When NJ Governor Chris Christie announced he was lowering flags to half-staff on the day of Whitney Houston's funeral, he was slammed by Twitterers who felt it was too inappropriate. So Christie took to the social networking service to respond to people, "@steakprincess Flag being lowered for her cultural contributions as an artist & New Jerseyan. Her struggles w/substance abuse r a diff topic" (@steakprincess had written "@GovChristie are you serious? Whitney is no hero, she was a crack head who killed herself. Our flag is not to be lowered for a junkie.) Today Christie said, "People get beer muscles on Twitter."
The Star-Ledger reports that Christie explained how his experience as a "board member of a substance abuse treatment center "had a 'profound effect' on him and informed his sympathetic view of Whitney Houston's struggle with drugs. Her death and his experience attending her funeral on Sunday — where he received a standing ovation for his decision to lower flags to half-staff in her honor — strengthened Christie's resolve to set up mandatory drug treatment for nonviolent offenders."
He said, "I've had a number of people in my life who have gone through these problems. Some of the smartest people in the word who I know have gone through this problem. Some have survived it and some haven't." Christie also reflected on seeing Cissy Houston at the funeral, "I will never forget that moment... An incredibly dignified women, who when she heard her daughter's voice come over the loud speakers as we were leaving that funeral ... threw herself on that casket and cried 'My baby, my baby.' I'm sorry as a father there's no more unthinkable thing than losing a child — unthinkable."
A man in Michigan burned a NJ flag to protest Christie's decision. And while Christie is getting some kudos for his sympathetic feelings about nonviolent offenders, he's getting criticized for his anti-gay marriage stance.
