[PW] Texas Flag Question (was Re: U.S. flag never at half-mast)

[Staci Priest]

Sherrie, 

As another Native Texan, I'd like to ask for clarification here.  For reference:

Texas government code, Title 11, section3100.055
"If the state flag and the flag of the United States are displayed on flagpoles or flagstaffs at the same location: (1) the flags should be displayed on flagpoles or flagstaffs of the same height;"

Please also reference the Texas Almanac dated 2006 states the Texas Flag code as follows:
"When flown from adjacent flagpoles, the national flag and the state flag should be of approximately the same size and on flagpoles of equal height, and the national flag should be on the flag's own right (observer's left). "

The Texas Flag code can be found here: http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/ref/abouttx/flagcode.html

The Texas flag can be flown at the same height as the U.S. flag.

However, what I do not know for certain is if other states have this right or not.  Do you?  Arkansas Secretary of State site states that the U.S. flag should be placed "in the position of highest honor (the observer's extreme left or the highest point in a grouping of flags). "  This would imply that they do, indeed, place the US Flag higher than their state flag.  Here is the site for this information http://www.sos.arkansas.gov/educational_ar_flag.html#other.  I lived in Oklahoma for awhile and I know that I never saw their flag at the same level as a US Flag.  I know, I looked trying to verify this rumor myself.   I couldn't, however, find their state display rules online.

Sincerely,
Staci
 
*********************************************************************************** 
I am only one, but I am still one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.
~Helen Keller
 




----- Original Message ----
From: Sherrie Langston Hardin <Sherrie.Hardin at sanantonio.gov>
To: list at project-wombat.org
Sent: Thursday, January 4, 2007 9:59:30 AM
Subject: [PW] Re: U.S. flag never at half-mast


The moon may be the only one because it's not true for The Alamo. I
haven't been downtown in a couple of weeks so I hadn't had an
opportunity to check out the U.S. flag there so I called. "It's flying
at half-staff right now for President Ford" was the answer. The woman I
spoke with had never heard that question before, as neither had I until
today.

I'm a native Texan and by nature we are an inordinately proud lot, but
we're not nearly as boastful as most believe. There's also a rumor
floating around that by law Texas is the only state allowed to fly its
flag at the same level as the Stars and Stripes. Not true, and the only
folks I've ever heard that from are non-Texans.

I think the question is among one of those wonderful urban legends with
an ugly heard to rear when opportunity presents.

-- Sherrie

Sherrie Langston Hardin
Librarian
Oakwell Branch - San Antonio Public Library System
4134 Harry Wurzbach Rd.
San Antonio, Texas  78209
210-828-2569

Perhaps no place in any community is so totally democratic as the town
library. The only entrance requirement is interest.
-- Lady Bird Johnson
_______________________________________________
Project Wombat
list at project-wombat.org
http://www.project-wombat.org/