WHITNEY: Fine voice, no hero

Without a doubt, Whitney Houston was a marvelous singer. Her songs touched and brought joy to a lot of people of all ages. Nevertheless, I object to having flags flown at half mast in her honor in the State of New Jersey. Chris Christie, the governor of New Jersey, certainly thinks otherwise.

I do not think of Ms. Houston as a hero. I am not aware of any acts she did that honor this country other than to be a great singer. She is not a past president, a statesman, or a hero who died for our country. She was simply an entertainer.

Many young people make celebrities out to be their heroes, be they from sports or the movie and entertainment industry. These people entertain us in many ways. They enable us to forget our problems for a short while and we should admire them for their talents. This, however, does not make them heroes or worthy of having a state decide to honor them by flying our flag at half mast. To me, such an action takes away from the honor that has been bestowed upon people who deserve it and may cheapen the purpose of lowering the flag altogether.

I am sorry that Whitney Houston had a disease that shortened her life. I am sorry she did not manage to find a source that would have helped relieve her pain. I will always admire her for her ability to sing. I cannot, however, honor her as a hero which is what I believe lowering the flag to half mast is all about.

STEPHEN GROVES

Post Falls