I know the flags ought to be at half mast, but do you have to be a butthole about it?

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

Yes, I know it's 9/11.

Yes I know that the flags ought to be at half-mast

Yes I understand that there is a large number of military personnel here who are offended that we don't have the flags at half-mast.

What these colossal [smurf]ing douchebags do not seem to understand that the flagpoles have the rope for raising and lowering the flags locked inside the poles themselves. Without the key to get to the rope, the only way I'm going to get the flag down is with a shotgun and I'm sure that would offend your whiny Lt Colonel ass even more than having the flags at full mast.

And no, there is no way to get the key since the person who has the key on their keychain is not at work today.

No I can't run to his house and get it.

Because he is not home.

No I can't call him to run it to us.

Because he is on a ship in the middle of the Caribbean.

No I cannot call a locksmith to jimmy the locks without his approval.

M

[AriRashkae]

My flag doesn't do half. It's either up or it isn't. And right now it isn't because the old tractor wheel we use as a holder is leaning by the greenhouse.

[morgana]

Beautifully put. I'd suggest printing several copies of this. If they're calling you on the phone, just read it to them. If they're showing up to harrass you, just hand them a copy.

Well, maybe clean up the insults a little first. Or not.

[PepperElf]

dad's flag doesn't do half-mast either. it's just a regular house-flag on a stick.

however... i kinda dislike calling people douchbags because they're offended by a flag not at half mast today. one of my friends from when i was in hawaii... he was at his dream job that day, working as an illustrator at the pentagon. there's still a lot of emotions running strong for many people.


My own suggestion... something like, "I'm very sorry..." then list what you've tried, and then say that you're going to give the boss an earfull for going on vacation without making provisions for today. If there's been a lot of complaints - which it sounds like there has been - perhaps have some kind of "feedback" box for them, or... if your company has "suggestion forms", allow them to submit the forms.

i am betting that next time, the boss won't hide the keys when he goes off.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

however... i kinda dislike calling people douchbags because they're offended by a flag not at half mast today. one of my friends from when i was in hawaii... he was at his dream job that day, working as an illustrator at the pentagon.

They are not douche bags because they are offended by the fact that the flags aren't at half-mast.

They are douche bags because they are giving me hell for my not being physically able to reach into solid, half-inch thick metal to work the rope to lower the flag.

Now I've had people come in and tell me that the flags aren't supposed to be at full-mast and then accept the explanation I give them. This is a perfect example of a person who has a mind that is capable of looking beyond themselves and actually understand the concept of "something cannot be achieved due to circumstances beyond the control of the person behind the desk".

The ones that I posted about are yelling (yes, yelling at me as if they were R. Lee Ermey and I was some wet behind the ears, snot-nosed, raw recruit at basic training) at me because I refuse to vandalize the flag poles to gain access to the ropes.

Last I heard, doing something like that would be worse of an insult to the flag than leaving the darn things up there.

M

[hopie144]

however... i kinda dislike calling people douchbags because they're offended by a flag not at half mast today.

I agree.

My fiance's son is in the military, and he was sent over there (to the Middle East) a couple years ago...I had a really good friend who was over there, and my cousin was sent over.

My best friend in NY is a firefighter, and thank gosh he was off that day. He went to the Towers two days after it happened and told me all about it. Devastating. Alot of people lost their lives that day, and alot of people lost loved ones.

Please don't be insensitive.

[South Texan]

They are douche bags because they are giving me hell for my not being physically able to reach into solid, half-inch thick metal to work the rope to lower the flag.

I agree. There is patriotism and then there is this kind of attitude - and I am a stickler for flag etiquette. There is no law that the flag of the United States must be flown at half-mast on September 11 or any other anniversary of a tragedy. Personally, I am surprised that anyone thinks this was something only military personnel care about.

Flying the flag at half-mast is a statement of mourning. That is very proper for this day.
Flying it at full mast also can be a statement that the United States still is strong and has stood up to and survived/defied the attack. I find that also to be proper. Maybe you could tell the complainers that that is why your flag is flown that way. It might mollify them somewhat.

[Mongo Skruddgemire]

Please don't be insensitive.

Allow me to rephrase this again.

I am not being insensitive towards the people who are upset that the flags are not at half mast. Believe me I wish I could lower them as is proper. I am an Assistant Scout Master, I am the son of Military Personnel, and I have almost lost family to the 9/11 tragedy.

I understand.

What I'm going on about is the people who turn themselves from upset people to assholes because they are yelling at me as if it were my goddamn fault that the flags are at full mast and will not stop yelling at me (to the point of spitting when they yell), who threaten to report me to my boss for not lowering the flags (whom just so happens to be the guy on a cruise with the keys), and in in the middle of me typing this post actually threatened to call the police on me for not taking the flags to half mast.

This is what we have to work with (scroll down to the Internal Halyard Aluminum Flagpoles to see a picture) and I can't get in to them.

I'm bitching about THOSE people who can't understand or are unwilling to understand that short of someone on the ship inventing a transporter or someone getting on the phone with the Doctor and borrowing his TARDIS, the flags are not able to be shifted until the boss gets back on Monday.

By which the flags should then be at full mast.

I am not being disrespectful of the people who want to give 9/11 all the reverence it deserves, I am pissed off at those people who can't see past their goddamn nose and see the reality of the situation.

[The Gatekeeper]

What a lovely report button that is.

Hmm, maybe it's so pretty people don't want to make it dirty and click on it in order to report to a mod, when they think there is something that is offensive.

That must be it, because I know that all CS members are very conscious of the rules for the site, and the constant reminders from the mods regarding the report button and calling out other members on the board.

[Fire_on_High]

Yes I know that the flags ought to be at half-mast

Small bit of flag etiquette pedantry...it's half-mast on a ship, half-staff on a land-based pole.

I feel sorry for you...you don't deserve to cop the blame for someone else's lack of thought.

[depechemodefan]

I get what Mongo Skruddgemire. I'm not offended, because I get people yelling at me for other things that I have not control over (like the library not being open tomorrow because a hurricane is going to hit us on Sat.)

[Mordecai]

They're douchebags, plain and simple. Unless they know how to work it themselves, they should shut their mouths and move on with their lives.

[protege]

They are not douche bags because they are offended by the fact that the flags aren't at half-mast.

They are douche bags because they are giving me hell for my not being physically able to reach into solid, half-inch thick metal to work the rope to lower the flag.

Exactly. Even though no offense was intended, people are still going to bitch about it. It's not like the situation can easily be remedied. I know a few people who were killed on 9/11--one of the planes landed in their office I'd probably be annoyed at the situation, but if it was explained, I'd understand. Not so with those twits. It's not the OP's fault, but he's taking the heat for it. That's what Mongo is getting at.

Also, please use the report button next time. I'd hate for this thread to turn into a mess. Thanks!

[Balgram]

Ditto with the Mongo S.

I should love to see what happens if you throw the "It's full mast because we won't give in to terrorism" approach, but mostly I just sympathize that people yell at you.

You don't deserve to be yelled at. Thank you for venting here, instead of directly to the customers.

Believe it or not, those people don't deserve being yelled at either. Rather, you don't deserve being forced to drop to their level by yelling too. This is hardly a day to yell at fellow Americans at all.

I really, really hope your day improves.

[Chromatix]

All the flagpoles I've seen have the halyards on the outside, and tied down to a normal cleat. I'm guessing that there have been "problems" with people meddling with the flags.

But I don't see why you shouldn't call the locksmith. It's his job to be able to open most locks with minimal or no damage.