A point of annoyance.

While I admired the Pope for his force of character. I at first did not have a problem with the fact that the President ordered that Flag be lowered to half-mast. But as I went around town I began to think, "Is this right?" Since when do we honor a Foreign Head of State? For while he is a religious leader, the Vatican is a sovereign state, lead by the Pope. Are we now going to lower the flag to half-mast when the Dali Lama dies? Or any other religious/ head of state dies, like the Queen of England?

Being curious, I looked it up on the web and learned that it is within the right, if the President wishes under US Code to do this.

• United States Code
• TITLE 4 - FLAG AND SEAL, SEAT OF GOVERNMENT, AND THE STATES
• CHAPTER 1 - THE FLAG
• Section 7. Position And Manner Of Display

(m) ...By order of the President, the flag shall be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States Government and the Governor of a State, territory, or possession, as a mark of respect to their memory. In the event of the death of other officials or foreign dignitaries, the flag is to be displayed at half-staff according to Presidential instructions or orders, or in accordance with recognized customs or practices not inconsistent with law....

But it still bugs me.