Flying off the handle over flying the flag:

Normally I don't have much sympathy for politicians.  I figure they worked really hard and spent a lot of money--usually other people's money--to get where they are, so they ought to just accept the public scrutiny and criticism that comes with the job.

Still, I feel sorry for Chris Christie.  

I guess I don't agree with Christie's decision to fly flags at half-staff in honor of Whitney Houston the late popular singer.  I say "I guess," since I didn't have to make the decision, so I can afford some ambivalence.  I figure the "voices" involved on all sides of the issue must be deafening.  Christie says lowering flags at state buildings to half-staff is appropriate "because of [Houston's] huge cultural impact and as "a daughter of New Jersey."" The governor would have been wise to have chosen some other way to publicly recognize the tragic death.  (Here is a message to my governor, Bob McDonnell:  When I die don't fly any flags at half staff.  Save that honor for fallen military, first-responders, and true public servants, not old preachers or popular singers.)

Still I feel sorry for Christie.  Once the issue--as opposed to the flag--was.raised it was a no-win.  We see what happened when he did decide to honor the dead singer.  A brief search of news stories indicates the kind of criticism that would have come had he decided to keep the flags flying high, racism, gender bias, "Sinatra, but not Houston."  

When we are nice, when we do something kind, the act opens us to criticism.  One of the stories that Jesus told is centered on this concept.  A farmer hired workers for his harvest.  At the end of the day he paid those who had worked all day the agreed upon wage.  They would likely have gone home happy had the employer not chosen to also pay those who only worked one hour the same wage.  

I don't have it all figured out, and I figure the New Jersey Governor is used to the heat, but I still kinda feel sorry for him.

It seems to me he was just trying to be nice.
Do we want a world where we make being nice harder?

It's STTA. 

God's grace reaches to each of us.  You can read about it here.