Posted on 02/16/2012 3:16:48 PM PST by mandaladon
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday strongly defended his decision to have the states 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 Houstons 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 didnt believe that Houstons history of substance abuse forfeited the good things she did.
I am disturbed by people who believe that because her ultimate demise and we dont know what is the cause of her death yet but because of her history of substance abuse that somehow shes forfeited the good things that she did in her life, he said, according to the AP. I just reject that on a human level.
What I would say to everybody is, There but for the grace of God go I, he added.
The cause of Houstons death is not clear, and the results on the toxicology tests taken after she died are pending.
Christie, calling Houston a daughter of New Jersey, also noted the cultural impact that the singer has had.
The Republican governor pointed out that he had ordered flags flown at half-staff for New Jerseys 31 service members killed in action and every police officer slain in the line of duty during his time in office, according to the wire service.
Last year, Christie ordered flags lowered to half-staff for Clarence Clemons, the saxophonist for Bruce Springsteens E Street Band.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Houston is NOT an alleged drug user, she WAS a drug user. She was in and out of drug rehab so much she had her own entry.
There is no indication yet that illegal drugs were involved in her death..........so until that fact is clearly substantiated, I'm calling her death an accident.
But I'm sure you have clear evidence, rather than heresay, that proves that illegal drugs were involved, right? So who is your source?
New Jersey Fats jumped the shark on this one.
I didn’t take him for a pandering slimeball last year, but with the Supreme Court appointments and now this... pee yoo.
Houston had a nearly two-decade-long drug abuse problem and ended up dead in a bathtub at 48. You can look for "evidence" if you want to, but I need no evidence to know that drugs killed Houston, whether she was high when she died or not.
FRegards,
LH
“The flag is to be flown at half staff in mourning for designated, principal government leaders and upon presidential or gubernatorial order.”
Point: it is NOT just for any “whose service to our nation went above and beyond the call of duty”. Time was it meant ONLY the highest of officials.
Although, if he lacks common sense, “presidential” (et al) order could mean anybody.
“If we flew the flag at half mast every day for them, it would lose its meaning.”
Exactly. It would be sort of wimpy. At least meaning we’re constantly in mourning, in grief and unable to carry ourselves.
I have an idea. Let’s lower the flag for every person who dies! Is the life of a mom or dad who raised and brought up their kids less important than Whitney Houston?
“Look, if Obama wanted U.S. flags flown at half staff, that would be ridiculous. But the girl was from Jersey, and she had her home there, and it is NOT for her drug addiction that she was celebrated.”
I guess you didn’t see what Tony Bennett had to say.
“Give me a straight singer who sings the anthem straight every time. “
+1
“While not the choice I’d make, it’s not my place to tell New Jersey how to handle memorializing its prominent citizens and that’s exactly what she was.”
It’s our flag they are lowering. If they want to lower the flag of New Jersey then that’s a different story.
Oh boy I dread when Springsteen kicks....We’ll never hear the end of it.....
I don’t know dude, give me ray charles.
Tony Bennett is a liberal jerk. Couldn’t care less about his opinion.
yeah, I understand they did it for Sinatra.
Might as well just leave the thing at half-staff permanently and make it a memorial protesting death, itself.
I'll second you from Pennsylvania.
People just don't read:
If folks have complaints of previous actions they need to hit on Corzine and Whitman!
"We may not like that the whole country does not have OUR moral values but that is also freedom & we must respect it."
-- Mark T. Grove
They don't call NJ "The Superfund State" for nothing.
What could he be thinking?
Well, on the other hand, he didn’t take a sofa ride with nan or show up on the tarmac with a tee shirt....so....
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