Now There's This: Los Angeles Refuses to Fly Flags at Half-Staff

Are there no depths to which Los Angeles under the mayoralty of Karen Bass will not sink?

Following the assassination of Charlie Kirk, President Trump ordered flags to be flown at half-mast at all federal facilities. Los Angeles has issued an order that all flags on city buildings and properties will remain at full-staff, regardless of the federal order.

Here, have a look:

🚨A @LAFD source has sent me this internal email, that @MayorOfLA has instructed Los Angeles city flags NOT be displayed at half staff.

“Flags shall remain raised to full staff each day … unless directed by the Mayor.”

This despite @POTUS signing a half-staff proclamation. pic.twitter.com/S5GXLBBPBm

— Anthony (@AnthonyCabassa_) September 13, 2025

Now, yes, the president's order applies to federal properties. Not to local municipalities. But not only is this a move of staggering insensitivity, but it is also almost certainly a calculated act of defiance on the part of the City of Los Angeles, simply because of the nature of Charlie Kirk's political opinions and the fact that it was President Trump who issued the order. Bear in mind also that this doesn't even leave individual facilities the option to fly flags at half-mast; this is an order directing all flags on city properties to fly at full mast. 

The city would have done better to remain silent.

We might also note that Los Angeles is the recipient of federal largesse in the form of law enforcement funding, as well as various projects from Housing & Urban Development, the federal Department of Transportation, Health and Human Services, and many more such departments and programs. 

Read More: Office Depot Actually Does Right Thing After Employees' Rejection of Charlie Kirk Memorial Poster

Feel-Good Friday: In the Wake of Charlie Kirk's Murder, Vigils and Vigilance Spread Across the Globe

The always-worth-reading DataRepublican X account had some interesting material on Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, whom we may safely assume either issued the order or, at least, approved it.

Read all about Karen Bass here: https://t.co/bhJap5SEMA

— DataRepublican (small r) (@DataRepublican) September 13, 2025

There was a time when horrible acts like the murder of a prominent political activist tended to bring people together. That time, it seems, is gone. This latest act, by the municipal government of one of our major cities, can only be seen as an open act of disrespect, not only for the Trump administration but for Charlie Kirk's widow and children. Yes, the city and Mayor Bass have the authority to do this. Yes, the president's order only legally applies to federal installations. 

But why would the city of Los Angeles do this?

Here in the Great Land, Governor Dunleavy has ordered national and Alaska state flags to be flown at half-mast in recognition of Charlie Kirk's murder. Hawaii, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Mississippi have, so far, made similar proclamations. The state of California has, as of this writing, issued no such order.

There's a difference between an act of respect for a man cut down in his prime for exercising his First Amendment rights, to engage people in conversation on the grounds of a government-funded institution - a state university - and an unacceptable act of defiance, to refuse to show that respect because of the nature of that young man's views. The first is a recognition of our common humanity; the latter, a rejection of the same.

Karen Bass and the City of Los Angeles should be ashamed of themselves; that is, had they the capacity to feel shame.