Chris Christie lowers flags for Whitney Houston

**Janice** · 02-17-2012, 12:33 AM

Chris Christie defends lower flags for Whitney Houston

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday strongly defended his decision to have the state’s flags flown at half-staff for singer Whitney Houston.

Christie had been criticized for ordering flags at state government buildings to be lowered on Saturday, the day that Houston’s funeral services would be held in Newark.

His order was criticized both by those who thought that the honor should be reserved for recently deceased soldiers, first-responders and elected officials, and by those who thought it was wrong to honor an alleged drug addict.

Christie said he didn’t believe that Houston’s history of substance abuse “forfeited the good things she did.”

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What?? The good things she did? Who in Sam Hill is Cristie Cream pandering to now? First we have ships named after Giffords, then Flags lowered for Houston. Must every American tradition be deconstructed and trivialized now? I thought that the lowering of the flag to half-mast is a ritual reserved for those who died unselfishly serving others or something like that. But this ... By this logic we should also do the same for Aretha.. Sinatra.. Billie Holliday.. I mean, whats next? Snoop Dog?

**Rockntractor** · 02-17-2012, 12:45 AM

As many times as I have heard her beautiful rendition of the national anthem, I think it is appropriate.

**Adam Wood** · 02-17-2012, 01:26 AM

Flags were lowered for Michael Jackson. They were lowered for Joe Paterno. IIRC, they were lowered here in Nashville, if not state-wide, when Johnny Cash died. While this may be over-use of the half-mast, I don't think it's out of line relative to other actions.

Perhaps the procedure should be reined-in a bit. I remember a couple of decades ago my brother flew into town. He noticed that the flags were half-mast and asked me who died. I had no clue. Later, upon research, they had been ordered lowered because some guy who had been Postmaster General for six months five years earlier had died.

In this circumstance, in this time, I don't think it's inappropriate. But maybe we should examine the whole practice a bit before the next time comes along.

**Novaheart** · 02-17-2012, 02:01 AM

Cruella tells me that the Phelps plan to pciket her funeral. Wouldn't it be funny if some of her less inhibited fans from some of the less attractive parts of New Jersey decided to take out the Phelps clan, and no one will see a thing?

**Adam Wood** · 02-17-2012, 02:04 AM

Originally Posted by Novaheart

Cruella tells me that the Phelps plan to pciket her funeral. Wouldn't it be funny if some of her less inhibited fans from some of the less attractive parts of New Jersey decided to take out the Phelps clan, and no one will see a thing?

Unavailable for comment:

**Novaheart** · 02-17-2012, 02:10 AM

Originally Posted by Janice

What?? The good things she did?

• I am not a fan of Houston so I have no idea what good things she did. She was a celebrity and a "hometown girl" so I would expect that New jersey would lower the flag the same way that Mississippi probably did when Elvis died.

Originally Posted by Janice

Who in Sam Hill is Cristie Cream pandering to now?

• Oddly, Christie would appear to be pandering to his constituency, which contrary to GOP models, is not simply those who voted for him.

Originally Posted by Janice

First we have ships named after Giffords,

Giffords was a US Congressman who was shot in the course of being a Congressman. You also have a ship out there named for George Bush, is there a problem with that?

Originally Posted by Janice

Must every American tradition be deconstructed and trivialized now?

Your assumption would need to be that flags are only lowered and ships are only named for heros. That is simply not the case. Your assumption is wrong, leading to your reaction being wrong. You are welcome to wish that these honors only be reserved for firemen who run into burning buildings to save children, or soldiers who actually do something heroic but thus far that limitation is not applied.

**mike128** · 02-17-2012, 02:17 AM

I'll never be able to figure out what people mean when they say Whitney Houston had a 'beautiful voice.' Her voice hurt my ears and all her songs were terrible! I'm serious. I always had to turn off the radio in the late 1980's everytime one of her lousy songs came on. I now have to turn off the radio, or change the TV channel every time there is a news report on Whitney Houston's death, because they play clips of those awful songs over and over again.

I do think it's very sad the way Whitney Houston ended up dying, and I feel very bad for her family. But as far as that noise pollution that she tortured me with in the late 1980's goes, good riddance!

As far as flying the flag at half mast goes, that should be reserved for self-sacrificing national heroes, not Michael Jackson or Whitney Houston.

**noonwitch** · 02-17-2012, 09:36 AM

When Aretha Franklin does die, which I hope is not for many more years, I'm pretty sure that whoever is Governor of Michigan at the time, from either party, will lower the flags to honor her. Even if the Governor doesn't, the city of Detroit will do so.

I think Christie is doing the right thing here.

**Novaheart** · 02-17-2012, 12:23 PM

Originally Posted by noonwitch

When Aretha Franklin does die, which I hope is not for many more years, I'm pretty sure that whoever is Governor of Michigan at the time, from either party, will lower the flags to honor her. Even if the Governor doesn't, the city of Detroit will do so.

I think Christie is doing the right thing here.

I think Roberta Flack makes Aretha Franklin sound like a scalded mule.

**Janice** · 02-17-2012, 12:55 PM

I can understand the state flag, but the US Flag ... not so much.

Guess the nation lost reverence a long time ago so it doesnt really matter. Its all in the eyes of the beholder now. At least its only on the state level ... so far.