Olive Branch Mayor Ken Adams has sparked widespread backlash after opposing orders to lower the American flag for country music icon Dolly Parton following her death.
Following Parton's passing last week at the age of 80, President Donald Trump ordered American flags to be flown at half-staff until September 1 in her memory, calling her death a profound loss for millions.
On Friday, Adams posted a statement on the town's Facebook page saying that while he respected Parton and thought she was "a great person," he believed the decision to lower the flag in memory of the beloved entertainer was misguided.
Mayor Adams defends flag policy
"I believe lowering the American flag to half-staff should mean something very significant," Adams said in his statement.
"In my opinion, it should be reserved for our military heroes, fallen first responders, presidents and other major national leaders, or events that have had a tremendous impact on our country," the mayor added.
Adams further argued that overusing the tribute diminishes its power. "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 stated.
The mayor said he feels local officials should have "the ability to use our own judgment when appropriate" regarding flag protocol.
Adams insisted his position was not a personal slight against the legendary singer. The mayor said that the issue "isn’t about disrespecting Dolly Parton.. and it certainly isn’t about saying she wasn’t a great American."
"It’s simply my belief that the American flag at half-staff is one of the highest honors we can give, and I believe that honor should be reserved for truly extraordinary circumstances," Adams continued.
He wrapped up the statement by writing that "sometimes preserving the meaning of an honor means being selective about when we use it."
It was not immediately clear whether or not Adams had the town's flag lowered amid his statement.
The Daily Mail has reached out to representatives for the city of Olive Branch for further comment on the story.
Social media users push back
Adams faced heavy criticism and significant pushback from commenters who disagreed with his assessment on the merits of lowering the flag for Parton.
"I’d lower it for Dolly before any politician," one user wrote in response to the Facebook post.
Another commenter said that Parton "did more for children than any politician ever has," adding that her extensive charitable contributions raise her status "from 'just a celebrity.'"
One commenter highlighted the mayor's own criteria, asking how Adams could write that the honor should be "reserved for people who made a tremendous impact?"
Another user dubbed Parton "the most unifying figure of the past 40 years.. [who] she donated 325 million books to kids," adding, "Sounds like an impact.. what have you done?"
A veteran and first responder also criticized the mayor's stance. "As a veteran and first responder I’m 100% ok with lowering the flags for Dolly. She gave her time and money to the military and multiply organizations. She earned this," the user wrote.
Commenters also marveled at the mayor's decision to air his views publicly. "There are certain times when it’s best to just say nothing. This is one of those occasions," one commenter noted. Another asked, "At anytime while you were writing this, did you think to yourself, 'this might be a bad idea?'"
Electoral warnings and precedent
A number of commenters insinuated that Adams had not done himself any favors politically with his stance on Parton.
"This post just made my choice for next election, if he is in the running," one user wrote. Another added, "I think elected officials tend to forget they are ELECTED," while a third urged residents to "remember this when elections come back around."
Multiple users listed off decades of efforts Parton had made toward the U.S. military and charitable organizations, citing her philanthropy to justify lowering the flag.
One user pointed out that precedent existed for honoring entertainers in this manner. "Flags were lowered to half staff when Bob Hope died," the user noted. "So this action is not unique for Dolly. It’s a sign of respect for someone who represents the best of America."
A small fraction of users said they agreed with what Adams had stated. One person wrote, "If we start lowering the flags for everybody that’s done wonderful things then we might as well Keep them half staff every day."
Another commenter agreed it was pivotal to "keep some of our traditions as they were originally intended instead of having selective relativism apply to everything."
Tributes follow country icon passing
The country music legend's death shocked the world and came after months of health woes that saw her pull out of a string of public appearances, fueling fan fears for her well-being.
The star's death was first confirmed Tuesday in an Instagram video posted by her nephew Bryan Seaver, who also acted as her head of security.
On Tuesday, Parton's representatives revealed she died following a "brief battle with cancer" in a statement to People, though they did not disclose what type of cancer it was.
Fellow stars paid tribute following the news, including Hillary Clinton, Sarah Jessica Parker, Reba McEntire, Maren Morris, Kacey Musgraves, Khloe Kardashian and more.
Parton, widely recognized as the queen of country music, leaves behind a towering musical legacy, having written hundreds of classic songs and founded the Imagination Library, a global literacy program that has gifted hundreds of millions of books to young children.
Olive Branch is a city located in DeSoto County, Mississippi, situated just south of the Tennessee state line near Memphis.
