Forever May Our Flag Wave, if You're in the Right Party

I live in Michigan, which is considered a "blue" state due mainly to the labor unions which were so vivid with life, but also due to our major cities, such as Detroit and Flint, which are in solid decay, but we have had many Republican governors and being midwestern, we like to show our independence.  We, like the rest of the nation, have our share of young men and women serving in Iraq, and many is the time when our local flags have been at half-mast to honor another local soldier lost to the "war."  My girls asked me sometime back why the flags at their school and around town were only half-way up and even to explain it to them brought a lump to my throat.  Another life snuffed out, another future that won't be, another family mourning its loss.

The call to raise the flag to only half-mast in a time honored tradition in our country.  Although it was lowered mainly when state leaders died, more recent times have seen it used during any major losses, such as 9/11 and more recently, the Virginia Tech shooting.  So imagine my surprise when suddenly this act of respect was called into question.  What?  I thought that this show of respect was eloquent and needed, it showed a patriotic lean that we ARE behind our men and women in uniform.  Michigan's Governor Granholm, who is a Democrat, wanted to show the families of our soldiers that we are indeed behind their sacrifices and mourn their losses.  "I think the families really need to know that their loved one will be remembered," stated Governor Grandholm. 

The opposing side, well, for once the flag waivers aren't behind using Old Glory.  They are saying that to lower the flag every time a soldier has given his/her life in service for our country is to trivialize this honor.  Trivialized?  C'mon.  These are our neighbors, our nephews and nieces, our sons and daughters, and unfortunately many times someone's mom or dad.  If "Operation Iraqi Freedom" is truly a war on persons who want to see America destroyed, attacking us not only on foreign soil, but in our homeland, then what better way to show respect for our soldiers.  The pain and anguish felt by the families left behind can be shared by the communities, not just by them. 

The real argument is that having to lower our flags every week really places the enormous toll of American lives this conflict is taking on us and brings it home.  It reminds us that war is not the noble and glorious act that we were led to believe when this debacle began.  The death toll overseas continues to rise, and some of those waving their flags as the troops are sent off to battle don't want us to use the flag to express our sadness when they die; God forbid we see any negative we are reaping.  But war is not pretty, it is one of the ugliest things man ever created.  Although there may be times when fire needs to be fought with fire, it is always a lose-lose situation; victory does not come without costs.

So whether you are behind our actions in Iraq or against them, there should be no burying of heads in sand.  We are waging a war with not only economic costs, but human costs, and these brave men and women, who signed on to protect our country in war or peace, deserve to be honored.  Flying our colors at half-mast does not take away anything more than a sincere act of respect for our fallen troops; they deserve better than being ignored.