PhillyTablet Inquirer Daily News
Mobile
Home Delivery
philly.com
email
font size
options
 
Monday, February 20, 2012

Jersey flag burned over Whitney Houston controversy
Gov. Christie, center, arrives for funeral services for singer Whitney Houston at the New Hope Baptist Church in Newark, N.J., Saturday, Feb. 18, 2012. Houston died last Saturday at the Beverly Hills Hilton in Beverly Hills, Calif., at the age 48. (AP Photo/Mel Evans)

At Whitney Houston's funeral on Saturday, Gov. Christie reportedly got a brief standing ovation -- an expression of appreciation for his controversial decision to order flags in the state lowered to half-staff to mark the New Jerseyan's death.

But in Michigan, the father of one American soldier killed in Iraq had a different response on Saturday: He went to the store, bought a New Jersey flag, drove by the veterans' park where his son is commemorated and then went home to burn the flag on an outdoor grill.

"I didn't do this to offend the people of New Jersey," John Burri told The Detroit News. "If I did and you're offended, I'm sorry. But I did this because it was wrong and it was to show the governor (of New Jersey) how wrong this was."
Posted by Matt Katz @ 9:26 AM  Permalink | 40 comments
Comments   
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:46 PM, 02/20/2012
    They did it for Elvis Presley!

    Only the president of the United States or the Governor of the state may order the flag to be at half-staff to honor the death of a national or state figure. In addition to the traditional half-staff salutes, the Flag Code mentions the use of our Flag for honoring leading citizens such as Martin Luther King, Jr.
    Private citizens and non government buildings may choose to fly their flags at half staff to honor more local leaders. The Flag Code does not exclude any citizen, whether they belong to an organization or not, whether they are recognized very locally or regionally. Examples of deceased citizens that might be honored with by lowering the Flag to half-staff include local religious leaders, youth leaders, honored teachers or sports coaches, local politicians, or a local hero. There need be no authorization from the government for the private sector (non-government) to use the Flag to honor any citizen.
    It is important to note that the Flag Code is a code, it is intended to provide guidance and is not obligatory. It carries no civil or criminal penalties for "misuse" of the Flag. Individual are not acting illegally when using the Flag according to their own usage. Only on government / public building is the flag code required to be followed.


    Read more: http://www.gettysburgflag.com/flyflaghalfmast.php#ixzz1mwtRMMTN
    — WhitneyFan
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:21 AM, 02/20/2012
    Yeah, that'll teach him. Talk about finding an insignificant story and making it a headline. On his grill?
    — jimmymack
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:23 AM, 02/20/2012
    You mean like Elvis?
    — JLH
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:37 AM, 02/20/2012
    I may be wrong, but I don't believe any states lowered their flags for Elvis. To this day, however, he is a bigger, more dominant talent than Ms. Houston ever was.
    — mike l
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 11:24 AM, 02/20/2012
    Elvis was drafted into the Army and was a regular serviceman, even turning down an offer to basically fly around to enlistment centers and help recruit and instead was a regular GI. Lowering the flag for him would have been a little more appropriate.
    — jnyfive
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:25 AM, 02/20/2012
    who cares about flags? oooohhh a flag. what are we in grade school? what a bunch of losers.
    — OhOkay
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 9:27 AM, 02/21/2012
    I know right? it's freakin cloth no better made than the clothes i am wearing now, probably worse.
    — What are you TALKING ABOUT?
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:33 AM, 02/20/2012
    Maybe he used a grill thinking Christie would show up for lunch.
    — mike l
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:37 AM, 02/20/2012
    Excellent reporting. Is that the full story? Seems like there should be...more.
    — Phishinmule
  • Comment removed.
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:47 AM, 02/20/2012
    What talent did elvis have? O, you ain't nothn but a hound dog? Please, Graceland or cokeland?
    — wawa22
  • Comment removed.


40 comments | View All Comments | View All By Latest
View comments: 1  |  2  |  3
About Matt Katz
Reporter Matt Katz covers New Jersey's 55th governor, Chris Christie, for the Philadelphia Inquirer. Katz has written about municipal government, education and crime in New Jersey since 2000. Most recently, he was the Inquirer's beat reporter for Camden, NJ, and authored a four-part series about the failure of New Jersey's extraordinary seven-year takeover of the city. For an unrelated but somewhat similar assignment, Katz went to Afghanistan in June 2010 to cover the U.S. military's efforts at reconstruction under fire. Reach him at mkatz@phillynews.com or 609-217-8355.

Follow Matt on Twitter: @mattkatz00.

Advertise Here