Kevin Drum is a bit bothered by public flags flying half mast for John Paul II.

I work for a The Università di Roma "Tor Vergata" a public entity in Italy. On my way to work, I took a detour because one of the roads on the campus was partly closed for some reason related to tents housing young people who have come to the funeral in fairly near by Rome. This follows the huge immense millenium celebration on our campus and Popestock the relatively small free rock concert featuring John Paul II and Bono Vox.

Actually I don't mind at all. Partly that's because the funeral appears to be causing a situation in Rome (which I am not about to personally witness) somewhere in between a major traffic jam and a minor humanitarian crisis.

Update: there is a public holiday in Rome for the Pope's funeral. In fact my public University in the suburbs is closed too. No separation of Church and State here.