I have no problem with tradition in the death of Presidents

[lunatica]

I believe the office is important but I do have a problem with the truth being set aside in favor of ignoring facts. A legacy includes the good and the not so good and the downright bad. It’s all history and it all matters, especially since each President’s actions always affects us long after they are gone. Their actions always set the stage for the next President.

A lot has been said about the good he did and it’s entirely valid. So is the bad.

The Ignored Legacy of George H W Bush...

https://www.google.com/amp/s/static.theintercept.com/amp/the-ignored-legacy-of-george-h-w-bush-war-crimes-racism-and-obstruction-of-justice.html

[lagomorph777]

1. Nauseating to see all the Bush fellation, even on MSNBC.

This is the Iran-Contra-CIA-Cocaine/Panama Deception guy, for crying out loud.

[N_E_1 for Tennis]

2. The good a president does...

is for funeral speeches, the bad is for history classes.

[lunatica]

3. Well no one here made a funeral speech did they?

If they had I would probably agree with you.

[Hortensis]

17. Agree. History classes, blogs, and talking heads.

This reminds me of the old saying, "There's a time and place for everything." Not that tidy, of course, but a wedding reception is is not the time and place for all the guests to start saying exactly what they think of the bride in a peculiar excess of "honesty." That comes later and elsewhere.

[elfin]

32. That means no one can speak for Trump

What on Earth could be said for him that is any good? Even Nixon did some good things before his paranoia caught up with him.

But, generally, I do agree with your statement.

[elocs]

4. "A lot has been said about the good he did and it's entirely valid. So is the bad."

But the tradition is that we cut the dead person some slack after they die and until after their funeral to trash them.
I realize that there are those here at DU who are very annoyed and put-out by the good things being said about Bush after his death, even by admired Democrats like Obama that they are suffering beyond reason and must set the record straight.
Jimmy Carter is probably the next up to die just by his age alone, so just imagine what some of the rabid Trumpsters will say about him even when good things are being said by Republican leaders.

But the thing is that after a few days we will likely only rarely hear anything about George HW Bush. I think I can deal with that.

[lunatica]

6. You're right about cutting the recently deceased some slack

But if the media insists on force feeding us a highly unrealistic view of any President as some sort of godlike figure we can refuse drinking the cool aide. There is too much of a tendency to see everything as only black and white.

George H W Bush died 5 days ago and they’re still swilling saccharine by the bucketful at us. When does the slack time officially end for DU?

[elocs]

8. When does the slack end? Day after tomorrow too long?

Setting the record straight about him is not going to change anybodys' minds. And as far as seeing things only black and white, you're going to make that claim here where everything and everyone Republican is declared as being evil?
For right now, for this week, I would prefer to make Barack Obama as my role model to follow, somebody who always shows class even when he doesn't receive it.

[lunatica]

11. spare us the broad brush condemnation.

DU is not of one mind about almost anything.

[elocs]

16. "Amost" anything. You had to qualify that, didn't you?

I'd say DU is unanimous in considering Trump, Republicans, and what they do to be evil. They wear the black hats and we wear the white.

[lunatica]

19. Aren't you?

Why would anyone have doubts about the criminality of today’s Republicans or Trump?

[guillaumeb]

5. Recommended.

Politeness at a public event is a good thing, but when the GOP and the US corporate media attempt to ignore or rewrite history, there must be pushback.

[lunatica]

7. And the fact they have all his crime enablers on to talk

about him like he’s a god is particularly disgusting. They sound like cute old doddering grandpas waxing poetic. I’m talking about Dick Cheney and James Baker et al.

[guillaumeb]

9. Cheney is an unindicted war criminal.

Bush Sr. was, in my view, an unindicted traitor.

[lunatica]

10. And when they die we'll be told they were great public servants!

Which makes me very glad for the Internet where you can find the truth if you search for it. At least we now have the ability to balance the truth.

[mitch96]

12. "tradition in the death of Presidents"

I wonder if slack will be given to the orange shit stain?? History will tell I guess..
m

[lunatica]

14. Well I think he'll probably get a state funeral with all the bells and whistles

It would be hard to take but do we really want to trash traditional ceremony? It’s not an easy thing to answer or even think about. But what many won’t tolerate will be the adulation of the man just because he was President. The raising him to godhood.

[mitch96]

15. Just so long there is no mega million Military Parade... nt

[lunatica]

18. Someone should draw up a cartoon

with Trump laying in state with all the accouterments that George H W has only all the people attending would be his MAGA base looking just like they look in his rallies, red hats, banners, chants, and all. Maybe add a wreath of red flowers in the shape of the MAGA hat.

That’s probably the demographic that would actually attend and slouch shuffle past his casket.

[Garrett78]

13. I have the day off tomorrow (paid) because of this nonsense. I should be glad, but...

...I find it so absurd. No celebrity or politician should get this level of fawning, much less one who was in reality an asshole. Sorry, but all of the Bushes are horrible, even if they hid their horribleness better than some others.

[lunatica]

20. Getting a paid day off is the least they should do.

At least everyone can agree it was one of the good things everyone can agree on about any President.

[violetpastille]

29. +1

No celebrity or politician should get this level of fawning

Agree. It's positively undemocratic. All this pomp and blab and expense over this one person.

[Garrett78]

30. While children die every minute of every day.

[violetpastille]

31. That's how I'm thinking.

And I can't speak for the founding fathers, obviously, but I imagine if they could see this panegyric display they would say,
"THIS is exactly what we were trying to free you guys from."

[cynatnite]

21. I have no problem with only talking about the good...

People like to remember the good when someone dies, no matter who it is.

More books will get written about him and they'll cover both the good and bad.

This is human nature.

I don't need the talking heads to remind me of the bad anyway. I already know.

[lunatica]

22. That's fine if you're friends or family

We aren’t and neither is the media. I don’t think the media needs to say critical things, but 5 days of holding him up as some godlike figure? There’s no need to parade every criminal ex official out to elaborate on the outright lies. I’m talking about people like Dick Cheney.

[cynatnite]

23. People really don't care about folks like Cheney...

They'll be properly respectful and move on with their lives. No one is going to remember what Cheney or the rest of them says.

[lunatica]

24. You might not remember but many of us will

I speak for myself in issues like this.

[cynatnite]

26. Not the general population...

Most folks aren't into politics like we are. Most don't pay attention like we do. Much of the behavior never gets reported and is eventually forgotten unless someone write a book.

Most won't know Cheney used to run Halliburton. Most won't know that he used his office to profit that company and himself on an illegal war that cost so many lives.

Most folks don't know and don't care. He'll die never having to be held responsible for that war. It sucks, I know.

[lunatica]

27. Well I certainly agree with you there

At this moment I know various professional women who are smart, educated and have their own businesses who have no idea of what’s going on. About a month ago one of them told me they will ask me who to vote for because they don’t know.

I was blown away! But I let her continue in her ignorant bliss. Too much trouble!

[lilactime]

25. K&R

[nolabear]

28. This is mourning. History will be far different.

People reflect on mortality, their own wishes for forgiveness, the frailty of life and the god awfulness of having to shoulder burdens. The judgment, fair and biased both, comes later.