I’m a little young to remember Whitney Houston being groundbreaking (her first album debuted the year before I was born), so for me she’s just been another singer on the radio. I didn’t really grow up with her, she was never really an idol for me, she was just…there. Plus, I spent my formative years buried deep in oldies and classic rock radio, out of touch with what was going on around me. I didn’t even know she had a drug problem until the news of her death broke.

In a word, I’ve been apathetic about her death.

I can see the argument for “the cult of celebrity in America has gone TOO FAR” but the problem is, as you said, this isn’t the first time the flag has been flown at half-mast for a celebrity and I don’t recall people freaking out then. Like, taking a moment to consider the context in which she became famous and the impact her success had, I think Whitney is more deserving of it than freaking JoePa.

Cultural contributions are just as important to society as violence. Flying a flag at half mast to show respect at a pop star’s funeral does nothing to diminish it when we fly it half mast at a Marine’s funeral.

Yes, we should maybe evaluate our priorities about the role of celebrities in our lives, but you know what? Maybe DURING THEIR FUNERAL is a tacky time to do it.

Besides, to go all “omg RIP whitney, I will always love you” and post songs from *The Bodyguard* and then criticizing Chris Christie for basically doing the official government equivalent? (Which I’ve actually seen from people, before one accuses me of strawmanning.) Yeah. Douchey.