January 23, 2005

Governor Sebelius Insensitive 
Regarding Flag Flying at Half Staff to Honor Murdered Sheriff

Greenwood County Sheriff Matt Samuels was shot and killed on January 19 while serving an arrest warrant.  The funeral will be today at 2 PM at Eureka High School.  See this Officer Down Memorial page. 

The death of a sheriff in Kansas murdered in the line of duty is a big deal and rare -- this hasn't happened in over 50 years..  The Wichita Eagle recently gave the list of 20 sheriffs killed in Kansas in its 144 year history.

BUT, Governor Sebelius is discouraging the shocked citizens of Greenwood  County from flying their flags at half staff out of respect for their slain sheriff:

“Sheriff’s Shooting Rattles His County”
Wichita Eagle, Jan 21, 2005.
Flags throughout Greenwood County remained at half-staff Thursday as residents paid no heed to the statement issued by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius. She encouraged Kansans to follow federal protocol and "fly their flags proudly on behalf of the United States of America and Sheriff Samuels' dedicated service" in the usual position.

She [Sebelius] said flags would be lowered in May for Peace Officers Memorial Day, which she will dedicate to Samuels this year. 

The Capital-Journal reported this weak excuse from Sebelius:

Nicole Corcoran, a spokeswoman for Governor Kathleen Sebelius, said in a statement that the governor's office had been contacted about ordering that the U.S. flag be flown at half-staff -- but would be unable to do so until May. 

"Federal protocol calls for the flag to be flown at half-staff on Peace Officers Memorial Day, in May each year to honor officers who have fallen in the line of duty," the statement read in part. "Governor Sebelius will dedicate this Peace Officers Memorial Day to Sheriff Samuels."

I don’t think it takes an attorney to understand the federal laws about the flag (36 U.S.C. 173-178) (see www.usflag.org/us.code36.html#175)

United States Code, Title 36, Chapter 10
§175. Position and manner of display

(m) … In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff.

Why didn’t Governor Sebelius issue a proclamation for all flags in Kansas to be flown at half staff  to show respect for the late Sheriff Matt Samuels?  Why wait till May 15th?  (May 15th was established as Peace Officer’s Memorial Day by an Act of Congress)

K a n s a s M e a d o w l a r k @ e f g 2 . c o m