middlepath- I’m sorry this offends you, but the shulchan aruch is clearly dictating a behavior. He gives situation where we “eat drink and be happy” over someone’s death. Again, I am not saying we should be happy over this singer’s death, I am just saying there are certain times where we don’t mourn over a jew’s death.
charliehall- I have not asked my rav about this particular issue because I did not hear of Amy Weinhouse until last night, so her death really does not concern me. However, I have spoked with him about it in the past, not in a halcah limaseh situtaion, just in learning, and he was clearly of the opinion that we don’t just throw out a halacha in s’a because it goes against our Western sensitivities. He also doesn’t buy the general notion that everyone today is a tinok shenishba. He’s just my rav and by no means I am saying he has the final say on all matters, I am just trying to point out that too often in the cr we use our opinions to shape the torah, instead of vice versa. Have you asked a rav about this s’a, I am curious what others have to say.