Flags flew at half-staff throughout West Hollywood on Monday following the loss of life of Sen. Lindsey Graham — however the transfer shortly sparked a vicious backlash from locals.
The flags at West Hollywood Metropolis Corridor and different city-owned properties had been lowered underneath a presidential proclamation and town’s flag coverage, which requires officers to comply with federal directives for the deaths of sure public officers.
Regardless of the necessary protocol, social media erupted with criticism after information of the tribute, first reported by the WeHo Instances, unfold.
“Why would we within the metropolis of West Hollywood honor this. That is asssss backwards,” one Instagram consumer wrote.
One other added: “They need to have doubled the peak of each flagpole within the metropolis and proudly flown the flags as excessive as attainable!”
Many critics pointed to Graham’s voting report on LGBTQ+ points, noting he supported a constitutional modification that sought to ban same-sex marriage nationwide in 2006.
One commenter summarized these positions, sarcastically writing: “He known as himself ‘a proud defender of conventional marriage.’ THE END.”
Others questioned why West Hollywood — lengthy thought to be one of many nation’s most distinguished LGBTQ+ communities and residential to the enduring Rainbow District — would decrease its Satisfaction flags in honor of a senator whose report they seen as hostile to LGBTQ+ rights.
“Reducing the LGBTQ+ flag for the loss of life of a homophobic individual is simply pathetic,” one individual wrote. One other added: “West Hollywood ought to have given the president the center finger and stated, ‘No thanks.’”
Not everybody agreed with the criticism, nevertheless.
Some residents defended town, saying officers had been merely complying with authorized necessities fairly than making a political assertion.
“It’s the legislation. And all different flags should fly decrease than the American flag,” one commenter wrote.
One other added: “In the event that they don’t do that they are going to get in deep trouble. Any sitting politician who dies like this they are going to all the time do that. No have to get offended and simply transfer on together with your life.”
The controversy follows town’s adoption of an up to date flag coverage in October 2025.
Underneath the principles, city-owned flags have to be displayed in accordance with the U.S. Flag Code, that means when the American flag is ordered to half-staff, different flags displayed alongside it — together with Satisfaction flags — should even be lowered.
The coverage requires town to watch presidential orders marking the deaths of senior authorities officers. For members of Congress, together with U.S. senators, flags are lowered on the day of loss of life and the next day.
Graham, who represented South Carolina within the Senate for greater than twenty years, died all of the sudden over the weekend.
Preliminary findings launched by the health worker say an aortic dissection, which is a tear in the primary artery that carries blood away from the center, killed him.
The health worker said this was attributable to hardened arteries and heart problems. He handed away all of the sudden on the age of 71
Tributes poured in from political allies throughout each events, with many praising his many years of public service and affect on nationwide safety and international coverage.
Darline Graham Nordone, the sister of the late U.S. Senator, was appointed by South Carolina Governor Henry McMaster to serve the rest of his time period. She’s going to fill the seat as an interim senator till January 2027. South Carolina voters will select a brand new senator within the November election
