After the announcement of former South African President Nelson Mandela's death Thursday, President Barack Obama ordered flags be flown at half-mast until Dec. 9.
Friday afternoon, Sheriff Rick Clark of Pickens County, S.C., said on Facebook he would refuse to lower his flag for Mandela, who "did great things for his country and was a brave man but he was not an AMERICAN!!!"
UPDATE: Local reporter Mike Ellis reached Clark on his cell phone. Ellis tweeted that Clark stood by his decision and "would not've lowered flag for pope's death, feels it is an honor for Americans."