Flags in Mississippi will return to full staff at sunset Tuesday after being lowered to half-staff for a week in honor of the life and legacy of Dolly Parton.
However, one mayor is not terribly happy that flags in his city had to fly at half-staff in Parton’s honor.
Olive Branch Mayor Ken Adams issued a critical statement Friday, three days after the country music icon died at 80 and Gov. Tate Reeves ordered flags statewide to fly at half-staff for a full week in her honor. Reeves’ order came after President Donald Trump issued a federal order directing flags to be lowered in Parton’s honor.
“I want to make something clear about the recent decision to lower the flags for Dolly Parton,” Adams, a Republican like Reeves and Trump, said. “First, there is no question that Dolly Parton was a great person. She brought happiness to millions of people and has done tremendous things for others throughout her life. I have nothing but respect for her.
“My concern is different. I believe lowering the American flag to half-staff should mean something very significant. In my opinion, it should be reserved for our military heroes, fallen first responders, presidents, and other major national leaders, or other events that have had a tremendous impact on our country.”
Adams emphasized that his statement was not a personal attack on Parton, but a challenge to higher-ranking officials to reevaluate the significance of lowering the flags.
“If we lower the flag every time a well-known or beloved person passes away, I believe we eventually lessen the meaning of the gesture,” Adams explained. “This isn’t about disrespecting Dolly Parton. It isn’t about politics. And it certainly isn’t about saying she wasn’t a great American.”
“It’s simply my belief 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 continued. “Sometimes preserving the meaning of an honor means being selective about when we use it.”
On the more technical side, Adams said he believes local Mississippi governments should have the discretion to make these sorts of decisions under Home Rule. The law gives local governing bodies the authority to govern themselves and pass ordinances without state or national permission.
“The President can make the decision for the country. The Governor can make the decision for the State of Mississippi. I believe a mayor should have the ability to make a decision for his or her city,” Adams said. “I also don’t believe residents elected me to be a ‘salute and execute’ Mayor but to lead with conviction.”
Despite Adams’ reaffirmations and explanations, he has received significant backlash on social media. On the City of Olive Branch’s Facebook post that included the statement, nearly 3,000 comments were made with a majority criticizing or refuting Adams’ opinion.
Many of the Facebook comments include rebuttals like, “When you said ‘it’s simply my belief’, I guess you said it all. Doesn’t matter to you what the President, the Governor, or your residents believe. And ‘reserved for people who made a tremendous impact?’ Well…she was probably the most unifying figure of the past 40 years, and she donated 325 million books to kids. Sounds like an impact. What have you done?”
Other commenters wrote, “Now explain what other mayoral powers you feel you have that supersede the president’s or governor’s?” and “I’d lower it for Dolly before any politician.”
Needless to say, Adams’s opinion against honoring Parton was not well received by the public.
