My 83-year-old neighbor, Roger Feigum, passed away on July 14.
Roger was a veteran and a patriot. He bristled at the improper display of the American flag. At his funeral service, one of the stories that was told was how Roger (who retired from the U.S. Postal Service some years back) would take some of his former coworkers to task if the flag was not raised as first order of business at the Post Office each day, and lowered as the last order of business.
Since I moved to Sweet Home a year and a half ago, I too, have bristled at how often I see the American flag displayed improperly on home after home, on street after street. This, of course is not unique to Sweet Home, as I have bristled at the same issue everywhere else I have lived.
The most common error people make in the display of their flags is failing to properly illuminate them after dark. An American flag is supposed to be illuminated from below if displayed after sunset. If not so illuminated, it is supposed to be taken down at sunset.
While I acknowledge the patriotic intent, it is bothersome to me when I see the flag displayed outside of proper etiquette.
This point brings me back to Roger, the post office and the American Flag. I have mentioned, on more than one occasion, to employees at the Sweet Home Post office, that they are not displaying the American Flag properly in that they leave it up 24/7 with no lighting. So far, the message has apparently not been received.
The other night as I returned from a trip to Eugene, I drove by the post office, long after dark and found Old Glory fluttering in the darkness.
Following Roger’s funeral, I vowed to write, in his honor, to the readers of our local newspaper asking postal patrons to ask our local post office to adhere to proper flag etiquette and either retire the flag at sunset, or light it properly overnight. Heck, maybe a local electrician or contractor could volunteer to install lighting.
As a veteran and postal retiree myself, I like the idea of having one of our few government installations keeping the flag flying 24/7 (albeit with proper lighting).
Additionally, I humbly ask that private citizens learn more about proper flag display, and take care not to inadvertently disrespect the American flag. The sun is never supposed to set on our American flag. When you or I fail to light our flag at night, we are in breach of etiquette. When the Post Office fails to do so, it is a breach of U.S. Code… So, to me, it is far more egregious that our local Post Office flies the flag in the dark without lighting it.
As a retired postal employee, I understand the constant pressure local management is under to cut hours everywhere. And after they cut hours, they are told to cut even more hours.
However, the raising and lowering of the flag each day should never be sacrificed from their budgeted hours, since the American Flag represents the sacrifices of hundreds of thousands of Americans.
Gary Jarvis
Sweet Home