Okay this is a recent Political event. A few days ago New Jersey Governor Chris Christie lowered the Flags to half staff in his state, in honor of Whitney Houston. Many people are in uproar over this saying it is a right that should be reserved for veterans only. I am maling this its own thing instead of putting it in our Whitney Houston thread so we can discuss flag lowering in general. However since Houston is mentioned I am putting it in Political/Current instead of Philosophy, but Mods move at your leisure. So what are your thoughts? I think it is a bit early to throw a fit over remembering Houston. She also did sing one of the greatest renditions of the US anther TEN days after the Gulf War started. Thoughts?
Huston's contributions to the US nonwithstanding, she, to my knowledge, in no way earned the honour of having the national flag lowered to half staff. Men and women in uniform have bled and died on foreign soils and earned it. Huston may have been a great singer, but she was not worthy of this prestigeous act. Flag lowering is a sign of respect and rememberance of loss. It should be entreated upon those who have served their country and their people above and beyond the call of duty.
Upon presidential proclamation, which has recently included: the interment of Frank Buckles,[21] the death of Senator Ted Kennedy;[22] the remembrance of the 9/11 attacks[23] the death of Pope John Paul II,[24] the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster in 2003,[25] the victims of Hurricane Katrina,[26] the Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami,[27] the deaths of Coretta Scott King[28] and Rosa Parks,[29] Virginia Tech massacre,[30] and the Fort Hood massacre. Yea she relly fits in with them....
The man who died to protect his country - forgotten. The singer who overdosed on drugs like a dumbass - honored. Also, I'm pretty sure the New Jersey governor has more important business to attend to. Perhaps the Gay Marriage bill he's vetoing/vetoed? I don't remember if he's done it yet.
It is vitally important that we all mourn for her. Yes she was a drooling junkie, but she was also pretty, rich and famous. She touched all of our lives, because she was on the telly. Not like that Mother Teresa. Ugh, she was so old and not very good-looking. And she wasted all that time helping the poor when she should have been more concerned with buying nice clothes and make-up so that pretty, rich and famous people would like her better. God bless the USA, because Whitney Houston lives in it.
Being in New Jersey, I could tell you something about why he vetoed (he just did yesterday) the bill. Although I do not agree with him vetoeing it, I can completely understand why he did it. Also, he said he plans to let the people vote on it, because he feels this is a decision that the people should make. That being said, the reason I like Christie is because he sticks to his personal beliefs, and he did that with this. Anyway back to Whitney Houston and putting the flags at half staff, he did this for Clarence Clemons (popular saxofinist in the E-Street Band) and even though I did not agree to him doing it for Clemons either, I feel like he felt that since he did it for another popular New Jersey singer, he should do it for Houston.
