Quote Originally Posted by jon1959 View Post
My point was that they appear to be doing it with their flags that can be seen by Canadians across the River Niagara. AZ has helpfully confirmed that there is no flag lowering in his state. So it seems to be less a general sign of respect than a message to their neighbours.

You also say they do it ‘in some cases’. I suppose that is just you guessing? Have they ever done it before? I doubt they were lowering the Stars and Stripes in the border states last time a former Mexican head of state died. Or did they?

There is no doubt the queen was Premier League when it came to heads of state - for longevity and the number of independent state that still had her as head - but it still seems an odd decision by the USA officials to me.
Came from a Proclamation from Joe Biden last week:

"As a mark of respect for the memory of Queen Elizabeth II, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, on the day of interment."

https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-...-elizabeth-ii/

Am not sure AZ said that but, the flags are also at half mast on the old Arizona state capitol and it seems state wide
https://twitter.com/RyanKronberg/sta...681217/photo/1
https://twitter.com/ArizonaDOA/statu...83106568912896

I don't know how common it is, but it was done for Mandela also.
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-...oreign-leaders