Posted on 02/15/2012 6:38:11 AM PST by doyle
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie announced Tuesday that he plans to order flags on public buildings to fly at half-staff on the day of Whitney Houston's funeral to honor the songstress and Jersey native.
"Whitney Houston was an important part of the cultural fabric of this state," Christie said during a press release Tuesday. Christie also said the pop legend belongs in the same category as Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and Bruce Springsteen.
He said he will sign the order later in the week after Houston's family makes a final decision regarding time and place of the funeral.
A Newark church pastor announced Tuesday that that a private funeral will be held for the popstar on Saturday at Newarl's New Hope Baptist Church, where Houston sang
Brett Favre's first season. I remember it fondly.
Not a fan of her music, but I'd still take her songs over Springsteen's.
Right, and whom is the governor to judge her as being a person whose death to hold high?
She lived life within her ideals. They are not mine nor the people of most of this country. RIP, period. No adulation needed or necessary.
But, flying the National Colors at half-staff for an entertainer who essentially killed herself on drugs is totally inappropriate.
She was a drug addict and likely died due to a mix of drugs (either leagal or illegal) and alcohol. Her two day bender all around town prior to her death was well documented.
She should be acclaimed for her talent but her life should be shown as an example of what substance abuse can do to you.
Oh great. The timing is terrible. I am visiting friends in Point Pleasant Beach on Saturday. Well hopefully the flags will be back to their appropriate place by then. I agree this is unsat for reasons that the military folks don’t get the same treatment most of the time.
Good grief. This is a bad as naming a Navy ship after Gabi Giffords.
Public places include SCHOOLS. So lower the flag to honor a great New Jersey native who also happened to be screwed up by drugs and alcohol.
In the United States, the President can issue an executive order for the flag of the United States to be flown at half-staff upon the death of principal figures of the United States government, and others, as a mark of respect to their memory. When such an order is issued, all government buildings, offices, public schools and military bases are to fly their flags at half-staff. Under federal law (4 U.S.C. § 7(f)), the flags of states, cities, localities, and pennants of societies, shall never be placed above the flag of the United States; thus, all other flags also fly at half-staff when the U.S. flag has been ordered to fly at half-staff.
Governors of the several U.S. states or territories are authorized by federal law to order all U.S. and state flags in their jurisdiction flown at half-staff as a mark of respect for a state official or resident who has died. Since a governor’s executive order affects only his or her state, not the entire country, these orders are distinguished from presidential proclamations.
OOOOOOOOOOOooooooooooh!!
Pure crass politics.
No way a singer should get half staff.
yes, I believe they do this for NJ soldiers.
There is a joke going around and I got it on my phone...it’s a picture of a lighter and above the lighter is a spoon and the caption says...Candlelight vigil for Whitney, keep it lit. Haha
Amen. She had talent and a VOICE. Springsteen just screamed and shouted. Whitney had a voice. A true, pure, voice.
This sends a great message to kids who are more and more facing the choices of drug use.
I’ve been thinking about Christie’s flag-lowering a lot this morning, and have concluded it makes great sense with either of the following scenarios:
1. Christy is sending a strong, defiant message to Rex Ryan that there is only room for one top buffoon in the North-East: Chris Christie.
2. Christie is simply preparing the state for the inevitable week-long statewide shutdown when Uncle Floyd passes away (hard to understand if you are not from NJ).
Will they be giving her a 21 gram salute?
Look, since Whitney Houston went "one toke over the line" a few days ago somewhere around a thousand people have died from their inability to overcome drug or alcohol addiction. It happens to people of every station in society, not just sterno bums who live under bridges. Every one of them was somebody's spouse, parent, child, sibling, friend...whatever. Everyone of those deaths was equally senseless. Almost none of them will provide a chance for an impact beyond a small circle of people.
Oh for... *
... a friggin’ celebrity.
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