Flag at half staff for Whitney Houston

[itsy]

Yes - but they don't fly flags at half staff every time a veteran passes. They did so because it was Elvis the celebrity.

So let's not use Elvis. Sinatra - Bing Crosby - Clarence Clemons (the E Street band)..... I don't remember all of the controversy until Houston. NJ will likely fly half staff when Bruce Springsteen dies or Bon Jovi........

I don't necessarily agree with it, but I'm wondering if there was this much chatter about it when it was another celeb.

I do think it's silly, however, when I see the photo of Houston next to the soldier who passed that says he got no half staff, but Houston did. WELL....if it's actually true, then folks should be writing to the governor of the state HE was in and ask why he didn't do it. Yes, it should be flown at half staff for our fallen soldiers...... but I'll repeat the quote I had up there:

"The governor [Christie] noted he has ordered flags flown at half-staff for all 31 fallen New Jersey soldiers and every fallen police officer during his time in office." It's not like Christie was neglecting our soldiers honor in his state.

 

[chickened]

I am probably not as bent over it as some but I think it was in bad taste in light of the war we are in. The flag has been under attack and people are defensive about it I am sure has some bearing on the issue.

As for Elvis it was mainly that he was a celebrity and he was much more popular too. I do remember a lot of people crying when he died and some refused to believe it. I said in another post that the lowering of the flag should be for the people that defended it. IMO

I think Christie is a standup guy though.

 

[itsy]

......

I think Christie is a standup guy though.

I'm going to go ahead and disagree with that....but it's a whole different topic, entirely!!!

 

[orientphoenix]

wow this thread

 

[Royd]

I'm going to go ahead and disagree with that....but it's a whole different topic, entirely!!!

I fear that, therein, lies the crux of most of the objection. I'm sure, if that standup governor,Corzine, had done it, not a word would have been peeped.

 

[Beekissed]

Well...Elvis did serve in the military, so one could argue that he was a veteran.

 

[conny63malies]

Well...Elvis did serve in the military, so one could argue that he was a veteran.

He donated his Army pay to charity, purchased TV sets for the base, and bought an extra set of fatigues for everyone in his outfit.If you go to Graceland sometimes, one wall is plastered with checks written to different area and national organizations, clubs, charities,hospitals..... He was known to care more about others than himself. Matter of fact his Army sergeant was the one that introduced him to drugs. But he was a Nam ERA vet that got a honorable discharge and deserved the flags flown at half staff.

 

[Sharisr32]

I guess my Problem with this is that the Governor didn't list her charitable donations as the reason he said it was because she was a "cultural icon" - What I didn't understand was it being the American Flag - Why not use the Jersey State flag ? 51 States have nothing to say about the New Jersey Flag. As a American he put OUR flag up. We do not drop or tip that flag for other countries, dignitaries Royalty , why drop it for a performer ? As far as Elvis I'd have felt the same way . We can also bet that they took a tax deduction for the charitable gifts -

 

[RHRanch]

He donated his Army pay to charity, purchased TV sets for the base, and bought an extra set of fatigues for everyone in his outfit.If you go to Graceland sometimes, one wall is plastered with checks written to different area and national organizations, clubs, charities,hospitals..... He was known to care more about others than himself. Matter of fact his Army sergeant was the one that introduced him to drugs. But he was a Nam ERA vet that got a honorable discharge and deserved the flags flown at half staff.

He was also a drug addict and likely abusive to his wife (women?).

 

[Beekissed]

Yep, probably. I personally don't feel the American flag should be dipped for pop icons or just any public figure, willy-nilly. If you are going to half mast the nation's flag it ought to stand for something other than "Hey, everyone, someone famous died and we need to show the world we are sad about it!"

It should be reserved for those who have made personal sacrifice of life to serve their country or their countrymen in some capacity other than mere entertainment. Anything less just cheapens the action so that the flag could just fly half mast all the time, which would be fitting if it has no more reverence or meaning than to dip for anything less than service to country or countrymen, great acts of heroism doing the same, a great loss during battle, etc.