I support peaceful protests, but I’m having a difficult time with flying an American flag upside down to demonstrate an objection. 

Since it was brought to my attention that Superior Walls owner Stacey Harvey flipped his American flag, I’ve been attempting to examine my feelings on the subject in order to isolate exactly why I’m so opposed to it. I pass it at least twice a day – sometimes four times a day – and it’s like an irritation each and every time. 

Why does it bother me?  

After long consideration, I think I’ve figured out why. The reason given to me by Harvey via text was, “I feel that this country is in dire straits currently ... when one cannot count on election integrity, you have no representative republic and that is what we are, or have been.”

Respect for the flag dictates that displaying a U.S. flag upside down is “a signal of dire distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.” When used during any other times, it can be viewed as an act of desecration. 

While I’m not privy to what’s going on behind the gates of Superior Walls, the property doesn’t seem to be in a danger. I saw Stacey Harvey when he was sworn into office as a McMinnville alderman and his life didn’t seem to be in danger. 

Stacey’s Harvey’s candidate, if the Trump 2020 flag flying on the same pole is any indication, is on the losing end of this election. That fact does not rise to the level of dire distress and thus, does not warrant an American flag to be flown upside down. 

That is why I’m so bothered by it: This upside down flag is purely a protest to the election results. If Trump had won, those flags would be upright. 

As I’m looking back over the last two decades alone, there have been many, many instances when one could accurately perceive the country was in dire distress. 

Just to name a few: The 9/11 attacks by an extremist terrorists group against the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, America went into a deep recession in 2008-09 (the worst economy since the Great Depression), the 2016 New York and New Jersey bombings, there have been 11 mass deadly school shootings (not including Columbine High School in 1999), and COVID-19 disrupted lives, continues to push hospital systems to capacity, and created an economic slowdown. 

Feel how you want to about Donald Trump – love or hate. It matters not to me. 

What bothers me is we have had many instances over the last 20 years that rose to the level of our country being in distress and American flags were not turned upside down. Yet, let Trump lose an election and that’s an instance of extreme danger to life or property? I disagree.

Standard reporter Lisa Hobbs can be reached at 473-2191.