Don’t speak ill of the dead?
August 28, 2009 – 12:33 pmThis is repeated as a maxim often. Most recently regarding the death of Edward Kennedy.
This supposed maxim begs some questions.
Does death make a person a better person just by dying?
Does dying mitigate or obviate the actions of a lifetime?
Can “speaking ill” of any dead person harm that dead person in any way?
Should a person of questionable character be lauded due to the simple act of dying?
Recap some of Kennedy’s legacy
Now I would never, myself, “speak ill” of a dead person were I, say, invited to the wake/funeral because of the emotional pain I may cause that loved one. Outside of such an intimate setting however I see no way that a person’s state of life/death should change my opinion or statements about that person.
So by dying, did Ted Kennedy suddenly become innocent of his famous drunk driving incident? Did he suddenly repudiate the legal sanctioning of unnatural sexual behaviors? Did he magically rescind his life time of advocacy for the right to kill the unborn? While we are at it, what EXACTLY did Kennedy EVER produce of value? He inherited his Senate seat at a very young age and did nothing but that. I saw him receiving military honors at his funeral? Why was he entitled to such? Did he serve? Did he ever hold a military position?
Senator Edward Kennedy passed away. I empathize with the emotional pain and loss his loved ones are feeling. I KNOW the body politic and the nation are better off with his passing. One less collectivist, statist, elitist is one step closer to liberty as was intended by our founders.
10 Responses to “Don’t speak ill of the dead?”
The late SEN Kennedy was the politician I most disliked, ever since I learned of his existence as teenager in the 1970s. I will not dance on his grave, either, but we are certainly not required to get emotionalistic at his passing and make of him a plaster saint, nor are we in any way bound to burden the living with his supposed ‘legacy’ – the current risky, health care scheme.
By ssgconway on Aug 30, 2009
come on. the kennedys were the best america ever had in terms of top quality leaders. so what of they were up to a little hanky panky. so was clinton. that does not detract from the man’s position as an a-1 leader of the free world. lee harvey oswald had choice (which is evil btw) so he went ahead and shot the best president america ever had. jfk. edward might not live up to the stature of jfk but he had qualities of his own.
CPT reply on September 18th, 2009 1:02 pm:
We aren’t sure if your tongue is in your cheek or not. Assuming not; what did JFK do/accomplish in his Presidency to make him the “best president america ever had”? What “qualities” did Teddy have? I suppose drunkeness and nepotism are “qualities” of a sort. How exactly was Bubba Clintoon “an a-1 leader of the free world”? Can you answer these?
SandRider reply on September 18th, 2009 1:55 pm:
Sometimes I wonder how old you people are.
How long does it take to understand what
“partisan” means ? CPT is a right-winger,
so he’ll never understand why “other people”
would see value in Democratic ideals. He’ll
never understand why “some people” don’t
worship Ronald Regan. If a Democrat said it,
it must wrong. Anything that Glenn Beck says
must be true. Rush is always right. Dissent
is unpatriotic. No wait, there’s a Democrat
in the White House now, so for the next three
years, dissent IS patriotic. Or something.
And you’re all just preaching to your own
choirs on these little back-water blahgs,
which reinforces your own opinions. If
you really think you’ve got something to say,
come on out to more mainstream and balanced
sites, or better yet, take your ideas to left
wing sites. You’re just splashing around
in your own stink here.
CPT reply on September 18th, 2009 2:47 pm:
For the benefit of those not so educated as you seem to purport to be; Partisan – “an adherent or supporter of a person, group, party, or cause, esp. a person who shows a biased, emotional allegiance.” Do you think, Sandrider, that all libertarian constitutional originalists are “right wingers” or just me? You speak in generalities. Perhaps if you added some specificity a more beneficial debate would ensue. I absolutely understand that 20 percent of the population at a minimum see value in what you term “democratic ideals”. My objection to policy and political appreciations doesn’t negate them. The United States is a representative republic with democratic forms in use to achieve that representation. Do you deny this to be the case? You’ll find the contributors here to be consistent in their political stances and much more likely to accept reasoned argument than your standard collectivist sheep. You whip out tired canards about Glenn Beck and Gas Windbag without contributing any salient point to the post upon which you comment. I haven’t met anyone who “worships” Ronald Reagan. Many people admire him. Libertarian orginalists, such as myself, have recognized repeatedly in our writings Reagan’s faults as well as his virtues.
If we preach to ourselves it is news to our unique visitors I’m sure. We frequently (use the search function) solicit contributors from any ideological perspective. All we ask is that people adhere to our participation guidelines. You seem to struggle with that. You seem to be challenged by reasoned discussion. You seem to demonstrate typical leftist projection. You use unsubstantiated generalities to accuse others of using them. You offer no substantive position other than to attack others for theirs. Typical of a collectivist sheep. I’m just making an assumption based on the general lack of meaningful content in your comment. We have accepted your comment as an illustration of the general lack of capacity for intellectually lazy leftists to express any reasoned argument in response to an honest opinion. It is no wonder to me why you appear to be simply an ignorant sci-fi geek who thinks Dune authors matter and bleating acceptance of big government control of his/her life equals “democratic ideals. If you wish to continue to comment, which we invite, we ask that you adhere to our participation guidelines. By the way, how old are you, twelve? Just guessing based on content.
Leaping Buck reply on September 19th, 2009 7:22 pm:
SandRider, I’ve watched CPT for some time – he’s no mere “Right winger”. Before you throw around labels, perhaps you should actually consider dialogue on substance.
By uloo ka patha on Sep 18, 2009
If BozoRider had any exposure at all he’d realize that the contributors and guests here post all over the internet. His idea of “mainstream” is probably the Huffington “blahg” (is that supposed to be cool?) where the petty vitriol is pervasive.
Is he incapable of contributing here or just afraid?
By Nik on Sep 18, 2009
For Mr. Kennedy, the most vile and despotic Senator of my life time, the day of reckoning has come. I need not heap anything upon him – he must face the wrath of God and that is more than any mortal can bear.
I will say this: He is unworthy of being categorized with his brother JFK, who was merely a flawed but patriotic man. Ted was the LEAST patriotic of all politicians i have known of in this country. He never took time to undertand the supremecy of the US Constitution, and instead sought only his own fame and popularity among the fools who would sell their birthright for a free bowl of soup.
LeapingBuck
SandRider reply on September 21st, 2009 10:20 am:
wow.
hey, can I toss some labels around here ?
CPT reply on September 21st, 2009 11:03 am:
Sure, if they support some valid position and aren’t just ad hominem, unsupported, generalized disparagement. If you just want to call names and not discuss issues go to KOS or Huffington “blahg”.
By Leaping Buck on Sep 19, 2009