South Carolina sheriff refuses to lower flag for Mandela

 The U.S. flag flew high outside Pickens County sheriff's office in South Carolina on Monday. This was in defiance of an order from President Barack Obama to lower all flags in memory of the South African leader Nelson Mandela, who just recently pasted. Sheriff Rick Clark said he believed the lowering of the flag to half-staff was a tribute that should be reserved for U.S. citizens."To show a sign of respect for what Nelson Mandela's done, I have no problem with lowering it in South Africa, in their country," he told a local television station."But in our country, it should be the people, in my opinion, who have sacrificed for our country." On Friday, the sheriff's office flag flew at half-staff in honor of a South Carolina law enforcement officer who was killed in the line of duty.It then remained lowered through Pearl Harbor Day on Saturday until Monday when it was then raised again. The sheriff's office then said Clark would have no further comment beyond what he had already told a local TV reporter.

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Obama ordered flags to be flown at half staff until sunset Monday.

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