ABSOLUTELY NOT. With all due respect she is NOT a national hero who served for the betterment of this country. She was a singer, entertainer, and a person was given a great deal of talent. Without jumping to any conclusions she fell by the wayside with her abuses, whatever they may have been.

It's truly unfortunate that she passed under unknown circumstances. Her voice may never be duplicated but please, do not categorize, and remember her, with such an honor!

she did drugs which is extremely stupid thing to do. but we are not celebrating her drug use, we are celebrating her gift and the joy she brought to millions of people. her drug use hurt her and her family but she wasnt doing drugs to intentionally hurt anyone, she did them because she had a problem.
gov christie is extremely obese and continues to eat large amounts of crappy food. he will most likely pass away sooner than he would if he lived a healthier lifestyle. his family/ people who care about him will be extremely saddened that he passed too soon and it was kind of his fault for not living a healthier lifestyle.
he does not continue to live an unhealthy lifestyle because he doesnt care about himself and his family, he does it because he has a problem.
so since gov christie treats his body poorly (kind of like houston) and sets a poor example of how to live a healthy life should we not fly flags at half stafff when he passes? or should we have flags at half mass and celebrate the good things he did in his lifetime?

Why don't we fly the flags at half mast for Lance Cpl. Osbrany Montes De Oca the 20 year old soldier from North Arlington who was killed in Afghanistan, and thank him for his service in protecting us.

Absolutely not. That shows disrespect for the flag and all those who served and gave their life in support of all it stands for

No flag at half mast for her

Lets call this what it is, DISGUSTING.. Governor Chrispy has called for the lowering of an American flag for a drug using person of whom the governor looks to cultivate the votes of this same drug using persons community and use the flag for his own purpose, VOTES, and this is the only reason why he lowers the flag. The same war vet who sacrificed their lives for our freedom gets this honor, Whitney "Crack is Whack" Houston does not deserve this same honor. Governor Christie is a disgrace to his office!

Crack is Whack and so is Christie!

No. The American flag should be flown at half mast to honor the memory of government officials and workers who have made monumental contributions to our society, and to our servicemen and women who sacrifice their lives for our country. Tony Mac is right...this honor should be bestowed upon national heroes only.

I do not agree with the lowering of the flag for Whitney Houston. Flying the flag at half mast is reserved for people who served this country and its government, and especially for those who died for this country. It should be lowered for Osbrany Montes.
Brenda Calandrillo

I was/am a big Sinatra fan... Whitney's National Anthem is possibly the greatest I've ever heard, BUT there is no way the flag should be lowered for ANYTHING or ANYONE other than those who have made a SIGNIFICANT contribution to our nation...

I love Whitney , but its not a military death and no the flag should not be half staff

Yes, absolutely. Not surprised many Wyckoff residents would object. While I do not have much respect for Christie, he's right on this. Those who object obviously have no sense of art.

yes - absolutely - A New Jersey woman who left us with music and gifts that will endure for ever - may she rest in peace - Please remember also her glorious rendition of our National Anthem in 1991which brought much comfort and yes pride to soldiers and their families.

A great singing voice is a true gift. But that doesn't make you a hero. CNN could tell you that.

lots of anger here - I will bow out.

Christie did not call her a hero - folks please check your hate !

Lance Cpl. Osbrany Montes De Oca and other NJ fallen heroes do not get this honor but a crack head does. What a nice story to tell our children.

If the flags were lowered for Clarence Clemens why not for Whitney Houston? No one chooses to become a drug-addict or alcoholic. While she had talent and beauty she also had her demons. She shouldn't be villified for it.

The AP is reporting Christie is defending his decision to lower the flags, which has drawn criticism. The governor said he doesn't believe Houston "forfeited the good things that she did in her life" because of her substance abuse struggles, per the report. He added that he has lowered flags for all NJ soldiers and police to have died since becoming governor. (See more here: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/02/christie_defends_decision_to_l.html)

If you opposed the decision to lower the flags, does Christie's response change your mind at all? As of 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, 83 percent polled above oppose the governor's decision.

United States Code Title 4 Chapter 1 — The Flag
http://www.ushistory.org/betsy/flagcode.htm

Christie is Catholic. Perhaps he could bully the Vatican into making Whitney a Saint!

How about the flag be flown at half mass everyday, for the soliders who come back in body bags,our police who are gunned down,our firefighters trapped and killed and so on and so on. She was a great singer but she was no hero in my eyes

Where was the 'poll' and the outrage for any other time the flag was lowered? Most of you probably didn't even pay attention to who or what it was being lowered for. Ignorance always talks the loudest AND hypocrisy is always the first to rise up in outrage.

Yes. The flag should be flown at 1/2 staff. But only if the President of the United States makes the decision to do so. It's not up to a Govenor.

Why?

Gov. Chris Christie shows he's human and capable of foolishness with this directive. The American flag symbolizes a great country of people. Lowering it to half staff for anyone who hasn't served the country as a whole is disrespectful, especially to those who died FOR this country. A singer of song and abuser of drug and alcohol doesn't rise to any level for anything other then our sympathy.

if he did not do it, then he would be a racist

Damned if you do damned if you don't

Flying flags at half staff is reserved for heroes, not for career drug abusers who take so much drugs they drown in their bathtub.

Are we getting a little too harsh? Whitney used illegal drugs during her life but we don't know yet if illegal drugs were responsible for her death. Whitney was also the product of a NJ Church environment and a strong musical family. She took the music world by storm and she deserved to. She was, like Frank Sinatra, a voice extraordinary. Who in NJ is without their demons? Rest in Peace, Whitney.

Whitney was a great singing talent. She is not a national hero, or any kind of hero at all. She threw her life away for drugs and alcohol. She was not and hopefully is not a role model for our youth. She is just another in a long line of very talented people who did not believe that fame and money should bring with it responsibility, appreciation and role model behavior for the younger generation. Another dead overdosed singer/entertainer to look up to...?? NO flags at half mast for Whitney !! RIP Whitney. I pray that her family and friends receive the strength and peace of acceptance that they need to get through this sad time.

I can't believe the eraser business does well with all these white pieces of bread responding in this negative manor. Let's not lose perspective of this situation. She was born in Newark, NJ, (not Valley Hospital with a silver spoon in her mouth), loaded with talent, lived in that area for 20 years, some places are hard to escape. Get a grip on all you jerks. She's a NJ icon and deserves the attention Gov Christie is giving her.

She WAS a great singer who ruined her life and career by doing everything that we all try SO hard to make sure our children stay away from. WHY and WHEN did this become something to honor and praise. I don't believe she did anything to deserve this. We have lost A LOT of singers that didn't distroy their lives the way she did and we did not fly half mass for them.

Actually, Christie orders flags flown at half staff for NJ military persons who die in battle. Unfortunately, that never makes the news. Well, it does, but you need to read the small print - not just the headlines.

NO WAY !

I enjoyed Whitney's talent and music. Do not agree with lowering our flag for celebrities. It was/is a sign of respect for military and service people who passed away or died in the line of duty.

Addiction is a behavior and all behaviors are choices. Saying that addiction is a disease is an excuse for poor choices. Anyway, my vote is no - lowering the flag is a distinction that should be reserved for military/civil servants.

Hey Governor, why don't you read United States Code: Title 4 Chapter 1 -"In the event of the death of a present or former official of the government of any State, territory, or possession of the United States, the Governor of that State, territory, or possession may proclaim that the National flag shall be flown at half-staff"

Springsteen and Bon Jovi are true NJ icons. I forgot she was from here until it was mentioned after her death. There were plenty of famous people born in NJ that weren't memorialized after their deaths. And the nonsense of blaming it on where she grew up, Queen Latifah and Ice-T were also from Newark and they seem to be doing fine.

There is a Marine from North Arlington who was killed in Helmund Province last week. He gave the ultimate sacrifice and his family is left with only his memory.

As we debate if it is appropriate to fly the flag at half staff for a celebrity, never forget what this Patriot and Hero did for this country. It is because of brave heroes like him that Americans can have this debate.

My flag will be Half Staff for LCpl Oca. Semper Fi!

I am/was not a Whitney Houston superfan, but the ignorance and hate in this thread compels me to respond. While I have never used drugs, I am not without my own set of vices and shortcomings. Plainly put, I am no better than Whitney and neither are the rest of you. Instead of focusing on an unfortunate set of circumstances that occurred in her lifetime, focus instead on the amazing gift that she shared with the WORLD. Not just her country...the WORLD. How many of you naysayers in here can say that YOU have touched the world? *crickets*

And while I appreciate and honor the Marine from North Arlington who gave the ultimate sacrifice, my appreciation would endure even if I found out that he was a drug user. Would yours? If it wouldn't, welcome to hypocrisy.

People and their bull never ceases to amaze me.

@ In My Opinion.....your opinion about addiction is simply wrong. That is all.

Save your self-righteous indignation, Teesmyth. Most people feel that by bestowing this honor on someone who simply had a nice voice but who destroyed themselves and set a horrible example for the WORLD in the irresponsible manner in which they performed as public icons, serves as a mockery to the honor. This is an honor bestowed upon real heros who make the ultimate sacrifice, the giving of their lives, for all of us. If you don't see the difference between a real hero and a good singer with a self-destructive drug problem then you are the hypocrite whose ignorance compelled me to respond.

Do I love Whitney? Yes. Extraordinarily talented women with the voice of an angel.
Do i want the flag lowered for her? No

Most people have already explained the reasons why so I won't rehash. But being a NJ icon is not sufficient reason.

If it is, then the next thing you know, "Snooki" will get the same honor when she dies?. After all, she is a NJ icon, has inspired many people with her weightloss and if you Google "Snooki & hero", you will see there are entire websites and Facebook pages devoted to her being someone's hero.

Not sure this is the precedent I want set in this state.

I agree. This was a no win situation for Christie or any other official who made this call. Lots of great positions being made but this really boils down to personal expectations and I do not believe you can make every single person happy.

I agree. This was a no in situation for Christie or any other official who made this call. Lots of great positions being made but this really boils down to personal expectations and I do not believe you can make every single person happy.

Get real, Christie!!!!!. Fly the flag for our dedicated soldiers who died for our country - that's where the honor should go. THINK!!

Executive Order honoring Lance Corporal Montes De Oca.
http://nj.gov/infobank/circular/eocc88.pdf

Thanks Mike. The funeral is Monday. LCpl leaves Dover AFB tomorrow morning for North Arlington. Unfortunately only 1% of the population will know that Tuesdays flag honor will be for a young Marine who died thousands of miles from Bergen County in some god forsaken land that time forgot. How was the parade for the returning troops from Iraq?

She shouldn't have that honor of having the flag half staff. There was a kid I used to go to school with who died in the Marines this past week (Osbrany Montes De Oca). Christie did not have the flag lowered in his honor and he was the one risking his life for this country, and this is how the country repays him? Apparently next Tuesday they are lowering the flag for him, but that is only because students at Bergen Tech protested that lowering a flag to a drug addict singer instead of him is completely disrespectful. The flag should have been lowered as soon as news hit home.

Obviously, most people don't know the rules of flying a flag at half staff which is not ONLY for fallen Military. I am the Mother of an active duty Military member who has served this Country for over 26 Years!! I believe that all states have honored the active duty Military who have died with this honor and if they have not - then shame on them. Why is it okay to fly a flag at half staff for Elvis?? This was done. Frank Sinatra, and others as well... I think people should investigate what they are saying because many famous celebrities were honored this way and no one seemed to make a fuss about it. I believe that some of it is just the way we feel inside about people whom are different than we are. Shame on you who feel that she doesn't deserve to be honored the way others in her field have - under similar circumstances. She is as deserving of that honor as any other celebrity who was honored the same way.

B. Reid
please read my comments a few lines above. . none of them deserved such an honor as a fallen hero!

Whitney Houston was a hero to many, a tragic figure to most. In the spirit of being an American icon, a Jersey girl, I feel that our American flag embraces all of us and that the symbol is inclusive. The power of her voice and stardom in this world should not be diminished by her shortcomings as she is laid to rest. I do feel that the community should open a rehabilitation site in her name to address drug and domestic abuse.