Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has ordered that every one flags proceed to be flown at half-staff by the weekend, marking Charlie Kirk’s dying, a directive that has garnered liberal backlash throughout the state.
Mara Dolan, a Democratic public defender who sits on the Governor’s Council, says the conservative activist shouldn’t be honored within the Bay State as a result of he didn’t assist “Massachusetts’ historic values.”
Dolan is sticking with a stance she made on X on Thursday that “Massachusetts flags should not be lowered for Charlie Kirk,” whom she has described as “racist, sexist, (and) homophobic.”
“What happened was a terrible tragedy, a terrible tragedy for him, for his family, for his supporters and for the country,” Dolan stated in an interview on GBH’s Boston Public Radio on Friday. “There was no question about that.”
“The question is how do we respond?” she continued. “I mean, lowering the flag is a very high state honor. Do we give that to someone who disagrees and spoke out against what we believe in?”
“We believe that people should be treated equally, whether they are male or female or gay or straight or whatever it is,” she added. “We believe in education. We have free community college. He didn’t support that.”
Karissa Hand, a Healey spokesperson, informed the Herald that “state law requires the flag of the Commonwealth to be flown at half-staff in accordance with Presidential proclamations.”
Which means the American and Commonwealth of Massachusetts flags might be at half-staff at city and metropolis halls throughout the state in addition to different state-owned or -controlled buildings and state army installations by Sunday.
President Trump ordered flags lowered on Wednesday after Kirk was assassinated throughout a talking occasion at Utah Valley College. Kirk was a conservative podcaster and Trump ally. He died at age 31.
Authorities arrested Tyler James Robinson, 22, of Washington, Utah, on Friday, in reference to the taking pictures. He has been charged with suspicion of aggravated homicide, felony discharge of a firearm inflicting severe bodily hurt, and obstruction of justice.
Dolan informed Boston Public Radio that she has acquired “virtually” no blowback since she made her X publish Thursday that flags shouldn’t be lowered in Kirk’s honor. She stated she had not spoken with Healey in regards to the order.
“I have gotten an incredible amount of support,” Dolan stated. “People really appreciate the fact that I spoke up, they were really upset by this. They are grateful that someone has spoken up.”
Jim Braude, co-host of the taxpayer-funded Boston Public Radio, shared related sentiments: “I have to say, as a resident, I am offended that the flag of the state in which I live and vote has lowered to half-staff. It is troubling.”
Gov. Healey has condemned Kirk’s assassination, writing in an X publish on Wednesday: “Violence has no place in our politics — ever. What happened to Charlie Kirk is horrific and we condemn it in the strongest possible terms. The growth of political violence in our country must be stopped.”
The governor continued to share her ideas on political violence in a publish on Friday as she reshared a video clip from Friday morning’s press convention through which federal and state authorities in Utah introduced Robinson’s arrest.
Particularly, the clip is of Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, a Republican, saying, “To my young friends out there: You are inheriting a country where politics feels like rage. It feels like rage is the only option. … We can choose a different path.”
Healey said that she has labored with Cox by the Nationwide Governors’ Affiliation, gaining “a lot of respect for him.”
“This is something we all need to hear right now,” Healey stated. “For our kids and generations to come, we have to choose a calmer, more peaceful way to do politics.”
The Boston Police Division acknowledged on social media Friday morning that flags will stay at “half-staff, alongside state and city agencies,” by sundown on Sunday.
“This is in honor of Charlie Kirk, who tragically lost his life … Flags were already lowered in observance of 9/11,” BPD said in a publish that has since been deleted. The division and Mayor Michelle Wu’s press workplace didn’t reply to a Herald inquiry on why the publish was deleted.
This all comes as not less than three faculty districts throughout the Bay State – Sharon, Framingham and Wachusett Regional – are conducting investigations into lecturers who made heinous feedback on social media celebrating Kirk’s assassination.
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