Quick gut check: what gets a state flag lowered to half-staff for five straight days in North Carolina? Apparently, not just fallen soldiers, not just murdered cops, not just the anniversary of the worst terrorist attack in American history — but also Gloria Steinem.
Governor Josh Stein ordered flags down from sunrise September 6 through sunset September 10 to honor Steinem, who died last week at 92. Days later, those same flags came back down for Patriot Day and the 25th anniversary of 9/11. Same pole. Same governor. Same gesture. One event killed nearly 3,000 Americans in a single morning. The other wrote for Ms. magazine.
Stein's explanation:
"Steinem was a powerhouse journalist and advocate for freedom and equality,” Stein said. “Her work inspired so many and helped women in the United States and across the world make real strides.”
Translation: she spent fifty years insisting abortion should be legal with zero restrictions, at any stage, for any reason — and that's apparently a state-honors-worthy legacy in Josh Stein's North Carolina.
Voters noticed the math didn't add up. A Republican mayor told cities and businesses to simply ignore the order, and plenty of residents did the same online, with one cutting straight to it: they weren't about to "honor baby killers."
The order carries zero legal weight off state property, which is the only reason most of North Carolina kept its flags exactly where they belong — all the way up.
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