Question:Do you agree with governor Chris Christie's decision to fly the flag at half mast as a memorial to Whitney Houston? Why or why not?
Answer: A flag flying at half staff indicates the mourning of a public official, a fireman, a policeman, a war hero... Someone who has served the public. A president, a representative, and yes, a fallen soldier (although if we were to memorialize every man and woman lost in battle the flag would be at half mast every day, and who's to say that wouldn't be appropriate, but these heroes fight for the freedom that is symbolized by the flag, it's more a memorial for them that it fly high because they gave their lives so that it might).
A half mast flag should be reserved for someone to whom all members of the community/country owe a debt of gratitude to. With all due respect to Whitney Houston, she was a pop star. A talented pop star. How many other talented musicians and artists have died without notice from anyone but longtime fans? Or even big name stars that everyone has heard of? They made music that appealed to a segment of the population.
Those of us who are indifferent to her music? What has she ever done for us? The soldier died for us. The president kept the country running. The governor spoke for us. The senator/congressman took our concerns to the corridors of power. The policeman protects and serves. The fireman risks his life battling the forces of nature. Whitney Houston? She had a slew of hits early in her career. She made a movie that received, for the most part, universal bad reviews, she tried really, really hard to make a comeback, with no success, in what was very likely an attempt to keep her name in the public eye she participated in a reality television show in which she displayed many less-than-admirable character issues...you'd be more likely to see her on the cover of the National Enquirer than Billboard...
I don't mean to belittle her or cheapen her career accomplishments...God knows there are few out there who would not give an arm or a leg for the success she had. My point is that we don't owe her anything.
I know I don't. I am sensitive enough to feel saddened by her loss, just as I would the passing of anyone who I knew, in the real world or through the vehicle of pop culture, television, radio, etc. But I will not mourn her. I will not grieve her, any more than I would grieve for the people whose names and pictures I see in the obituary column of the newspaper. It's not because I didn't appreciate her music (I don't) or even that I don't appreciate her contributions to music in general (although I'm hard pressed to come up with any). I simply can't figure out, for the life of me, why I should care. It boggles my mind that so many do, on such a massive scale.
Still I'd be willing to bet that there are more people in this country who could care less. Who never bought a Whitney Houston CD. Who never took notice when one of her songs came on the radio. People to whom her music never spoke. She didn't owe that to us, it's true. But she didn't do it for us, either.
I could care less about the fact that she used drugs. That's not the point, at least it's not for me...I think it probably is a valid point, but it's not the main one that keeps me from patting Chris Christie on the back and congratulating him for recognizing Whitney Houston as "New Jersey's native daughter". I mean, that's the most legitimate reason I've heard for lowering the flag. I can see the logic in it. But when it's all said and done I still have to stick with my original position that she simply hasn't met the requirements.
IMHO, because I don't make the rules.
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