Texas preacher defies Trump’s Dolly Parton order — raises flag himself

BS BULLETIN:

Texas street preacher David Grisham raised the American flag at the Borger Post Office back to full staff Sunday, deliberately defying President Trump’s order that flags remain at half-staff to honor Dolly Parton.
Grisham called the presidential tribute “repulsive and offensive,” arguing that half-staff honors should be reserved for military heroes and public servants — not “country western stars.”
Trump ordered flags lowered at federal buildings, military installations and U.S. facilities abroad through Sept. 1 following Parton’s death at 80.

Apparently, even lowering the flag for Dolly Parton can start a political fight in America.

Texas street preacher David Grisham took matters — and Old Glory — into his own hands Sunday when he discovered the American flag flying at half-staff outside the Borger Post Office.

President Trump had ordered it there.

Grisham put it back up.

“What I’ve done here is they were flying this flag at half-mast under the orders of the president, half-mast for Dolly Parton,” Grisham explained in a video documenting his protest.

“And since she’s never served in the United States government in any capacity officially, I don’t think this is an appropriate way to honor her.”

Grisham untied the flag and ran it back to the top of the pole.

“I don’t think it’s the United States government’s business to honor some country western star,” he said. “Many of our troops don’t get this honor.”

“This honor should be reserved for people that have served our country valiantly, and not for country western stars.”

Trump issued his proclamation Aug. 25 following Parton’s death at age 80.

“As a mark of respect for the memory of Dolly Parton,” Trump ordered American flags flown at half-staff at the White House, federal buildings, military posts, naval stations and American diplomatic facilities around the world through sunset Sept. 1.

Grisham’s objection went beyond the traditional rules surrounding half-staff honors.

In an earlier social-media post, the preacher called Trump’s order “REPULSIVE and OFFENSIVE” and described Parton as a “fake Christian” because of her support for gay marriage and the LGBT community.

He argued that her positions conflicted with Christianity and said the flag tribute was inappropriate.

Grisham is a military veteran and a street preacher with a history of headline-making demonstrations.

In 2023, he showed up outside an Amarillo elementary school dressed as the Grinch carrying a sign declaring, “Santa is Fake. Jesus is Real.”

More recently, he clashed with Fort Worth police while preaching outside a Pride event.

And Grisham wasn’t entirely alone in objecting to Trump’s Dolly tribute.

Olive Branch, Mississippi, Mayor Ken Adams also refused to lower city flags.

“I believe lowering the American flag to half-staff should mean something very significant,” Adams wrote.

Adams said he believes the honor should generally be reserved for military heroes, fallen first responders, presidents, major national leaders and events with an extraordinary national impact.

“If we lower the flag every time a well-known or beloved person passes away, I believe we eventually lessen the meaning of the gesture,” he said.

There is another side to the argument.

Parton may never have held government office or worn a military uniform, but she had a long record of supporting American service members, including performing for troops and participating in a Grand Ole Opry broadcast watched by troops serving in Iraq.

Her philanthropy also stretched far beyond country music, most famously through the Imagination Library, which has distributed hundreds of millions of books to children.

Trump apparently believed that record — along with Parton’s extraordinary place in American culture — warranted a national tribute.

Grisham didn’t.

So while the president lowered the flag for Dolly Parton, a Texas preacher drove to the post office and raised it right back up.