A Mississippi mayor found himself at the center of controversy after saying he thought it was inappropriate to lower the American flag to half-mast for Dolly Parton after her death, as a number of people backtracked on the statement.
Following Parton’s death last week at the age of 80, President Donald Trump ordered American flags flown at half-mast until September 1 in her memory.
On Friday, Olive Branch Mayor Ken Adams posted a statement on the city’s Facebook page He said that while he respected Parton and thought she was “a wonderful person,” he believed the decision to lower the flag in memory of the beloved entertainer was misguided.
“I believe lowering the American flag to half-staff should mean something very important,” Adams said. “In my opinion, this should be reserved for our military heroes, fallen first responders, presidents and other great national leaders, or for events that have had a tremendous impact on our country.
“If we lower the flag every time a famous or loved person passes away, I believe we ultimately diminish the significance of the gesture.”
The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives from the city of Olive Branch for further comment on the story.
A Mississippi mayor was at the center of controversy after saying he thought it was inappropriate to lower the American flag to half-mast for Dolly Parton after her death because a number of people opposed the declaration.
Adams faced significant opposition from commentators who disagreed with his assessment of the merits of lowering the flag for Parton
Adams said he believes local officials “should have the ability to use our own judgment when necessary.”
The mayor said the issue “is not about disrespecting Dolly Parton… and it’s certainly not about saying she wasn’t a great American.”
“I simply believe that the American flag at half-staff is one of the highest honors we can give, and I believe that honor should be reserved for truly extraordinary circumstances.”
He concluded the statement by saying that “preserving the meaning of an honor sometimes means being selective in its use.”
It was not immediately clear whether Adams had lowered the city’s flag during his statement.
Adams faced significant opposition from commentators who disagreed with his assessment of the merits of lowering the flag for Parton.
“I would set the threshold lower for Dolly than any politician,” said one user, while another said Parton “did more for kids than any politician has ever done,” adding that it elevates her status “from ‘just a celebrity.’
One commenter noted how Adams said the honor “should be reserved for people who have had a huge impact?”
On Friday, Olive Branch Mayor Ken Adams posted a statement on the city’s Facebook page saying that while he respected Parton and believed she was “a wonderful person,” he believed the decision to lower the flag in memory of the beloved entertainer was misguided.
Adams was heavily criticized by a number of commentators on the social media platform
One called Parton “the most unifying figure of the past 40 years… [who] she has donated 325 million books to children,” adding, “Sounds like an impact… what have you done?”
One user said, “As a veteran and first responder, I am 100% okay with lowering the flags for Dolly. She gave her time and money to the military and several organizations. She deserved this.’
A number of commentators insinuated that Adams had not done himself any favors politically by taking the stand on Parton.
“This post just made my pick for the next election if he’s in the running,” said one user, while another added, “I think elected officials often forget that they are ELECTED.”
One user suggested they “remember this when the next election comes around.”
Several users listed decades of efforts Parton had made on behalf of the U.S. military and charitable organizations, while one noted that a precedent had been set in a similar vein.
“Flags were lowered to half staff when Bob Hope died,” the user said. ‘So this action is not unique to Dolly. It’s a sign of respect for someone who represents the best of America.”
Some marveled at Adams’ decision-making in making the post.
Numerous users cited Parton’s performance to justify their support for the decision, comparing her to others who had the flag lowered in their minds.
Some users said they agreed with what Adams had said
One commenter said, “There are certain times when it’s best to just say nothing. This is one of those occasions.”
Another said: ‘At any point while you were writing this, did you think to yourself, “This could be a bad idea?”
A small portion of users said they agreed with what Adams had said.
One person commented, “If we’re going to start raising the flags for everyone who has done wonderful things, we might as well keep them at half-staff every day.”
Another commentator said it is crucial to “preserve some of our traditions as they were originally intended, rather than allowing selective relativism to apply to everything.”
