not honored properly when they give the ultimate sacrifice for our country. And I sympathize with the families of the people killed and injured at Virginia Tech.
However, the responsibility for the lack of honoring the fallen soldiers lies directly with the White House and its policy to prevent images of the return of our injured and killed veterans to be seen by Americans. The media was providing images of the returned dead for burial and how it affected the families. However, this was bad publicity for the WAR. So the Pentagon and the White House directed the images not to be released to the media.
The only time I ever see anything about the death of a veteran is in a number killed in an attack or if it is a local person, and on Sunday morning on thisweek with George Stephanopoulos.
If you want changes to be made about the treatment of our fallen heroes you need to write a letter to the White House and the Joint Chiefs of Staff in the Pentagon. If enough people send them letters maybe they will change the policy.

I thought of all of them everyday. No less no more.Life is hard. Life is good. This is the day the Lord has made , Let us rejoice and be glad in it.

I would like to see a weekly tribute to the soldiers who have fallen in the previous week. At the very end of the broadcast perhaps a few seconds could be devoted to each soldier with a picture, name, hometown and other pertinent information. This would be a public thank you for their service and sacrifice.

I have two (2) parents buried in Arlington National Cemetery and two brothers have servered in Afganastan and Iraq, as well as one sister in law that has been there twice.
I honor all of them, for duty, honor, county every Memorial day and Verterns day by flying my American Flag. I also honor and pray for every fallen American from conflicts in which they serve. That is when we fly our flags at 1/2 mast and stop and honor all who have served..
The kids at VT were inocent victims of a tradegy, we all pray for them and I, for one, understand the nation honoring them in a time of tradgic grief. It is fine with me to fly the flag as a country at 1/2 mast for them now.
There are days for honoring the dead in both types of events. Focus Veterans honor to Memorial Day Fly your Flag for them as a American. Quit spliting the country with trying to make this a conflict in honoring fallen Americans. We have time for both.

Every young man that dies defending our country deserves flags at half- mast. Maybe they should be kept at half -mast until all our young men return from the Mid-East. They deserve as much respect as the young men/women killed in an unfortunate occurance in this country.

The flag is flown at half mast each memorial day
for those who give their lives and service in
defending our country. We owe much to these
dedicated men and women, and never can repay
them for their dedication and ultimate service.
Memorial day is their special day. VA tech does
not have a National Day, so there is no comparison
to the amount of respect and remembrance of these
paries. Much like New Orleans/Louisiana receiving
billions of tax payers dollars and putting it in
their treasury and complaining that Mississippi
received more than they did, so therefore something was amiss?? In addition, they stew
in their misery and condemn other cities. Where
is the rationale of our society? Are any of our
selfish citizens satisfied?

Interesting comments reported on ABC news with Charles Gibson surrounding the placement of our flag at half staff as a result of the tragedy at Virginia Tech, yet not when United States military personnel die in combat while defending our country. When this country is involved in a conflict or a war and U.S. personnel die as a result – it is time to acknowledge this fact more so that has occurred in the past. Possibly, reflecting during a two day, (forty-eight hour period)at the end of each month at which time all flags nationwide would be lowered to half staff throughout the total period of the conflict or war

I think that a American flag placed in a place of national prominance could be set up. This flag could be lowered everytime an American soldier is killed in combat. This flag could be dedicated only to honor those that have sacrificed their lives for this country in this war. The names of the fallen soldiers could be listed in some way for all to see. They make such a huge sacrifice for us that we must honor them and show our respect for this sacrifice.

I think every day about the young American men and women who are dying in Iraq and Afghanistan. Our small quilting club of six senior citizens is making five Quilts of Valor for our wounded. It isn’t much to repay them for what they have suffered – but it is something. Don’t fool yourselves that Americans don’t know or care – we do. Bobbie Spann, Dallas, GA

It has been my way of honoring our men and women by not only hanging the flag, but to not take it down at dusk. I feel that our soldiers do not have the option to lay down their weapons, go home and begin again at mornings light. Their job is 24/7 and my flag will hang 24/7 till they come home. I would also not have a problem with our government doing the same, and if they choose to hang them all at half staff till this is over I say go for it! Let them know we’re with them night and day everyday!

The Flag is flown for our heroes each Memdoral
Day.
The students of VA tech do not have a special day
each year.
There is no comparison as to flying of the flag.
It is kinda like Louisiana receiving billions of
dollars from the treasury, more than they can
adequately spend and complaining that Mississippi
received more billions than they did??
We recognize our military heroes! We recognize
our civilian heroes! Horray for both. One
recognizition is not at the expense of the other.

The President has gone way to far with this flag lowering. Only people in the service or past Presidents etc. But mass murder of inocent people is something that does not demand such action. Yes the world feels so very badly about what happened but to lower the flag that is going way to far.
I think that the flag should remain lowered until the war is over because all the dealths in a war we should never have started but that will not happen because the President feels they are supposed to be there dying for nothing and he is the murderer.
This lowering of the flag for just any reason has got to stop. Because it makes it like that anything happens for any reason that he feels it deamed in his mind it is like he owes the flag and he can do what he feels like doing but all of us own that flag.
Thank You,
Mrs. Carol R Hill

A lot of people are upset because our patriotic troops do not get the honors they deserve. And the senselessness of the Virginia Tech murders only make some of us feel the senselessness of this war. It is an open maw into which we feed America’s finest, without proper equipment, training, honor or support. We should not be in the midst of a civil war. Parenthetically, showing Bush dancing with African representatives just 5 minutes after you aired the troop segment only proves what the vets are saying. Only they are making sacrifices…no one else.

My son is currently in Bagdad for the third time. I had similar thoughts on the day the flags were lowered for the Virginia Tech students. While my heart goes out for those students and their families, I feel our soliders need to be honored as well. Out of the thousands who have died, only a few have been mentioned on the national news. I don’t see why once the families have been notified that the names could not at least be read on the national news each night in honor of their sacrifice. At the beginning of the war you had a wall of honor and their pictures could be sent in, but you still did not give the names of all of them. Also the idea that the flag should only be lower in honor of elected officials is crazy since most of them do litte for us in comparison to what our military does and since the exception has already been made then why can’t it be lowered for fallen soldiers.

On ABC News tonight the comment was made that we do not honor our fallen soldiers by displaying our flag at half-staff as was done for the fallen students and faculty at Virginia Tech. In the State of Michigan, each one of our fallen sons and daughters are honored by lowering our flags at the direction of Govenor Jennifer Granholm. These young men and women are serving our country, and we are pround of our Michiganders.

Once I saw the news about the shooting/killing of these kids, my felt a deep sorrow for the families and friends. I knew they’ll be facing a similar pain and sorrow to those of us and our family members are experiencing every time we get deployed. I felt ashame to think that maybe now the nation will get a closer idea to what our soldiers,marines,airmen and sailors and their families have to face in the daily bases. If these kids, knew that they will be about to risk their lives that particular day, I am sure they would have stayed home and let our brave police officers deal with this threat. How about those of us, including our emergencies services members, and armed forces still choose to go knowing that we will die no doubt about it but we rather be us than one of these kids or anyone else by that matter. Soldiers love peace and hate war. I believe is not a matter of being a soldier or student who are losing their lives, is a matter of loyalty and understanding that our service members are out there dying not for the president but for us here. We were order to go, we went, and did our job, we knew the president was wrong,at least most of us, but we knew that if we refuse to follow orders, the very identity of our country will be in jepordy. I was a medic in Iraq, left my beloved pregnant wife,a lovely home,a great dog,friends and peaceful little town which I loved so. Every day in Iraq I knew how limited were my options to save my fellow soldiers,they knew it too, still we did our job with an intense feeling and recognition of our own mortality and how cheap our existance was. I was lucky I guess, I got home to an empty house,my wife lost our baby,and I realized I had PTSD which unable me to work so I became homeless.
I still after all that want to get healthy enough to return to Iraq and helps those guys that are following orders and fighting for their lives. God how I wish I could be there for them for is sickning the way most people go about their business without reaching out and doing a daily act to support our boys. Is this what america is all about? a better your kid than mine opinion??
This is a great country endeed. These kids death is sorrowful but is not fair to wipe under the rug our soldier’s sacrifices.
Unity is what builds a country, where is our support??

Because we do not see coffins coming back to the United States or the grieving families that suffer the loss, the death of a soldier has become only a statistic recited nightly on the news. We rarely see faces or hear names. For a brief instant one may feel the sadness and then – business as ususal. I have a newphew, a West Point graduate and Captain in the Army who survived two tours in Iraq. It was torture to witness his parent’s worry and his wife and young son’s bravery waiting for his return. I have a son who decided to become a Marine after graduating from Brown University. He is currently training as a second LT in Quantico. Every word of a worsening war or death count cuts like a knife through my family – it has been that way since the war began and will continue. I have met many a person who reacts to my son’s decision with words like “Why on earth did he do that?” or “I would never let my child enlist.” This has become a war for only the soldiers and their families. The rest of the country claims it is frustrated and angry but only the few who chose to serve will pay the price.

Okay, Charlie, you asked for comments on this evening’s news. I’ve been wondering since last week Tuesday about how much do we here understand or more importantly empathize that something so similar is happening every day to innocent Iraqi citizens? While we as an entire nation mourned what happened at Va Tech, do the Iraqis mourn any less at the loss of their children and family members from the actions of suicide bombers? They would spend every day doing what we have for a week–grieving the loss of innocent lives. My daughter, a CPT in the US Army, spent a year in Baghdad–and experienced first hand some of what Martha Raddatz wrote about in her book, she knew many of those involved in the actions described. She is currently stationed in Afghanistan (Kabul). We talked on the phone midweek–after the Va Tech massacre and I expressed the above to her (how the Iraqi people suffer similar tragedy every day) and how can we possibly consider abandoning them (the Iraqi people) as one of our branches of government seems so determined to do? It baffles me that we obsess on the one hand about what happened at Va Tech (I am a college professor so believe me, it hit me “where I live”) and yet we would bail on the Iraqi people (and perhaps the Afghanis) who experience this tragedy every day. How do we differentiate the loss of life in Iraq (our military, innocent Iraqi citizens) at the hand of suicide bombers from what happened at Va Tech? I can’t see that there is a substantive difference. We should be grieving all the same.

If my 19 year old freshman son had been gunned down while in class or in his dormatory last monday morning I would have been shocked, outraged and probably have never recovered. However if that same 19 year son had chosen to go into the military and fight and defend his country I would have to believe that I would be shocked, saddened and proud to be the mother of a United States soldier. We do not have a draft in this country. These young men choose to join the military. They know the risks and while that does not justify their loss to their families or to this nation, I feel that the two cannot really be compared. May all the mothers of sons and daughters lost too soon be blessed.

I believe the flag should be lowered to half mast on a local basis. If the flag were lowered nationally for every military casuality, it would remain at half staff, forever, losing it’s significance.

Soldiers death is not a issue because Bush does not want it to be. He will not allow the caskets coming home to be shown AND Bush is first president in our history to not a attend a Memorial for the death of a soldier he sent to War. That is a disgrace and makes a old soldier who carried a rifle in the Korean War mad.

It’s a sad thing to see student die here at home
and to get the american flag lowerd.when you have
us soldiers dieing everyday for are country and freedome.that can not even be reconized for there efforts and sacrafices loss of time with family thing that they loose every day they are gone that can not be replaced or given back to them.
jobs that they are looseing when they come home
and the discrimination loss of raises that are not given to them because they were not here physicaley to recive it because they were of to war fighting for ther life and country.what is happing to this country? FREEDOM IS NOT FREE
because the soldier has to fight for life and every thing when they return home we are not being taken care of like we should be.

It was a horrible thing that happened to the students at VT. The proper thing to do to honor those who lost their lives and wounded would have been to lower the State flag to half mast not the US flag. That honor should be reserved for dignitaries of our country. I believe that lowering the flag for every tragedy cheapens the effect for what it is meant to stand for.

Tonight 4/25 is the first time in years that I have respected what news I heard that were positive. The media does have responsibilty to bring news but also the responsibilty to give news throughout this world that our Country supports our troups and should honor our military for what they are sacrifing each day to give them the freedom to pubish the trash the media has done the last 4 years. I have been very dissapointed and ashamed of all our media. You have the power to bring positive news and thoughts to all each day but instead you have been another magizine you pick up at the grocery store for $2.00 . How smart you are in your intelligent reports.

This is ridiculous. I have been flying my flag since 9/11. I do this in remembrance those who lost their lives during the events of 9/11 and to show my support for all those who serve and served in the military.
Having the flag lower to half staff after a tragedy like the one at Virginia Tech should not be seen as a political move but for what it was – a sign of remembrance and honoring those student and teachers who’s lives were lost through a tragedy event. I often don’t agree with our president; however, I do believe he was right to fly our flags at half staff. We should all fly our flags to show unity and support for all the men and women who are serve in the armed forces. and let us not forget the sacrifices that they make for all of us. They too are our sons’ and daughters’ just like the students at Virginia Tech.

Here in NM Gov. Richardson orders all flags flown at half-mast for the death in the current wars of each military person from NM and/or whose family resides in NM, issuing a proclamation honoring that person. Flags here are at half-mast very often, and each time I see one I am reminded of the price being paid by so many.

Regarding the lowering of flags when a solider is killed, here in Michigan since the start of the war, flags have flown at half staff for each and every solider from Michigan that has died in this war. So we do honor our military personnel who give the ultimate sacrifice.

personally, i think the american flag should be lowered to half mast and remain there until all americans return home.this would symolize the american citizens support.Its a tough job our troops are doing and i think we should show more support.

For the sacrafice and duty of our soldiers the American Flag should be flown at half staff everyday that we remain in the war in memory of the 3000+ fallen soldiers.

Even though it was a terrible thing that happened at VT the media is doing exactly what the killer wanted by playing his video and repeating over and over again everything he did. Our military face terrible things everyday of their lives while doing their jobs to protect our country so we can be free. They don’t get the honor or respect they should. Even if people don’t agree with the administration’s actions they still need to support our troops. They didn’t ask for this war they are only doing their jobs and we should support them in every possible. This message comes from the mother of an American soldier doing his job in Iraq.

The government and many newspapers and programs
beat hell out of anything that will distract from
the tragedy we have dumped on Iraq. The student deaths at the hands of an aberrant indiviual is
just one example. The uses and abuses of the war’s returning soldiers is another. The God-awful
slaughtering of innocent Iraqi men, women, and children along with their culture and homeland must cry to heaven for vengeance. And all of this for a military adventure we were lied and led into. This “patriotism” of slaughter and destruction is a clear sign of a shallowing culture, the decline of a once great democratic republic.

“The soldiers are at war and America is at the mall.” This statement says it all. America has chosen to ignore the brave men and women of our military. The very people who preserve our right to live in freedom are ignored by the masses. The soldiers sacrifice their lives for us. What do they get in return? A number scrolling at the bottom of the newscast. No names, no stories. Are we in another Vietnam? The reaction the general public is giving the soldiers, I’m afraid the answer is yes.

The American flag should be lowered to half staff after the death of persons who have been elected to National offices by the citizens of the United States. Only those who have served as Commander-in-Chief and in the armed forces should have the honor of being draped with the flag at the time of their death. Anyone convicted and/or imprisoned for a crime would not be afforded the privilege. The American flag would only be lowered nationwide. The President should be the only one to give the order. There is too much abuse of this honor in communities across the nation when there is a local tragedy, especially at high schools when students die in car accidents. If one has to ask why the flag is lowered when she sees it, then the flag probably should not be lowered at that time. My uncle served in WW II. He never spoke about the war, but my aunt always kept his picture in uniform out in sight. When he died, July 4,1988 his casket was draped with the flag and there is a star at the grave site. Seeing the flag, and knowing how much he loved this country, and how afraid he must have been as a teenager in Germany 43 years before made my heart swell with pride for him, for this country and for all of those who are so brave to lay down their lives to keep me safe and secure in this country.

I think lowering the US flag to honor those killed during the Virginia Tech masacre was the right thing to do – a horrible tragedy affecting this whole country. How could it happen? But I also think that tragedy occurs every time a US soldier dies serving our great country – the difference is that only the family or friends of the soldier are affected. We’re so accustomed to hearing about death & war that it seems we almost overlook the deaths of these brave men & women. We’re used to it – too used to it.
I say fly the US flags at half staff to honor and remember ALL of our fallen soldiers. Maybe then some people would see the flag & wake up to the reality of what’s really happening in Iraq. Our husbands, wives, fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, friends are dying every day but do we take notice? Do we give thanks for the protection of our freedoms?
Lower the flag to honor these brave men and women who have sacrificed so much until ALL of our American family is back HOME.

As horrible as it sounds, people who join the military during a time of war KNOW that they will be putting themselves in harms way. It is their JOB, as cold as it sounds, to face death every day. As horrible as it is to lose any life, a soldier risks his or her life and is trained to face horrific dangers. The students sitting in a classroom in a college did not asked to be put in harms way, they did not come wearing bullet proof vests or in Humvees. They were innocent in the truest sense of the word.
The people who fight our wars are amazing people, they do more than the rest of us could possibly imagaine. They help keep this country free. They deserve to be honored. HOWEVER, how people are handling this is atrocious. They are making the argument that it is somehow WRONG to honor innocent people killed in the worse mass murder in US history because we don’t honor the lives lost during war (Despite the fact that there are national holidays honoring our armed forces). You CAN honor both. You don’t have to choose to honor one or the other. When you do that you dishonor both.

When our servicemen go to war it is to be expected that there will be casualities. When our children go to college it is expected that they will be the future of this country.We mourn several national holidays for those who have given their life for our freedom but how soon we will forget the national tragety that struck the caampus of Virginia Tech. We cannot fall asleep and feel that that at anytime in our life something tragic happens here at home not in some far away country. WAKE UP AMERICA AND THANK GOD FOR EVERYDAY YOU ARE GIVEN.
Julie
Syracuse, NY

In my opinion when the nation is at war, the flag should be lowered and stay there until it is over.
The students and teachers in Virginia were innocent the same as others killed in that way and by terrorists.
War is different, and this one in particular, but the thought of those soldiers and civilians being killed and severely wounded is no less heartbreaking. They should not be compared.
Marion Baker, Age 76
Hampstead, NH

I am beginning to see our soldier’s point about sacrifice at home. While I sure sympathize with the situation at Virginia Tech, did we really need all that TV time devoted to the VT shooter? I don’t think we show our wounded and fallen military folks near enough. It’s like their pain and suffering is no longer news. Now it’s only front-page news when a big causality number occurs – bigger then the previous bigger number. Families in Iraq and Sudan and so many other parts of the world suffer VT type violence every day. For us at home, those real stories about war and pain and suffering are old. But hey – “What about the President dancing? Leave the TV on so I can see that…”

As a retired military of 28 years, this piece really caught my attention. I agree with both sides: half mast our flag for soldiers killed in a war and also for civilians killed as at the Va. Tech. massacre.
And therein lies the rub. Our soldiers die EVERY day so do we fly the flag at half mast every day? Do we fly it for just the heroes who die? But they’re ALL heroes.
Leave it alone folks. We are ALL Americans. If our constitution mandates to fly it for elected officials, then that’s the rule. Just as our students can now die while they learn about our flag and our constitution, our military has been doing just that since the Revolutionary War.
Semper FI!

To Charles Gibson: It was apprpriate to honor those who lost their lives at Virginia Tech. Flying the flag at half-staff certainly does not lessen the loss of the lives of our fellow American military members. Contrary to some of the responses, the lives of our service members is never far from my mind and each death troubles me deeply. Perhaps the decision to fly the flag at half-staff should be an individual one and those who want to remember/respect a fallen member of the military should do so if they want to remember military casualties of war. In my heart I will always honor the members of the military. Thank you

Thank you so much for your story on “Honor and Sacrifice”, how quickly we forget, if not for the brave men and women who have volunteered to serve our country, away from their family and friends we may not have the opportunity to attend a college in this country of our choice. I feel strongly that we should honor all our soliders everyday of our free lives.

The commentary on the news tonight only resonates what those of us connected to the military already feel about respecting the fallen, regardless of service branch. Here in North Carolina, with our rich resource of military personnel, we experience the loss of a serviceman more than we can absorb, sometimes. Our hearts are heavy when another service person pays the ultimate sacrifice, and yet Americans continue along the path to riches and righteousness. Have we become so bombarded with media and death and destruction that we don’t hear it anymore? Have we stopped crying for our fallen heroes? How many more senseless lives must be given in pursuit of a senseless and unobtainable objective? The families of innocent victims in Iraq bear the same pain as those of us who lose a service person near and dear to us. People don’t go to war, governments do. And war is not healthy for children or other living things, to quote some 1960′s slogans. ABC–keep up the hype and reporting on those who are nameless in this war. We need to know their names, their branch of service, see their faces on our TVs. We must not forget those who give their lives so we can live the American dream.

The state of Oregon lowers the flag statewide everytime a Oregon connected soldier dies and Gov. Ted Kulongoski attends every funeral that he possibly can, which is almost all. I think that the killings at VT were a national tragedy just like the war. I also have two cousins at VT who are professors there.

ABC, Thank you for running that segment. My husband is serving a tour in Iraq and, like the rest of the US Army, he has been extended 3 months. I do feel like America does not care that there is a war going on and I do feel that the only people in this country that sacrifice for this war are our military men and women and their families. The public seems to not care. I went to a VT memorial held at a campus on the West Coast and the whole time I was there, I wondered if any of these people cared that on that day there was more death in Iraq and Afghanstan than in Virginia. Sure VT was sad, but so is this war. So is the fact that American men and women are DYING so that dummies like the VT student can have the right to bear arms! I appreciate you giving coverage to the herioic men and women who died in war…protecting our freedoms and defending their country.

I believe that we should lower the flags at half staff until our soilders come home and this war is over!
God bless these men! Call your congressman and let them know we want this done!
Katherine NIchols

I am a veteran of two wars, and really think we should treat our men and women in uniform better. When I was in the Army, we were treated differently. I don’t feel that students should have the same status as soldiers. Soldiers volunteed to go into a war zone and deserve to have the flag at half-mast. They earned that right!! When students go into a war zone, they can have the right too but not before.

As a retired vet, I feel that Bush does not lower the flags at half staff for our veterans as he is in denial, a coward and I don’t think he has any respect for the men & women who have what it takes to serve our country. I feel for the familes of the 32 killed and the family of the shooter, but what about the 3000+ who have died in combat. He has NOT attended even one funeral to honor these hereos, and face their familes to tell them he is sorry and to let them know that their lives where shattered & loved ones lost for a good reason. I lower my flag whenever a service member from my state dies in combat and for NO ONE else. These troops are our country’s real heros!

I don’t think it’s so much a question of raising or lowering the Flag as it is showing respect and admiration for the men and women who VOLUNTATILY have put their lives on the line to perpetuate freedom as we have enjoyed it. I think it truly disrespects them to have such blatent disrespect for the President who is their commander and chief. Disrespect for the President definitely has a negative impact on the troops.

When President Ford died the flag were lowered to half staff in recognition of the had done and for being a US President.
If we lower our flags to half staff for every soldier , I think it starts defeating the purpose of the honoring them. The flag needs to be flown high. There are troops that are killed all over the world not just in Irag and Afganistan. Like the Blue Angel who just died at a American air show. Then do we fly for him too?
IF you lower the flag at half staff until out troops come home, then how do you honor others such as President Ford ?
The horrible tragedy at VT was unexpected, and the flags were lowered to honor that.
I am a proud American and do support our trops, and yes I do have a American flag flying high.

Thanks ABC for asking the question. I do agree that we should give our soldiers much more recognition than what they get. I sometimes wonder where do we get such brave and wonderful men and women that are willing to put their lives on the line? They are truly amazing and we owe them so much. Lets refocus on our American heroes fighting the battles and facing fear and death everyday.
Thanks, Mike

Of course we don’t acknowledge the deaths of American soldiers outside of presidential soundbites to stay the course. This is the administration that wouldn’t allow pictures of the coffins of dead servicemen. It has done everything possible to insulate the public from the tragedy of war—remember Bush urging us to “go out and shop” and ignore the war as much as possible. The flag would be at permanent half-mast if Bush really honored the deaths of US personnel, especially with the increased casualties created by the “surge”.
Too many people would take note of the White House’s flawed strategies and make Bush accountable for its failures.

I think it was appropriate for our flag to be flown at half mast for the victims of Virginia Tech. However, to continuously fly the flag at half mast for our fallen heroes in Iraq and Afghanistan would be a disservice to these young men and women. Let’s wave our flag high and proud in their honor and their sacrifice. It is what they volunteered for and what they gave their lives for. Don’t diminish their contribution by lowering our flag. Wave it high and proud.

In Oregon flags are lowered to half mast, and the governor has attended nearly all of the memorial services for each Oregonian lost in action.

I agree with another comment that if we flew the flag at half mast for our soldiers it would always be at half mast. I am saddened everyday when I read about our service peoples deaths and injuries. I believe that more help should be given to our service members who come home needing medical help. It is outrageous how some of the military hospitals are run and the red tape that these people are forced to go through. As far as comparing the Virginia killing with our war deaths, I don’t think it can be done. The horror of a young student killing 32 of his class mates was so unreal that it was hard to comprehend. It was just so shocking that a lot of Americans was effected. We hate the killing of our young soldiers but this was so different that it happened in a college where we believe all students are safe. We know from listening to the news and reading the newspaper that we can expect death every day in Iraq. I am also a former soldier and I truly hate what is happening in Iraq. God Bless America.

It is sad that the liberal media has opened this wound only in order to divide this country even more over the Iraq war. They compare apples to oranges, students cut down in their classroom in the United States where safety is taken for granted and U. S. soldiers and marines placed in harms way with full knowledge of the possible consequences when involved in war. The lowering of the flag is a small form of security and closure for those families that lost loved ones at Virginia Tech. Lets us not be a part of this journalism that surpasses yellow and goes directly to red journalism. Let us show our respect and sympathy to the students and our respect, admiration, and unspeakable gratitude, because there are no words sufficient in the English language, for our warriors and what they have done and sacrificed for this country. Lets us as a nation not grow to hate this war and include our service men and women as we did for the Vietnam veterans who returned to America without a hero’s welcome and forgotten as quickly as they were called up for service. Yes the flag should be lowered as it is everyday at Arlington but lets us keep in sight that they deserve much more than a mere lowering of the flag. Do not trivialize their sacrifices to a symbolic gesture but rather immortalize them with true gratitude such as free or nearly free housing, free medical assistance, and free education. Not the G.I. Bill but a true free education if they so choose to take advantage of it without any payback required, just our thanks

Most of the VT students and faculty were victims in the wrong place at the wrong time. Flags should be lowered perhaps in Virginia but not elsewhere.
Too often we lower the American flag for incidents that occur that do not warrant it. There should be rigid guidelines to be followed for lowering the flag to half staff.
I like what George Stephanopolis does on “This Week” to recognize the military personnel that have died this week.

The soldiers are the only ones feeling the sacrafices of this war. One reason we don’t feel the sacrafice is because its cost is hidden in national debt and because there is no draft. If we all got a bill each time the president asked for a war budget augmentation, perhaps we would pay a little more attention. If there was a draft, we would definitely feel it.
The monetary sacrafice would feel if we had a “pay as you go” policy for this war would in no way compare to what the soldiers are giving up, but at least it is something that we would feel several times a year that would give us an idea of the burden this war is placing upon America. It would also help offset some of the debt we are incurring.
The adminisration has done a very good job ensuring most of us do not directly feel the effects of the war, but the soldiers get no such reprieve. They are getting abused in life and death. We must not be oblivious about how this is going down and acknowledge the huge sacrafices our soldiers are making.

This issue unfortunately highlights a failure in national leadership in its responsibility to rally a nation’s people purportedly at war. As a retired military officer and with a paratrooper son deployed in Iraq, I witnessed the disassociation stateside with events overseas even upon my return from Afghanistan in 2004. Instead of questioning why flags should or should not be flown at half-staff, we should be questioning why this debate even arose. The debate we should be having centers on one key aspect of this war: considering the threat, why have we not reinstituted the draft? Defense of this nation is a basic responsibility of citizenship. With troop extensions now the norm, it will only be a short time before the volunteer force is no longer sustainable. What’s the plan then…recalling retirees…while the rest of America shops?

Ok first of all I don’t even know why these two incidents are being compared. The men and women who are in Iraq sign up to go be in the military and know the risks of doing so. The students at Virginia Tech didn’t sign up to be shot to death or see their friends killed. It wasn’t a question on the admissions application “do you understand the risks of coming to this school? You may be shot killed at any moment.” No absolutely not. If people want to complain about flags not being lowered half-staff that’s fine, but don’t use the Virginia Tech shooting as an excuse to do so. They are completely different situations and to even bring this up at this point in time is dishonoring to those innocent people who died that day, and the heros who did all they could to save others.

Prior to 9/11 the flag was flown at half-mast for the deaths of government officials. 9/11 changed a lot of things. If we lower the flag for the students at VT, then we should keep the flag at half-mast until the war is over. Or we need to decide to change it back to the way it was prior to 9/11. Local communities should always have the option of lowering the flag as the community will understand the meaning. Federal flags should make a choice.

I’ve read all the posts and I haven’t seen anyone point out that if it
wasn’t for the U.S. Military protecting us, we wouldn’t be able to enjoy the freedom we have, and certainly college wouldn’t be a
option for anyone. I’m very saddened by the deaths of the students
however, we NEED to remember all the people that are putting their
lives on the line so we can come and go as we please with the knowledge we are being kept safe by someone with much more
courage than we possess. Support the Troups and Pray for them and their families. Fly the flags at half mass until they are all home

The first military funerals I attended were for two young men who went to high school with our kids here. The third was the son of one of my coworkers. I prayed to God then that I would not have to attend another. I’ve been to seven more. I’ll be attending Lt. Gaspers’ funeral in Hastings, NE.
Here in Nebraska, we do honor those who have given their lives in the service of our country. I have driven into towns where all businesses have their flags lowered, where churches and school gymnasiums are overflowing, where the streets are lined with people holding flags, their hats off, their hands over their hearts as the funeral procession makes it way to the cemetery. I’ve seen people stand in the heat, or in the rain, or in the snow as they wait for the rest of the hundreds of people to arrive before the graveside service can begin.
I go because I’m an American and the father of an Airman who has been deployed twice to Iraq. I go because those young men and that young woman gave their lives and their futures in the name of the USA. I seldom say anything to the families. I’m just another American who took the time to acknowledge that someone gave their life for our country. Some people wonder why I go. I wonder why they don’t.
I’ll attend Lt. Gaspers’ funeral. I pray to God it’s the last one I’ll go to.

In Oregon the flags are lowered to half staff for the fallen hero’s. The Govenor also attends all the funerals he is able to. That can not be an easy task.

What’s new? When is the last time people in this country actually went to a national cementary, or a Soldiers or Airmen’s Home on Memorial Day instead of going to some sale? I was retired from the US Army at the age of 21 (which was 16 years ago, during the first Gulf War) for injuries suffered in the line of duty, my father is a WWII veteran of some of the worst Pacific battles our country fought. Outside of special worship services at church, not one person outside our family has ever thanked either one of us for anything that we did. Let’s face it that America does not care about it’s veteran’s unless there is a political agenda to forward, why would our current war change that? If we care about our veteran’s, present and past, let’s just fly the flag, at any mast, in their honor!

I agree with the gentleman who said that at the end of every newscast the men and women who have been maimed or killed in Iraq and Afghanistan that day should be named and described. It’s true that men and women did volunteer to serve their countries, but they didn’t volunteer to have their lives taken or ruined by serious injuries because Bush, Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice, Hadley, Feith, Perle, Wolfowitz lied repeatedly about the reasons for going to war. Speaking of lies, Bush’s often spoken support for the troops rings hollow when we see how little attention is being paid to helping veterans who return to this country desperately needing long term medical care. Many thanks to Bob Woodruff for keeping this issue before us. I hope all news reporters will remind us daily of the true costs of this war…maybe the American public will finally wake up and support bringing our troops home where they belong and providing the care and assistance the wounded men and women need and deserve!

It is highly distressing to Americans to see our American Miltary men and women not honored on a daily basis as we honored and empathized with the families of the students at Virginia Tech. The Bush Administration has “sold out” the Americans who are ready and willing to give the ultimate sacrifice for their country. It is such a “slap in the face” to American military men and women for their President and his advisors to have so little regard for them and their safety.

As a 31 year veteran and a combat veteran from Viet Nam, I’m not surprised at all that our fallen veterans are not honored as they should. They never have been. Our VVA group honors them at each and every meeting and many of us fly flags purely out of respct for them.

Being a non-partisen person, it appears to me that the solders that serve this country give more than any politician {republican or democrat }.Those who serve than go into politics lose something. I am sure those kids at Virginia Tech saw some horrors that people their age should never see, this was a one day thing that they will have to live with the rest of their lives but again there are young men and women of this same age group that see far worst everyday and than get extanded also sent back. When these young people come they find no support or a small amount compared to what is happening at VT. My son tells me he will never be able to put into words the things that he has seen. Look at where our solders come from, there is a draft of sorts. The economy in the small towns and villages is poor or non-existant this puts collage out of reach if you don’t have means or able to get loans. The military means schooling. Please honor these solders.

The Virginia Tech masacre was an American tragedy. Lowering the flag was a brief and honorable tribute to the victims and served as a healing mechanism.
The flag and medals ceremoniously handed to the next-of-kin of a fallen soldier not only represent an honorable tribute, but also a legacy that lives forever.

I was glad tonight when I heard Charlie talking about the flying of flags at half staff for our fallen service men. We need to put them at half staff until this combat is over. We also should be given the names and home towns every evening on the news when we have had casualties. Today there were 7 killed and only two were mentioned in the news. Most of the time we are not told when soldiers are killed. The number of fallen should be mentioned on every news cast every single day until Bush can stand it no longer and decides to bring them home again for good.

In Michigan, flags are lowered to half-staff, by order of the Governor, whenever a Michigan soldier is killed in Iraq/Afghanistan. This is as it should be. On TV, we see the numbers of soldiers killed and that’s all they seem to have become..a number. We are not permitted to see their caskets arriving in the U.S..the Administration has seen that this is not done. The war isn’t even on the front pages any more; just another sound bite, another story on an inside page of the newspaper. The families of those killed/wounded in this war should be forever in our minds, no matter what your feelings about the war (I’ve opposed it from the beginning). Many of the troops are on their 2nd, even 3rd or 4th deployment. And they go willingly because it is their job. At the very least we owe them our honor and respect, which is more than they have gotten from Bush, Rumsfeld, Cheney and company.

As the daughter of a WWII veteran, the wife of a Viet Nam veteran, and the mother of a son in his 17th year of serving his country in the Armed
Forces I have lots to say!! But not till my son is out of the service. I don’t want to cause him trouble. No, I do not disagree with his serving his country I just disagree with the way this conflict is being handled.
Our son, nor those he is with, expect a thing from anyone. They are proud of what they do, believe in what they are doing and only ask to be buried under the flag of this country when they come home in a box.
I will tell you that there is not a lack of support for our service men and women from the home front, it is just not covered by the media. The whole country was behind WWII. As the wife of a Viet Nam veteran I know that they were kicked in the gut by the government when they
came home and have never gotten recognition for their sacrifice. Our military is at it’s lowest level for supplies, numbers of members,
knowledgeable leadership and positive leadership by those who could make a difference, ie the government. All we as parents ask is that he
be allowed to do his job without the interference of the politicians, but it will be a cold day in you know where before that happens.
We support the family members of our service men and women in any way we can. We pray for our service men and women as we raise our flag daily.
Will you please pray with us?
Sincerely,
David’s Mom

in response to the many service men and women that protect us . i fully admire and respect each and every one of you! you do honor to yourselves and your country in the profession that you have chosen. as to the flag issue, it is my personal opinion that the agenda for flying the flag at half mast is as it should be. granted that we should recognize and respect and honor not only our fallen soldiers, but each and every military person for the job that they perform so that we might live in a free country! just remember that this is a profession, the same as a policeman or a fireman is, should they not also be honored for the risking of there lives also? they are in a high risk profession to serve and protect,the same as our military is. yes we should all, as americans honor and respect each and every one of you! it is just that we should leave the flag deal alone! i want to take this opportunity to personally thank each and every one of you serving in our armsd forces and to let you know that i try to pray for you each day! i also think it takes avery special person to do the prfession you have chosen, GOD bless each and every one of you! thank-you, gary andrews

The V-Tech students murders were a tragedy but they did not die for their country. I agree with most viewers that a flag should be lowered to half mast at the White House each time a service person is killed.

Charles, it was not the American people who eulogized, honored, or in other ways “recognized” the victims of the Virginia tech murders, truly it was the media that spent so much time and effort to mobilize and make more of the tragedy than we do of the death and maiming of our soldiers. Yes, after suffering the barrage of media attention and its pandering to emotions (something a NEWS organization should consider an anathema) the PC handling of the tragedy demanded over reaction. I’ll wager the President was “advised” by his Czars of PC that he’d better get on the bandwagon or face the castigation of the national news media for gross inhumanness. Think I’m a media hater? Go back and do a self analysis of how much time ABC, NBC, or CBS spent since the tragedy discussing/ reporting/ analyzing/ EMOTING/ presenting/ and otherwise in some way handling it. Why? My firm belief is that:
1) it is due to a lack of any clear philosophy/statement/considered judgement of what is and what is not NEWS. My God, even tonight—after you broached this question, you presented–as NEWS–how many bullets the murderer used and how long the police took to get to the murder site. This is NEWS? Charles–shame! Yet, you are by far the best of our national anchors on commercial TV.
2) Americans are, by and large, afraid to stand up against what seems to be the popular (and too often EASY) opinion. This reticent/fear is the truly dangerous face of PC.
3) Finally, the American character has been softened by a myriad of influences (and the media is one of the major ones). Think of how our forbearers reacted to the tragedy at Harper’s Ferry, or the great San Francisco earthquake, or the great johnstown flood, or the 1918 influenza epidemic. We didn’t bring in grief counselors, we didn’t agonize about how the families of the innocent victims would be able to carry on. We carried on and were proud of our ability to gird ourselves and carry on.
While I am at this, shouldn’t the journalist consider what the essential difference is between, for example, the killing of a family (mother, father, and children) by a drunk driver and the murder at Virginia Tech? In both cases innocent people with no real connection to the killer are dead by no fault of their own. s the only difference in the number of innocents killed? Lets see —a couple of hundred or so innocentes are killed each year by crazed murderers and several thousand innocents are kissed each year by drunken drivers—well maybe the real difference is not in the number of innocents. I don’t know, but in the back of my mind I keep hearing the term “newsworthy”. I mean, how much can you say about some drunk and a family of 5? Happens all the time! But, gosh, 30 some non-related people – at one time- talk about being able to fill up the space—wow! Are the extended family of the mom, dad, and kids murdered by the drunk driver less deserving of notice, of public notice, of public grief?
Also, shouldn’t the journalist ask the question, “for what purpose/objective/end am I publicizing this?”? Even more basic, shouldn’t the editor (or manager) ask the basic questions, “what is news? what is newsworthy for this organization? What public good am I supporting with this story?” and then tailor the handling or non-handling) to the answers to those questions? Charles, as an example let us examine your comments tonight concerning the bullets and police timliness. The only public good I can think of is that of keeping the public informed. but informed of what? What is it about the 160 or 170 bullets or police response of 5 minutes is informative to the public? Less than 150 bullets is not to be worried about?== 160 bullets and only 30 some dead is bad marksmanship? A response time from (when?) to arriving at the shooting scene is good?–is bad?– is what?
Anthony Dunn

Why do you think we get copycat killers? Because the media spends weeks making killers like the Columbine and VT famous. It’s in the news for weeks and months. We immortalize the victims (which calls attention to the killer). When Mr. Gibson mentioned this story about flying flags at half mast for the victims, he continued by only mentioning 2 of the soldiers killed recently in Iraq. I think if the families agree EVERY night on the news those killed at war should have their names read and be honored by this country! I believe we should all fly our flags at half mast till we quit killing our children in Iraq! My son has been their twice before he turned 22 years of age and is looking to go again. Maybe Mr. Bush would feel different if his daughters were over there. We have got to support all of them better!!

As sad as it is to have had so many military killed in Iraq, let us not forget that the American public was sold a bill of goods to get us behind the war. Since then, the reasons for going to war have been proven false. We were told the cost of the war was goint to be paid from oil produced in Iraq. This has yet to happen. But, saddest of all, is the way those killed in the war are returned to the US. This administration has purposely chosen to keep the American public from seeing the remains returned to the US. The American public cannot be faulted for feeling detached from a war about which we have been kept in the dark from the beginning.

It was a horrible thing that happened at V-Tech and I am praying for all of the family and friends. The reality is that our country glamorizes violence in movies and games and then wonders why these things happen.
We all mourn with all of those that lose loved ones needlesly to every type of violence but flags at half mast need to be a reserved honor.
Soldiers fighting in a war that is NOT senseless but has true meaning for peace deserves this honor more.
God Bless America and all of Us.
Debra

I read alot of the emails, and statement people had to say about the lowering of the flag for the VT students, I feel bad, but allot of people don’t understand WHERE WAS BUSH AND CHENEY DURING THE VIETNAM WAR AND DID THEY GO AND SUPPORT THE TROOPS? NOW THEY WANT TO SAY WE ARE NOT SUPPORTING THE TROOPS. (I forgot Bush records are lost, and Cheney had better things to do) Allot of troops and Marines join the military to better themselves or start a family.
And as compassionate conservatives they are all about the family, but Bush and Cheney are breaking up the family by using religion statements,and having young mothers and fathers die on a foreign soil for what. It is not for terrorism. But the supporter don’t see that, and that is why this generation is like it is.
WHERE IS THE COMPASSIONATE PEOPLE WHO VOTED THESE PEOPLE IN? WAKE UP AMERICA IT WAS A GAME THEY PLAYED WITH YOU, AND THEY ARE LAUGHING AT YOU.
Because if Bush beleived in this war he would have his twin daughters serve, but he is willing to sacifice others.

Thank you World News for sharing this story. I am the mother of a 21 yr. old who is serving In Iraq at this time and the day of the Va.Tech incident I thought it ironic that we as a country were in so much shock over this horrible crime and yet we seem so diconnected from what happens in our soldiers lives every day that they are over there. Every day they have to deal with the deaths of their comrads. They don’t have family to lean on while they are there. They have to process it and move on. We as a country have become so complacent, I believe, mainly because it has become commonplace to see the war in the news. Hopefully, this story will cause us all to really think about and be grateful for the sacrifices our service men and women are making every day. The loss of a loved is just that- A loss- No matter where it happens.

I am positively infuriated when anyone indicates that Americans do not care about those killed, or injured, in the war in Iraq. We are not allowed to see our dead when they come home. It is called exploitation by the Bush administration when their coffins are shown when they arrive back in the United States. It is not that we don’t care. We are not allowed to care. It is politically incorrect. John McCain says that the current opposition to the war is caused by our representatives paying attention to opinion polls. The strongest opinion poll was taken last fall when Americans took an overwhelming stand against the war by voting against the Republicans. The current representatives should pay attention to the “opinions” of Americans. We care deeply for the people who are our armed forces. We send our prayers up for them every day. We want desperately to know who they are, and we want to share in their families’ grief when they are injured or killed. We should be informed of every single death, and not just with a number, but with a face and a name. The flag should be flown at half-staff until every American comes home from this nightmare we call war in Iraq and Afghanistan. I do not know one person who does not care about the men and women in our armed forces. We care a great deal.

When Charlie said “The nation has spent a lot of time remembering the victims of the VT gunman, but what about the troops killed in Iraq and Afghanistan?” I put the player on pause and shook my finger at the frozen image of Charlie and said:
Don’t you dare blame me for misplaced sentiments. It is you who makes the choice of what I see; it is you who chose to concentrate on the VT tragedy all week and not report on the stories of the soldiers who die every day; it is you who have chosen to report the soldiers’ deaths as statistics and not as individual human beings. Each Sunday I choose to watch the “In Memoriam” in detail, shushing my husband if he chooses to speak during that time. This is the only opportunity ABCNews gives us to pay tribute to these people who gave their lives so that we can be sitting comfortably in front of our TV. This is your choice, not ours. At that point I let the rest of Dan Harris’ story play and realized I had been anticipating a very different story from the one you actually told. How far apart we are on this subject!

I agree with all of the other comments that we should honor our fallen soldiers by flying the Flag at half mast. It’s the very least we can do for their familys

Along with so many things that have changed in this country is how we seem put values on different lives, and not just through court awards. We used to have cemeteries to memorialize loved ones lost. Now we put up memorials everywhere, or want to rip down structures because something awful happened inside of them. Lives seem more valuable if they are lost en masse. Although we have individual Americans killing individual Americans every day, and hopefully someone loved each one, we don’t hear a body count on the news each night. The whole situation is tragic.
But today, right now, I feel the saddest when I hear of another soldier losing their life because, in most cases, they have given it for all the rest of us. They weren’t recklessly speeding, playing with a Blackberry while operating a vehicle, fighting over drugs, robbing someone, or squabbling over meaningless trivia and deciding a gun was the way to solve the problem, they were sacrificing for what they saw as the greater good. And their families sacrifice, not only when their lives are lost, they sacrifice through separation.
And the volunteer soldiers shouldn’t do it alone. Every person who lives in this country should have to devote at least 2 years of their lives to public service to gain some respect for why this country was founded and what it should be standing for.

Great story. And really interesting timing. I work for a newspaper in a small town called York, Nebraska, and I run the newspaper website where we produce daily web content and video.
In a town of less than 8,000, when the body of local soldier returned home after being killed from a roadside IED around the same day as the VT massacre, our paper had little coverage of the national event—with even little talk about it in our town–as everyone focused on honoring the fallen solider.
And when I say honoring, I mean it. The whole town practically shut down as nearly everyone lined the streets from the funeral to the grave yard (about 2 miles). While new flags were added to every lamppost, other flew at half mast for several days. I really didn’t hear much about the VT event until much later, when the funeral was all over.
Our town just felt that honoring those who died in battle, for our country, was the right thing to do at the time–while letting what some might consider a bigger event (the VT massacre) work itself out.

My Dad was in the Marines and served in Vietnam. I understand how people fill that we do not honor our military and take care of them. But I do not think we should compare this to the VT incident. In my state of New Mexico, our governor puts our flag at half staff any time someone from NM dies. I think you should contact your state government and see why they don’t do even if the the “Government” doesn’t do it. We have military dying every day the flag would be at half staff all the time and maybe again it should be so that we would question why it was.

Our kids are also being killed every day in a ridiculous war. What a tragedy that people have come to accept this….such a disgrace. Perhaps if there were a draft, more people would take notice and demand that this insanity stop. But if it doesn’t effect you, that’s ok.

The flag should have flown at half mast from the day of the first military fatality in Irag and Afganistan, it might have served to remind over and over again the man who lives on Pennsylvania Ave. what an unnecessary and senseless step he took when he fabricated information to send our country in harm’s way. Maybe that man and all his cronies should put on uniforms and walk around Baghdad without all the security as our military do–never knowing what is around the next corner, he then might have enough sense to stop this war now!!! My husband served in Vietnam and Irag. I am hoping that the Democrats can end the nonsense very soon!!! I have switched from a long time Republican to a Democrat so we can change things for the good on Pennsylvania Ave.!!!!!

It makes me almost cry to here what the First Lady had to say on NBC’s “Today’s Show”. She said that no body suffers more than the President. Really? He is dancing and having fun while many young American soldiers and innocent civilians in Iraq and Afghanistan are getting killed, losing limbs and home and everything. My hearts go out for the victims at VT, but we should recognize the fact that our soldiers, who might have hoped to attend a college someday when they completed their duties, never had that opportunities and come back home in coffins. Why only they have to sacrifice? People who don’t want to bring our troops home, please volunteer to the Army right now. If you are not qualified by age limit, send some body in your family to join the troops.

Any time The Weasel in the Oval Office can find a story to deflect daily feel-good Iraq lies, he’s done it. God help him: Virginia Tech cleanly obliviated the one-day news of the resignation of six Shiite government officials, and the largest syncronized Baghdad car bombings on record, splattering 183 Iraqis about the same open market GOP Senators bragged about safety as they negotiated prices for carpets. If Dubya can’t fess up to having flipped off the US Constitution and US citizenry, let me (a nobody) apologize to VTech students, parents and staff – as well as our underpaid, undersupplied, sacraficial lambs to Dubya’s egomania and ignorance – for using and abusing all of you.

I have seen the horrors of what these young men and women encountered in my tour of 14 months in Iraq.
These Young people are a there of their own free will. There is no draft.
Each and every one who has made the ultimate sacrifice deserves to have the flag lowered to half mast as well as a personal condolence to the families from Pres. Bush.
It is the least we can do for our brave, bright, unselfish, young soldiers.

Losing a loved one is never easy. Losing one in wartime is even more difficult. Each and every service member volunteered for duty, knowing full well that they may be sent in harm’s way. Each service member has earned the right to be buried beneath our flag and to receive military honors at their service. Our flag does not need to be lowered for the death of each service member, instead the flag of our great nation should fly high and proud in honor of the service members who have fought and died for this great nation. We owe this honor and tribute to our warriors past, present, and future.
Darrell McDaniel
Former SSgt USMC

I am a VA Representative at a community college. The flag being lower for students who were not in the service to their country is an insult to those who have given their lives for us all. The servicepersons should be given every honor that this country can give. I can sympathize with those families that lost loved ones but they were doing what our men and women have died to give them…the freedom to go to school. The men and women who serve us best are those who serve this nation. Flags should be flown at half staff until this war is over and our men and women come home. God Bless Our Men and Women in the Armed Services. Thank You all for your service.

In my opinion, lowering the flag to half mast for the loss of every soldier in Iraq, no matter what state they lived in, would be a stark reminder to everyone that we are at war. As a country, the civilians are currently making no sacrifices for this war as we did in WWI or WWII. Only the soldiers and their families are facing the emotional and financial difficulties from this war. “Our” president has not attended one funeral to date of the over 3,000 young men and women who sacrificed their lives for this senseless, illegal war. If this administration wanted to “support our troops”, the least they could do is provide adequate fighting equipment, stop cutting benefits to our veterans, provide sterile, clean housing for our returning wounded OR bring them home. Since that is currently not possible, lowering the flag to half mast seems to be the simple, appropriate, honorable thing to do.

In my opinion, lowering the flag to half mast for the loss of every soldier in Iraq, no matter what state they lived in, would be a stark reminder to everyone that we are at war. As a country, the civilians are currently making no sacrifices for this war as we did in WWI or WWII. Only the soldiers and their families are facing the emotional and financial difficulties from this war. “Our” president has not attended one funeral to date of the over 3,000 young men and women who sacrificed their lives for this senseless, illegal war. If this administration wanted to “support our troops”, the least they could do is provide adequate fighting equipment, stop cutting benefits to our veterans, provide sterile, clean housing for our returning wounded OR bring them home. Since that is currently not possible, lowering the flag to half mast seems to be the simple, appropriate, honorable thing to do.

i I believe any time we have a service person in Iraq or any war who has given the ultimate sacrafice. they should be honored with the flag held at half mast. as an honor to them. i feel for sorry the parents and families of the students and teachers at Virginia Tech. the studentsand teachers also deserve to be honored. As a veteran of Vietnam. we need to give tribute to our fallen military who gave all in combat.

In my opinion, lowering the flag to half mast for the loss of every soldier in Iraq, no matter what state they lived in, would be a stark reminder to everyone that we are at war. As a country, the civilians are currently making no sacrifices for this war as we did in WWI or WWII. Only the soldiers and their families are facing the emotional and financial difficulties from this war. “Our” president has not attended one funeral to date of the over 3,000 young men and women who sacrificed their lives for this senseless, illegal war. If this administration wanted to “support our troops”, the least they could do is provide adequate fighting equipment, stop cutting benefits to our veterans, provide sterile, clean housing for our returning wounded OR bring them home. Since that is currently not possible, lowering the flag to half mast seems to be the simple, appropriate, honorable thing to do.

There is a stark difference between combat ready soldiers dying in a war zone and young unarmed college students studying German and French on a quiet Virgnia campu being murdered by a madman with the intent of making a name for himself. Families of soldiers realize when their loved ones go to war there is a chance they may not come back alive. Families of college students who send their loved ones off to college are not expecting them to be gunned down in class. Therefore those students deserved to be memorialized just as fallen soldiers are memorialized on Memorial Day every year by this country and whatever President happens to be in office. Regardless of your political view on this war it IS a very different situation. I honor the soldiers who have died in this war and every other war, whether the war was popular or not. They died doing what they were trained to do. These students did not. They had no means of protecting themselves from a crazed gunman cutting them down in the prime of their life.

What has happened to our world these days….Has our Government and President no respect for the men and women,mothers and fathers,sisters and brothers that risk their lives to keep our country safe and free?I don’t think it is to much to ask that our nations flag the flag that represents what these men and women are giving their lives for be flown half staff. It is bad enough that we are portrayed in songs already as “A land where our brothers are dying for others who don’t even care anymore.” I say our Government and President should show a little more respect for our country’s Soliders lets face it these are not just men and women these are HEROES!!!

I respect and am eternally grateful to all the soldiers that are fighting for my freedom. I do feel that it would be more appropriate to lower flags one day a month for all the fallen heros. The students at VT were taken unaware. Soldiers join the military voluntarily and know they will probably have to go to fight, though I’m sure they don’t plan on dying. Those students had no idea what was going to happen when they got up to go to class that morning. Maybe there should be a flag day every month to show our support and gratitude.

Those of us called to the profession of arms fully realize the sacrifice we may make. That we can be taken for granted goes with the territory. The students made no such commitment. The military is honored on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, every year. Honoring those lost at Virginia Tech was appropriate. It was a national tragedy. Every lost life is precious; each can be honored in its own way.

There are certain prescribed rules regarding use of the United States Flag. Respectful display of the Flag by we civilians is a very serious matter.
The American Legion has the Flag Code, Title 4, United States Code, Chapter 1, published on their website
Regarding the Flag at half staff – see section 7m.

If the flag is only to be lowered for the death of public officials and people criticize the lowering of the flag for the VT students to “score points” against the administration. Then wouldn’t it be fair to say the the administration lowered the flag for the students to also “score point”?

No one can argue that what happened at VT was a shocking tragedy. Or that every life lost in Iraq and Afghanistan is a tragedy. Arguing about whether or not to fly the flag at half mast and for whom is a waste of time. No one should be offended that the victims of VT are honored and memorialized by their family and friends – indeed the entire nation – would you expect any less if it were your child/parent/spouse? And no one can argue that the military personnel who have made the ultimate sacrifice for this country have often not had the recognition and honor that they so deserve.
What we should be concentrating on is the fact that our President sees fit to tell the nation that we would be letting down the soldiers in Iraq if we establish a time table for withdrawal of our troops and that such a timetable would constitute a “loss” of the war.
I’ve got news for Mr. Bush: it is not our war to lose. We don’t belong there. They do not want us there. Our presence there is causing major problems for their people. They had nothing to do with the 911 attacks.
I resent the President telling me how our troops feel. He has no children serving in the military. He has not endured the sleepless nights that a parent of a soldier suffers. My son is an infantryman in the US army. He’s been there. He has to go back. He does not want to. Like many other soldiers who’ve been there, he knows that it is indeed, at this point, a sectarian war – a civil war, not our war. My son feels that Mr. Bush should “pull his head out of his ass”. Many of his comrades feel the same way.
We all know that if there were no oil in that region, we would never have bothered with it. Otherwise, why are we concentrating so much time and resources in Iraq when the real threat to our country lies in Afghanistan?
As an American I am tired of being blamed by the government and the media for our country’s dependence on oil. I AM NOT DEPENDENT ON OIL. I AM DEPENDENT ON MY CAR. I could care less what it uses to make it go. If you want to blame someone for the current predicament, then blame the government and the big oil companies, who over the last 3 decades have crushed any efforts to overcome our dependence on oil. I do not resent any business that makes a profit, but for the oil industry to post RECORD profits on the backs of the American public is vile and disgusting.
Let’s get our troops out of Iraq. They need to be doing what they are paid to do: protect our country and our freedom. Not our claim on foreign oil.

I have thought for a long time that our flags should be lowered to half staff every Memorial Day as long as we have so many young men and women dying in our current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. It seems appropriate to me that they be honored in this way as this country and its people need a way to nationally recognize their sacrifice. I think the President of the United States should take this opportunity to stand in front of the lowered flag at Arlington and say a personal thank you to the fallen and ask for a moment of silence from all Americans in order that we all remember that the sacrifice goes on just as Lincoln did at Gettysburg.

I have thought this for the longest time. Our flag should have been lowered to half staff from the 1st soldiers who has risked their lives until the day that the rest of our military returns home. Every day we mourn for someone. Not only for the ones who have died but for the ones who are still there.

When you are in a combat unit on foreign soil, lowering the flag to half-mast could be akin to surrendering. Maybe this could be done here at home, but it really doesn’t make any sense from a military point-of-view. Unfortunately, even here at home lowering the flag just doesn’t make any sense for the duration of a conflict. There are time honored traditions for honoring our fallen that we should follow.

My son Lcpl Jason Burnett, USMC lost his life proudly serving our country in Iraq May 2006.
Yes, the incident at Virgina Tech was absolutely horrible and I know the pain those families are feeling. My heart goes out to each and every one of them.
This issue is not just about the coverage of the Virginia Tech tragedy or whether the flag should be flown at half staff. It is about how our military heros have been forgotten and overlooked. Just about everyday day a service man or woman has given their life for our country. Many days it is several. Regardless of how a person may feel about the war or our President, the fact is these HEROS ARE PROUDLY SERVING OUR COUNTRY. Does anyone pay attention or care anymore? Does the media show their pictures or even announce their names? A few days ago nine lives were taken by a suicide bomber and that was not the lead story on the nightly news. Do we hear about the wounded whose lives will never be the same? The The Virginia Tech gunman received more attention than our military. Even Rosie O’Donnell and Trump receive more coverage than our military. How can we overlook and forget these sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, husbands and wives?
This past year has been absolutely umbearable, and I don’t know how we have survived it. But I do know that I will never forget the sacrifice my son made, I will not let him be forgotten or overlooked. I will never forget the sacrifices of the other members of the military that also gave their lives for our country. I will never stop praying for those members of the service who have and continue to serve our country.
I was pleased last night when I heard ABC Nightly News read some of the postings they had received regarding this issue. Maybe this will help open some eyes and ears.
May God Bless America. But let’s hope HE helps us get our priorities in order.

In Michigan, as for Maine as said above, the flag is lowered throughout the state whenever a Michigan servicemember is killed in Iraq. However, that has diminished the significance. Sometimes there is more than one service-member killed—does it honor the individual or is each just lumped together like a mass grave?
Also, other people have died at the same time. How could we lower the flag when it was already lowered? How is anyone honored or our mourning distinguished?
While the lowered flag certainly reminds us of a death, it does not always honor the individual who was lost.
Yet another question remains—why are we not lowering the flag for the service member lost in a training accident in the US or aboard ship? What are we really saying when we lower the flag for someone only if they die in a combat zone (not even knowing if it was a combat death)?
More and more it seems to be a statement against the war using the dead soldier/airman/Marine/sailor as the token.

It would b appropriate if that the news networks spend the time and effort, set up camp in Iraq. For every U.S soldier killed and every Iraqi civilian killed, show the images of their body, stories of their lives, people that mourn for them, their parents, their children…. I think the TV should b filled with these images all the time, like after the VT shootings. Maybe if we flood our news with the lives lost in Iraq, this war would end real quick.

Dear Charlie,
Regarding the subject of the flags at half staff:
Perhaps it would be best if the White House and all military bases had two flags. One flown at full staff (normal) and one at half staff until the war is over. For civilians, perhaps it would be best to keep that as a personal preference, especially for the families who have lost a
loved one in the war.
Juanita

NO SOLDIER EVER WENT INTO BATTLE UNDER A FLAG AT HALF STAFF. EVER.
DURING TIMES OF WAR, OUR FLAG SHOULD NEVER BE LOWERED!
FOR ANY REASON!
EVER!

Zanesville Campus Library on the campuses of Ohio University Zanesville and Zane State College believe that we should be honoring our fallen soldiers. For the past three years the library has sponsored and library student workers have volunteered to maintain an “Honor Ohio’s Fallen” memorial in the lobby of the library. The Dean of Ohio University Zanesville has purchased a traveling display so that we can lend our memorial to others in our area.On May 30 at 12N we will be holding our second Memorial Day service to honor Ohio’s fallen heroes. You are invited to attend. You can see pictures ofthe memorial on our Flickr site. See the last two photos on the site. http://www.flickr.com/photos/zanesvillecampuslibrary/

Election 2008
For Senator McCain to say that the surge is working in Iraq will just be platitude as he addressed Senator Obama’s “Message of Hope”. Iraq has been kept in life support by the United States military, the so called “surge”. Once the military leaves the insurgent will run over the United States’ installed government, get rid of the individuals involved, and consolidate the Iraqi federation. It does not need a scientist to know that, but what need to be learned are the Islamic culture, beliefs, and behavior. It seems that no one has addressed that issue. Iraq is not just any other country, it is an Islamic country. It seems that Obama understood that right from the start and that reflected in his vote against the war. He was right on the first day.
What will United States do? Stay in Iraq for 100 years as McCain has proposed? It may be easier for McCain to name Iraq the 51st State and then waste United States’ money and lives. Playing politics to gain the support of conservatives or to appease the Republican Party is again just being platitude. What does McCain stands for? Obama was correct; the wheels of the free express came off on the campaign trail.
Let our soldiers go and bring home our soldiers.