Should NJ lower it's flags to half mast for Whitney Houston?

[Ed Spacer]

She didnt deserve half mast flag,sorry.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Cancer is a disease. Doing drugs is a choice.

 

[Locke11_21]

Is is a shame she died? Yes. But, lowering the flag for someone who was a drug addict is just wrong, in spite of her talent. Lowering the flag someones passing should be saved for honourable people. I think Christie meant well, but it was not the right decision. I still like Christie!!!

 

[Dr.Drock]

Cancer is a disease. Doing drugs is a choice.

Many forms of cancer are a choice, using drugs once is a choice.


Once having cancer, once having the addiction, it often becomes a disease imo.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Cancer is a disease. Doing drugs is a choice.

Many forms of cancer are a choice, using drugs once is a choice.


Once having cancer, once having the addiction, it often becomes a disease imo.

I disagree. I did a lot of drugs in my youth. On a daily basis in fact. I don't do them anymore nor do I desire them. Doing drugs is a choice, becoming addicted is self inflicted. Resulting trauma and deaths are therefore self inflicted.

I have no pity in this area.

 

[Dr.Drock]

Cancer is a disease. Doing drugs is a choice.

Many forms of cancer are a choice, using drugs once is a choice.


Once having cancer, once having the addiction, it often becomes a disease imo.

I disagree. I did a lot of drugs in my youth. On a daily basis in fact. I don't do them anymore nor do I desire them. Doing drugs is a choice, becoming addicted is self inflicted. Resulting trauma and deaths are therefore self inflicted.

I have no pity in this area.

And others due to their brain chemical makeup are more prone to addiction than you are.

Just like maybe you're more or less prone to heart disease than your neighbor, or more or less prone to high cholesterol.

Either way, I would prefer society look at it as an example to help a person live a healthy life and defeat their addiction, rather than throw them in jail where they'll try to keep using and just get right back to using when they get out because their addiction hasn't been overcome.

 

[Inthemiddle]

As much as I liked Whitney's music, I don't think the flag should be lowered for her death.
That act should be left for a higher reason than being a music artist. IMO

If Leonardo Da Vinci were alive today living in New Jersey, and died tomorrow, would anyone oppose lowering the flag for him? I'm inclined to place great weight on artistry and its valuable place in society.

 

[Inthemiddle]

I heard him say he was doing it to draw attention to drug abuse and addiction. He called it a disease. That doesn't sit well with me. I consider that a cop out.

Then you seem to be uneducated on the matter. Addiction is absolutely a disease.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

As much as I liked Whitney's music, I don't think the flag should be lowered for her death.
That act should be left for a higher reason than being a music artist. IMO

If Leonardo Da Vinci were alive today living in New Jersey, and died tomorrow, would anyone oppose lowering the flag for him? I'm inclined to place great weight on artistry and its valuable place in society.

Whitney is on the same playing field as Leo? Pahlease

She was born with a voice and used it to better her life and was charitable. That's the beginning and end of her accomplishments.

 

[geauxtohell]

No. It should be reserved for those who die in service to their country.

 

[Inthemiddle]

Cancer is a disease. Doing drugs is a choice.

Last night, I went out and drank alcohol. Alot, as a matter of fact. I am not addicted to alcohol even though I've made the choice plenty of times in my life to consume it. But some people can drink very little alcohol, and become addicted. Because addiction IS A DISEASE. You don't choose to be dependent. Dependency comes to you. It doesn't require "over use." Addiction can come to you through even marginal use.

There are many people who developed cancer from smoking cigarettes. Should we say that they aren't actually sick, too?

 

[Warrior102]

No, not appropriate

 

[Inthemiddle]

Whitney is on the same playing field as Leo? Pahlease

I never said that.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Cancer is a disease. Doing drugs is a choice.

Last night, I went out and drank alcohol. Alot, as a matter of fact. I am not addicted to alcohol even though I've made the choice plenty of times in my life to consume it. But some people can drink very little alcohol, and become addicted. Because addiction IS A DISEASE. You don't choose to be dependent. Dependency comes to you. It doesn't require "over use." Addiction can come to you through even marginal use.

There are many people who developed cancer from smoking cigarettes. Should we say that they aren't actually sick, too?

Yes, those people are aka weak minded. Giving bad behavior an excusable label is just so neat huh.

Backbone, will power, strength. We all have it, some are unwilling to use it. That is their choice.

 

[Dr.Drock]

Cancer is a disease. Doing drugs is a choice.

Last night, I went out and drank alcohol. Alot, as a matter of fact. I am not addicted to alcohol even though I've made the choice plenty of times in my life to consume it. But some people can drink very little alcohol, and become addicted. Because addiction IS A DISEASE. You don't choose to be dependent. Dependency comes to you. It doesn't require "over use." Addiction can come to you through even marginal use.

There are many people who developed cancer from smoking cigarettes. Should we say that they aren't actually sick, too?

Yes, those people are aka weak minded. Giving bad behavior an excusable label is just so neat huh.

Backbone, will power, strength. We all have it, some are unwilling to use it. That is their choice.

Do you think, purely from a physical point of view, that every person on earth has the same chance of becoming addicted to a substance? Or that individuals have a different chance purely because of their physical makeup?

 

[masquerade]

Celebrities i agree, we shouldn't worship them, I've never understood that.

But i don't get why we should hate someone, who after using a drug one time, has their mind altered so much that their brain demands they use again no matter the ramifications.

This coming from me, someone who's never once used any illegal drug. Not even weed.

Is that what you believe? That using a drug once alters one's mind enough that their brain demands it? Sorry, I ain't buying it. We control our minds. Our minds do not control us. This coming from someone who has smoked weed and from someone who has turned her Life around for the better, knowing that everything I need comes from within. But, I needed the assistance of outside sources to learn the powerful source I have within.

Ask a doctor how many uses it takes to get hooked on cocaine or meth. One time, and a normally good person could get turned right into a fuck up.

I think we should use it as an opportunity to get the good person back, rather than throw that person in prison.

So I go home tonight and decide that I'm going to try another recreational drug besides marijuana. Cocaine, meth, heroine ... whatever. I get high, I enjoy my high, I go to bed and sleep for awhile. When I wake up, I'm not high anymore. From what you say above, my brain now tells me that I'm addicted to the drug I tried the night before. Or do you think it's such that I could have thought ... geeze ... that was a good time last night. I'd like to feel that again so I get high again ... and again ... and again. From my viewpoint ... I was the one who made the decision to try the drug a second time. It wasn't my brain that decided I was addicted. After several uses, sure, I could easily be addicted and would prefer living in a fog of drugs or alcohol.

For the record, I don't hate Whitney Houston or any other celebrity who decides to ruin their lives with drugs and alcohol. Overall I try not to hate anyone. I blame the media for all this hype over her and all the others. And I'm all for bringing a person back from their darkness, back into the light of a good Life but ... the said person needs to make the decision that they want to change. Needing support and getting it is necessary, but true change needs to come from within. It's in my opinion that Ms. Houston wasn't willing to make those changes she so desperately needed.

 

[Remodeling Maidiac]

Last night, I went out and drank alcohol. Alot, as a matter of fact. I am not addicted to alcohol even though I've made the choice plenty of times in my life to consume it. But some people can drink very little alcohol, and become addicted. Because addiction IS A DISEASE. You don't choose to be dependent. Dependency comes to you. It doesn't require "over use." Addiction can come to you through even marginal use.

There are many people who developed cancer from smoking cigarettes. Should we say that they aren't actually sick, too?

Yes, those people are aka weak minded. Giving bad behavior an excusable label is just so neat huh.

Backbone, will power, strength. We all have it, some are unwilling to use it. That is their choice.

Do you think, purely from a physical point of view, that every person on earth has the same chance of becoming addicted to a substance? Or that individuals have a different chance purely because of their physical makeup?

I honestly don't know. But what I do know is for a generation now we have tried to label bad behavior as a medical condition. That removes any element of personal responsibility and as such we've had a generation of youth drugged by doctors diagnosis's of this ailment or that. It's sad

 

[masquerade]

What about ignoring the fact that she's a celebratory, would you support putting the flag at half mast for someone who died and donated millions of dollars to charities during their life?

Actually, I think there are ways to honor celebrities and philanthropists on their death. I think Houston is worthy of civilian honors, parades, moments of silence, proclamations...

I think a flag at half staff denotes the loss of an American hero. I don't think a pop singer is a hero

I don't think a pop singer is a hero either.

I think someone who donates 100% of their sales proceeds to charity for one of their songs is doing something heroic.

Couldn't care less about her music that i never listened to, her charitable donations? That means a lot to me.

I'd be interesting in knowing how many people who have made huge donations over the course of their lives, who are now deceased, had flags in their home state set at half mast at the time of their funeral, in honor of their contributions.

 

[DiamondDave]

Chris Christie criticized for Whitney Houston flag plan

Gov Christie has ordered that all state flags in NJ be lowered to half mast this Saturday to honor Whitney Houston

Is it appropriate?

Fuck no

It's a celebrity and a person with a huge drug problem (that may have died from it)... not someone who made a difference in the running of the country, running of the state, or in world affairs

 

[Dr.Drock]

Masquerade, grampa, I agree with you both to an extent.

I think it's a combination of personal responsibility and a health condition. But I don't think it's ONLY a personal responsibility thing. Once out of rehab and sober, addicts still have to have the self-awareness and personal responsibility to not pick up the drug that first time again and re-trigger the addiction.

Another person made a similar comparison. When someone smokes and gets lung cancer it's their fault, but we should still treat the cancer. If someone snorts a line it's their fault, but if they have a follow up condition of being addicted we should still treat the addiction.

Just my opinion.