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Willie The Hypocrite, a.g.a., Aug. 19, 2009: How very, very like a leftist scumbag to use someone's death in an attempt to score points. Willie The Hypocrite, a.g.a., Aug. 28, 2009 In other news, the coming shindig at which the other Last Kennedy Brother (who recently assumed room temperature) will be tucked in for his dirt nap is rumored to be sponsored by Cutty Sark and Trojans Condoms. Las Vegas oddsmakers have it three to five that the festivities will turn into a socialist cheer-in similar to the Paul Wellstone rally/interment hoe-down of yesteryear. Representatives from the two aforementioned companies will be on hand to distribute commemorative samples of their fine products, which should elevate the mood considerably. The Kopechne Kondoms (offshore drilling special heavy-duty waterproof and airtight model) should bring a tear (or a gleam) to many an eye on the evening. Eat my shorts, leftard - you assholes were dissing Reagan before his body was cold. Google THAT, asswipe. LV How very, very like a righty scumbag to use someone's death in an attempt to score points. Being dead doesn't change who people were or what they did during their life. While people are prone to cling to sentimentality and are often willing to sweep unpleasant traits or actions under the rug in the emotional aftermath of death, that certainly doesn't mean the dead person is a 'better' person than he/she was while alive. It is a merely a mass delusion that nations often experience when someone influential dies. Showing a reasonable amount of respect toward the dead person for the sake of their surviving family members is the ethical course of action. However, that does not mean that the dead person should suddenly become untouchable and not have their life examined. When dealing with public figures, the accuracy of the historical record is at stake. That record takes precedence over feelings and sentimentality. I think the question here is all about timing. A year ago, it would have been acceptable to discuss negatives. In the not so distant past, many people said Ted Kennedy was known for drinking too much alcohol, being involved in the questionable drowning of a young girl, riding the political coattails of more noteworthy relatives, and coming from a family of privilege who acquired their wealth through unsavory methods. His biggest and most honest supporters cringed when those things were mentioned because they knew Ted Kennedy was flawed in many ways. All men are flawed. Still, they agreed with his politics and overlooked the weaknesses and scandals. Now that he is dead, all of those weaknesses and scandals have not magically disappeared. It comes down to manners as to how one can discuss those things after his death. Certainly, bringing them up before his family has had a chance to bury him would be uncouth. It would also be rude to discuss those things in celebratory fashion. From a politically strategic perspective, the 'righty scumbags' you mentioned really shouldn't be happy about his demise because he was more of a liability to the Democrat party when he was alive because his past was fair game. As far as scoring points is concerned, I don't think any Right Wingers can score points from speaking ill of the dead. What are they going to do? Say unflattering things about him and convert Democrats into Republicans? Obviously not. If people were willing to support Ted Kennedy while he was alive, they are not going to desert him or their shared ideals now that he is dead. I do, however, think some of your Leftist idols have been attempting to score points. They are the ones who are trying to capitalize from his death by making it seem as though you are spitting on his grave if you don't get on board with the health care legislation. Personally, I think Ted Kennedy deserves a little more from his fellow Democrats than that. Sure, Kennedy was supportive of health care reform. Vehemently so. But there is a time and place for making that connection. Making public statements or sending out emails before the man's family has even had a chance to bury him is extremely opportunistic and inappropriate. I realize he was a creature of politics. In his private life, the people who loved him thought of him as a husband, father, grandfather, uncle, etc. His colleagues should have had the decency to wait an appropriate amount of time out of respect for those people. Those people support the effort to commemorate Kennedy by pushing the health-insurance reform efforts in his name.
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