New Jersey Governor, Chris Christie, has ordered flags flown at half-staff at state government buildings tomorrow – the day of Whitney Houston’s funeral. I am not going to wade into the controversy of whether it is appropriate for New Jersey to honor one of their own. In fairness to the Republican Governor, he has ordered flags lowered to half-mast to honor fallen soldiers and first responders. So no matter what you think about Whitney Houston’s life choices, you cannot accuse Christie of elevating a pop icon over those that put their lives at risk for us each day.

However, I do take umbrage over the Governor’s priorities. In the same week that he ordered the tribute for Ms. Houston, he also announced that he would veto the New Jersey legislature’s bill to permit gay marriage. So in Governor’s Christie’s world, it is morally and socially acceptable to honor and show respect to a troubled pop singer who died under suspicious circumstances while simultaneously refusing to recognize longstanding and loving relationships between same-sex couples. And, if the justification to honor Ms. Houston is based upon her body of work in the public arena and not what took place behind closed doors in her personal life, why the double standard when it comes to our friends in the LGBT community who are only seeking the same recognition and respect that their heterosexual counterparts receive?

Am I the only one that finds something terribly wrong with these priorities?