Interesting little tidbit has just emerged this morning about the details of Jimmy Carter’s upcoming commemoration ceremonies, to be held in both Georgia and Washington, D.C. and to affect government buildings and naval vessels all over the world. The flags are at half mast and will remain at half mast until January 28, 2025 — meaning that when Donald Trump is sworn in, he will do so while the nation is officially mourning. Personally, I think it’s completely apropos. And if I had my way, every flag in this country and at sea would be flying upside down for the next four years, the international distress signal.
Watch that vain orange asshole raise them as soon as he is sworn in. He cares nothing for decorum or dignity. It’s all about his fragile ego.
— Danni – Decency, Justice and Right still matter. (@wyo2step) December 29, 2024
And that is precisely the question here: Will Trump decide to interfere with decorum and tradition for his own selfish purposes? I would say he’ll probably try, but it will be ugly. And the most obvious thing would be that he would order the flags to go back to full mast on the 20th, which is slighting the deceased Carter and not giving him his traditional due. But Trump may do it, because he’s a child and everything is about him.
But in so doing, he’s only going to make himself look petty, vindictive and immature — for the nth time. So will his advisors talk him out of it and persuade him to look “magnanimus” and let the flags stay at half mast? Or will America be jarred from a normal process of mourning a deceased president because the incoming one needs to take care of his ego first?
The answer will be revealed on January 20, when the yous and mes begin our sentence. I hate to look at it like that but I lived through the American Carnage demented inauguration speech on January 20, 2017 all the way through the Capitol Riot on January 6, 2021 and then Trump’s subsequent snub of Joe Biden’s inauguration. Trump sulked back to Mar-a-Lago muttering *stollen election* under his breath.
So we have seen no lack of childishness and disrespect of all our norms and traditions. Let’s see if Trump starts off on the wrong foot by disgracing himself in the eyes of the world once again. I think it’s safe to venture that under similar circumstances, if a French or Canadian leader, for example, was being sworn in, the likes of Macron and Trudeau would not only take the lowered flags in stride but would use them as a means to unify the country as the changing of the guard occurred.
That is the way of decency, maturity, and statesmanship. Ergo, expect the dead opposite from Donald Trump. Let’s see what he does. It will be most instructive, as always.
I wouldn’t rule out anything. I’m hearing all this talk about 2028…what about it? Who’s actively trying to figure out how this ‘dictator for a day’, and ‘president for life’ will be forced out of power? The Constitution? That old piece of hemp paper? He couldn’t give a rat’s ass. Where was everyone Jan 6th when the Capital was attacked by this traitor to STAY IN POWER ILLEGALLY? I’m just a peon. I sure hope those with some power have their eyes open. President Carter, as his final act, has shined a spotlight on what constitutes a true patriot, what a good and decent man looks and acts like…showing where his heart lies…what kind of fruit his life produces, as the Scripture says. Whether he was sitting in the Oval office, or had his hands in dirt on his peanut farm, he was the same man…honest, caring and true. Qualities Trump knows as much about as he does the Periodic Chart.
The massive outpouring of respect for John McCain drove Trump up the fooking wall! This will be even worse for Trumpy. I wrote the other day Trump might have hoped for a bit of flap on Friday so he could fly to DC and make a ‘Triumphant’ entrance into the Capitol and House Chamber to demand Johnson’s (or someone’s) election. Remember, the EC certification is Monday the 6th. Now all that is toast for Trumpty. Even worse, a long and distinguished list of American and foreign leaders will be in town for several days (just like with McCain) to honor Carter. Trump hates admitting it to himself but he KNOWS deep down inside how unfavorable the comparison will be for him.
So, he’ll find ways to shit on Carter’s memorial. Of that we can be sure but Carter dying when he did, allowing (still) President Joe Biden to preside over things will, even though Jimmy Carter was never such a person wind up making it a case of Carter taking an even bigger shit on Trump’s “glorious restoration to power.”
This could get interesting if Trump does what you suggest he might. I happen to think he’ll order the flags back to full mast before sundown after being sworn in. If he forgets (and no one reminds him) in all the other goings on then the next day. Where it gets interesting is the lawfulness of the order. The Flag Code says flags are to be at half-mast for 30 days after the death of a President. For a member of the military raising it to full mask would constitute an unlawful order, even if said order comes from the Commander-in-Chief. The UCMJ states a member of the military not only has the right but the duty to refuse an unlawful order.
Ok, so at the WH and other federal buildings and even on military bases both at home and abroad there are civilians who can and would do it because they support Trump. However for ships at sea there are rarely any civilians on board! Yes, sometimes there are consultants and/or specialists aboard to tend to a specific issue but for the most part it’s sailors and Marines. Maybe on a “bird farm” a few Army and Air Force types learning about logistics or Naval Aviation. If the Captain of a ship says hell no to an order to raise the flag – remember Carter was an Annapolis grad who had a sterling Navy career and is listed among their “Distinguished Graduates) any civilian who tries to be MAGA to please Trumpty will be in a world of hurt. I don’t think they go so far as to throw that silly asshat into the ship’s wake, but life it tough at sea in those cramped quarters. And there are all manner of ways sailors (and jarheads) can make someone’s life a living hell if they choose to do so.
We’ll have to wait and see, but I’m glad you brought this up because it could turn into quite a big thing if Trump acts like, well Trump!
oH true, Denis, this could get delicious, couldn’t it?
I was a jarhead. Scott Sammuel Jackson who is shall we say free with his thoughts here on PZ was a sailor. I’d imagine he’ll have thing or two to say about how things might play out on Navy ships if Trump orders the flags back to full mast before the prescribed 30 days have passed.
Shitcan it.
By what god-sent message will we be able to stop Trump’s continuous depredating of others that should be praised instead of reduced to dart board targets and ketchup bottle targets …
Our whole security, worldwide is affected by the nonsense/no-sense of, “Shit in his Pants, Trump” … Pushing the state’s own political/legal systems into the hands of ill-equipped GOP Reps and Senators, just for the numbers/control of vote outcomes, has produced the least effective, one-sided government EVER …
Like the idiot that looks down the barrel of a gun to see if it’s loaded, Trump can do anything he wants, APPARENTLY, not having any brain working for him is a useful thing, however, the leaders of the biggest countries out there that would like us to be smacked into a subservient, but useful country, with all our powers on call for them instead of our current friendly group … Trump could and always seems to say the wrong things, disrespects the internal standards of all countries and OURS as well … So, as a a Stinking’s cruel non-caring 3 year old, that can’t manage days without the stench, or stupid rhetoric, he will be banned from nearly every other country on our world …
Well said, Darrel! You’re on a roll! 😏