9-11 flag etiquette proves elusive

As the nation prepares to mark the first anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, mixed signals about how to fly the American flag Wednesday are unfurling among federal, city and county offices.

In a proclamation delivered earlier this week declaring Wednesday as “Patriot Day 2002,” President Bush called on governors and officials of governmental units to fly the flag at half-staff. He also encouraged Americans to fly the flag at half-staff at their homes.

Something in that proclamation wasn’t quite understood by the district office that oversees U.S. post offices in the area, including Lawrence.

Bill Reynolds, Lawrence postmaster, said he received two directives regarding flag-flying on Sept. 11. One decreed flying the flag at half-staff; the other at full staff.

“I would imagine we will probably be flying it at half-staff,” he said Friday.

The city of Lawrence had not received any official directives about the flag from the Governor’s Office or the White House. So city spokeswoman Lisa Patterson had this response to how the flags at City Hall and other city venues would be displayed:

“I don’t have an answer right now. Usually we get these (directives) only one or two days ahead of time.”

Douglas County buildings will fly the flag at half-staff, a county official said.

Regardless of how the governmental entities will fly their flags, businesses in Lawrence are being encouraged to follow Bush’s proclamation and fly the flag at half-staff.

A reminder to lower the flag on Wednesday went out Friday in an e-mail report to businesses from the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce.

“We had talked about doing something, and this is a very good thing to remind people to do,” said Kathy Bechtel, the chamber’s communications director.

The president’s proclamation can be read at www.whitehouse.gov.