Should flags fly at half-staff for Whitney Houston?

Hell No !

Sorry if I am blunt,or insensitive,but say no to crack.

Originally posted by clowdstalker
Well um wow is about all i can say. I am all for honoring the deceased, especially cultural icons such as the late Whitney Houston...but the entire nation to fly at half mast for her passing? I am a little baffled and at the same time totally not surprised.

Where exactly did you get the impression that this would be a nation-wide thing?

This is all about the state of New Jersey flying them at half staff.

The Republican governor has ordered U.S. and state flags flown at half-staff at all state government buildings on Saturday, the day of her funeral.

Does anyone actually bother to read and understand news articles anymore?

Edit: Now that i've read through this thread, it's pretty clear almost none of you actually read the article. For shame ATS.

reply to post by clowdstalker


As it happened in New Jersey, to honor a native of New Jersey? Not really a problem.

Nationwide? No, of course not.

But for a state to do so? No real problem at all.

Originally posted by negativenihil

Originally posted by clowdstalker
Well um wow is about all i can say. I am all for honoring the deceased, especially cultural icons such as the late Whitney Houston...but the entire nation to fly at half mast for her passing? I am a little baffled and at the same time totally not surprised.

Where exactly did you get the impression that this would be a nation-wide thing?

This is all about the state of New Jersey flying them at half staff.

The Republican governor has ordered U.S. and state flags flown at half-staff at all state government buildings on Saturday, the day of her funeral.

Does anyone actually bother to read and understand news articles anymore?

Edit: Now that i've read through this thread, it's pretty clear almost none of you actually read the article. For shame ATS.

edit on 16-2-2012 by negativenihil because: (no reason given)

I read the article,and its still a HELL NO!

People die everyday that should be honored. Many veterans who fought for the freedoms we have today. I don't see flags being flown at half-staff for them. Shame on those who will recognize a drug user,before them.

reply to post by sonnny1

People die everyday that should be honored. Many veterans who fought for the freedoms we have today. I don't see flags being flown at half-staff for them. Shame on those who will recognize a drug user,before them.

Actually some states do honor veterans, and currant servicemen/women, who've died. My state just recently did so.

The state of New Jersey isn't honoring her drug use... They're honoring the very real contribution her music made to peoples lives.

Dean Martin was. Frank Sinatra was. Many another artist has been honored for their very real contributions...this is not one whit different. It rarely happens, but it harms no one.

Originally posted by clowdstalker
...but the entire nation to fly at half mast for her passing?

Are you serious? :shk: She was just a has-been singer. She did sing well back in the day ... but not for a long time. I dont' understand why the TV keeps calling her a 'legend'. She wasn't a legend. And i don't know why they keep saying her death was 'shocking'. I wasn't surprised at all. Everyone expected it long ago ...

The life expectancy of a Crackhead isn't that long.
She was a crackhead who used to be a singer.

No! This travesty falls into the same category as Gabby Giffords having a U.S. Navy ship named for her. We've lost our way. Ship named For Giffords

Originally posted by seagull




The state of New Jersey isn't honoring her drug use... They're honoring the very real contribution her music made to peoples lives.

We shouldn't be honoring those who carelessly destroy their lives,in a public spectacle,in the manor she did. Regardless of what her music has done for society.My humbled Opinion.

Edit to add:

You can add Elvis,and Michael Jackson to that list also.........

No way. MHO

reply to post by sonnny1


Honor the contributions, yes. All the while not forgetting the other darker side that was her life.

Honestly, that happens frequently. One becomes a saint in death, when the reality was quite different.

I grew up listening to her music, I especially loved her gospel singing. Do I want people to emulate her? Of course not. Do I want them to remember her? Yes.

Absolutely not half mast for Whitney. I don't care if she was a wonderful, talented, beautiful singer. She was a druggie, and a complete waste of super talent. No need to keep it alive. She's a washed-up has-been. People who literally have some of the absolute best talent in the world and waste it all away with drugs do not need to be held up as martyrs.

reply to post by seagull


I also grew up on her music,and remember my sister,who used to sing her songs in the mirror.

Whitneyland ? Sure. They can honor her legacy with something like that,and that I am all for.

I just think kids today,believe its the norm. Stars die like this all the time .

I just believe the flag flown at half-staff should count for something more tangible,not a singer,or a entertainer.

And honestly,if we did lower the flag for EVERY true hero,that has died for our country,the flag would never come up.......

Originally posted by clowdstalker
Well um wow is about all i can say. I am all for honoring the deceased, especially cultural icons such as the late Whitney Houston...but the entire nation to fly at half mast for her passing? I am a little baffled and at the same time totally not surprised.

Our culture has collectively placed those in the entertainment industry so far above the seething masses that the idea that these are simply ordinary people whose talents lead them into extraordinary jobs has completely escaped us. Performers are nearly sacralized through our idolization of them. I am not sure how to feel about this...its just...odd.

here is the article...another daily dose of wtf courtesy of the Internets and (of course) msnbc.

entertainment.msnbc.msn.com...

ETA:
I know that this has been spurned by her home state which i can understand, local gal turned big time should be honored but at the same time, I can think of a whole lot of solders whose passing went unrecognized on the national level who deserved this honor a whole lot more than she does.

edit on 15-2-2012 by clowdstalker because: (no reason given)

we look at them like that because they can do something we cant singing good and infront of live crowds # most people would # their pants in front of 10000 people

as for the flag whats the big deal its a flag halfway up on a pole means jack # the dead person sure as hell aint seeing it its simply there to please us just a bunch of people going what can i do to honor the dead person oh i will fly the flag half today so everyone can see how much i care

so who cares i say we fly it half each time a troop dies

Originally posted by Vinny5036
Absolutely not half mast for Whitney. I don't care if she was a wonderful, talented, beautiful singer. She was a druggie, and a complete waste of super talent. No need to keep it alive. She's a washed-up has-been. People who literally have some of the absolute best talent in the world and waste it all away with drugs do not need to be held up as martyrs.

is her life not a lesson to us all

i wonder how many young girls said no to crack after seeing how it #ed her up

It's very simple. Houston is black. Obama is black. That's about the end of it.

Before anyone tells me I should not turn this into a race thing.. think about it. I can see no other reason for this happening. It just isn't done for civilians. Mrs Houston never served in any capacity. She was only an entertainer and she did well keeping us entertained by doing crack with her husband Bobby Brown, getting stoned and drunk then making a fool of herself on camera.. yep.. quite an entertainer. She suffered from the Elvis Presly Syndrome - was a much better actor than she ever was a singer.

no
and
no
she is not a fallen hero

Originally posted by MrSmokeydogg7

Originally posted by Vinny5036
Absolutely not half mast for Whitney. I don't care if she was a wonderful, talented, beautiful singer. She was a druggie, and a complete waste of super talent. No need to keep it alive. She's a washed-up has-been. People who literally have some of the absolute best talent in the world and waste it all away with drugs do not need to be held up as martyrs.

is her life not a lesson to us all

i wonder how many young girls said no to crack after seeing how it #ed her up

I don't consider WH a good role model in any way. Young girls, imo, didn't see her and go, man I won't do crack.

I think they saw her buck everyone who tried to tell her the choices she was making were destroying her career.

They saw her stand by her man, no matter what. Her man who spent all her money, and led her down a dark self destructive rabbit hole. I'll miss the WH that was full of life before meeting Bobby Brown.

Des

Did anyone expect Whitney Houston to beat Bobby Brown to death? All the media hoopla should help drive up attendance for her new movie though, "The Bodybag".

Originally posted by MrSmokeydogg7

Originally posted by Vinny5036
Absolutely not half mast for Whitney. I don't care if she was a wonderful, talented, beautiful singer. She was a druggie, and a complete waste of super talent. No need to keep it alive. She's a washed-up has-been. People who literally have some of the absolute best talent in the world and waste it all away with drugs do not need to be held up as martyrs.

is her life not a lesson to us all

i wonder how many young girls said no to crack after seeing how it #ed her up

The lesson here is that money doesn't bring happiness. She had loads of money, super talent, and got mixed up with the wrong schmuck. She chose drugs to bring her happiness and it was over from there. I don't feel sorry for people who make bad choices. I've never felt sorry for myself when I've made stupid decisions, so why should I feel for someone else. As far as children go? She wasn't a modern role model, her popularity this day and age is not really worth discussing. All people need to realize is that drug addiction kills many many people. If you want to be a leader in the world, do the right things.

reply to post by clowdstalker


I am still not sure if the USA is a natural cultural deformity but if this will happen I will be sure. The US will lose its selfrespect as a nation and will never ever be taken seriously, by all other nations in the world.

So america, not all is lost...there is still hope....so please do not do this...the rest of the world will laugh at you.