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  • Ojanpa, Brian

    Ojanpa, Brian

February 17, 2012

OJANPA: An homage half again too much

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We all have our tipping points when it comes to disproportionate public homage paid to someone who has passed.

Whitney Houston was a fine singer with a voice powerful enough to register on Richter scales.

 She was a huge celebrity, albeit years ago, before drugs and drink turned her into a poster child for Stars Gone Awry.

Her death was an American tragedy, which is not to be confused with being a tragedy for America.

But that’s what many are trying to make it. Hence one person’s tipping point: The governor of her home state of New Jersey ordered its government buildings to fly its American flags at half staff.

Media news coverage has been getting stunning mileage out of Houston’s demise. But in our entertainment-agog times, that’s to be expected. Celebrities have become demigods.

 Besides, TV networks have a lot of snappy singing footage of her to mix in with those Syrian rock throwers and Santorum’s sweater vests.

But it would seem that decisions to fly American flags at half staff should be held to a higher standard than that of a string of hit records.

And unless Houston died saving villagers by taking out an enemy  machine gun nest, a reasoned response would be to eulogize her as one sees fit, but leave the flags be.

Half-staff is for heroism, for those who died in combat or in the line of duty, not in a Beverly Hills bathtub.

The fact that she brought “global attention to New Jersey,” as one half-staff supporter claimed, is not a good reason.

 The “Jersey Shores” cast has also brought attention to New Jersey. So does that mean a 21-gun salute when Snooki shuffles on?

It’s instructive to note that the sole celebrity who publicly used Houston’s death as a timely cautionary tale has been roundly vilified for being insensitive.

Singer Celine Dion went on a morning TV talk show to give her proper respect to Houston but also to lament her fellow singer’s downward spiral wrought by self-destruction.

Dion provided the type of perspective that’s been lacking in the wake of Houston’s death.

We needed to hear that, but too many stargazers wanted to shoot the messenger instead.

 

Brian Ojanpa is a Free Press staff writer. Call him at 344-6316 or email bojanpa@mankatofreepress.com.

 

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