主题：华国锋逝世是否要下半旗 -- littles
老兄引用的那段不是关于前总统的。放狗搜了一下，得到结果如下：
原文出处：美国国旗和国徽法
第一章,第七款,第m条规定如下：
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.
In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff.
The flag shall be flown at half-staff 30 days from the death of the President or a former President; 10 days from the day of death of the Vice President, the Chief Justice or a retired Chief Justice of the United States, or the Speaker of the House of Representatives; from the day of death until interment of an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court, a Secretary of an executive or military department, a former Vice President, or the Governor of a State, territory, or possession; and on the day of death and the following day for a Member of Congress.
。。。。。。
这里第一段说的是如果总统下令，则为去世的政府首脑降半旗。但这里的政府首脑并不包括总统和前总统和其他几个主要官员。因为后面对他们有详细的规定。第二段说如果是其他官员或外国人去世了，可以根据总统令或者习俗在不违反法律的前提下降半旗。第三段说各州的州长有权下令为本州的现任或前任政府官员下半旗。
第四段是重点，详细规定了应为不论是否在任的总统、副总统、不论是否在任的最高法院的大法官、现任的众议院议长、最高法院的法官、各政府部门的部长（国务卿）、州长、议员下半旗，并规定了下半旗的时间长度。（例如总统不论在任与否都是 30 天，现任副总统 10天 等等）。
所以美国法律是规定要为前总统下半旗 30 天的。至于你翻译的所谓的“可以 （may）”是指州长的职权范围。
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