So if a Republican dies, we're not allowed to bring up criticisms of said Republican?

[trumad]

Can't wait to see our comments when Jesse Helms dies.

[NNN0LHI]

1. He was a good old boy n/t

[trumad]

4. Yeah--but dare I say he was a racist without appearing insensitive.

[shain from kane]

2. Didn't he die already? Carole Mosley Braun sang at his funeral.

[Richardo]

3. Why can't you put it aside for a day?

Take a little verbal milk of magnesia.

[trumad]

5. Is that what you'll say when Jesse dies?

[Richardo]

13. I won't say anything - it's all been said already.

and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said and said :puke:

[cali]

15. Really?

It's that difficult for you to discern the difference between Ford and Helms? How interesting, and here I thought it was obvious.

[WinkyDink]

6. Of course we're "allowed"! The trick is not to listen to those who would squelch such views.

[TahitiNut]

29. Yep. That's what a 'discussion forum' is all about - not listening.

God forbid anyone disagree. :eyes:

[michaz]

7. Bringing up criticisms is one thing

but being absolutely cruel is another. We wonder what is wrong with the world!

[trumad]

8. Cruel? In what way?

[michaz]

14. Some of these posts

are horrendous! The man died. He served our country. I certainly did not agree with all he did but I will not demean the man by saying some of the things that have been said. It simply is not right!

[WinkyDink]

9. Yeah, posts on a board = "cruel". What would you call torture and war, then?

[michaz]

17. Perfect example

The man died! What do you want to do? Wish him to die a second time? If one cannot see the inappropriateness of some of these threads then I guess there is no sense in trying to explain it.

[wryter2000]

23. Welcome to DU

:hi:

We're not at our best today. I hope you'll stick around.

[tridim]

10. Of course not, but compared to Nixon, Reagan and the BFEE..

Ford was a saint. It's all relative. Therefore I choose not to waste much time trashing him.

Have some nachos and beer wherever you are Mr. Ford. RIP.

[RaleighNCDUer]

11. He did already die.

His evil lifeforce animates his walking corpse.

[EST]

12. Nope.

[kentuck]

16. Who said DUers had to show some class...

What good does it serve after he is gone? With that said, people can criticize or not, it is up to the individual.

[Hoosier Dem]

18. Why do we have to be so Over-the Top??

First of all, comapring Gerald Ford's passing to Jesse Helms makes no sense at all.

There's a big difference between criticism and just hateful spewing.

Just to reverse the argument, should we have all praised George Wallace and Lester Maddox when they died since they were Democrats???? And I can't wait to see the loving praise that awaits Democrat Zell Miller on DU when he is called from this life.

This simpleton mentality among too many DUers of "D good, R bad" does a real disservice. Over the years, I've seen some very decent Republicans and been appalled by some Democrats. While I have been a Democrat all my life, I have voted for a select few Republicans over the years (mostly for local offices, but I have voted in the past for Richard Lugar for Senate).

The parties that we know today bear little resemblance to the parties of my childhood. The moderate and liberal Republicans are pretty much extinct. The 2006 election was probably the death-knell for Republicans in the Northeast as a whole. On the other side, Southern Democrats (on a national level) are fading fast. We were lucky not to lose any seats in the South this year (thanks, Katherine Harris!!) We're down to only five Southern Democratic seantors come January, and some could argue that Virginia is more of a "border" state than a "southern" state. In 2008, Mary Landrieu may have the fight of her life to hold her LA seat, especially with so many New Orleans residents having left for Texas and elsewhere.

In short, its not about criticism. It's about letting partisanship be our only filter of a person's worth.

[Mortos]

20. Incredibly well said

It seems that the only difference between DU reaction to political leader's deaths and downfalls and Free Republic is who we root against. The vitriol and hate spewed by some of our fellow DU'ers makes me ashamed to be a part of this community sometimes. It seems some can't wait to just be hateful and say awful things. Say what you want but don't be surprised when the hateful rhetoric you use shows up in mainstream outlets as a representation of all DU members, liberals and Democrats.

I, for one, am tired of being painted with the same brush as the most extreme and hateful who don't represent my beliefs and values.

Now, feel free to bash me and call me a freeper.

[wryter2000]

26. Well said.

Just to reverse the argument, should we have all praised George Wallace and Lester Maddox when they died since they were Democrats????

Maybe we ought to rake Eisenhower over the coals today, too.

[H2O Man]

19. You forgot Poland. n/t

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

21. "Sacred cows make the best hamburger." Mark Twain

Presidents being some of the most sacred of cows.

[EFerrari]

24. LOL! I have to ge me some Mark Twain.

;)

[Donald Ian Rankin]

22. Only temporarily.

Respect for the berieved is one of the most fundamental forms of good behaviour. The degree of criticism it's acceptable to level at someone dead increases in with the time since their death, I think.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

25. Sure You Are. And Others Are Allowed To Speak Their Opinions On Why They'd Consider It To Be In

poor taste as well.

[LeftishBrit]

27. No, but I think that if we treat Ford's death in just the way we treat e.g. Pinochet's death,

then it's not only unfair to Ford, it trivializes the true evil of people like Pinochet.

There's a difference between not thinking someone was a great leader, and treating them as truly evil.

[Curlew]

28. When Jesse Dies

You said you cant wait to see the comments when Jesse croaks. I'll take it one further and say I cant wait until Jesse croaks. The hell with the comments about it. One less vote in the Repugnican column is one less vote.

[blm]

30. Remember that Reagan died and took up a MONTH of political coverage, ALL POSITIVE

for him, which further hampered the Dems right before the Dem convention. I remember a bunch of huge fundraisers were cancelled with Barbra Streisand and Neil Diamond, and even Dems were all over tv talking about 'Saint Ronnie' and his idyllic reign. yech.

[Jack Rabbit]

31. When Jesse Helms dies

I will observe the occasion with a very long (days long) moment of stoney silence.

I urge others to do likewise.

For now, it is regrettable that he will die someday and that for which he stood -- white male Christian supremacy and imperialism -- will in some way live on.

[Rosemary2205]

32. We do still have free speech in this country

You can say anything you want. Just don't get your panties in a twist if someone tells you it's rude to trash someone on his deathbed. They have a right to free speech too ya know.

[LWolf]

33. That brings up a few questions for me:

What is the point of announcing a death? Is it for people to remember, for people to pause a moment to note a passing, or is it an assumed invitation to wax eloquent in judging that person's life? Who is qualified to be the judge of another's life?

What is the point of discussing a death? Is it to unite people, to remind us that death is something we all experience in common, or to divide us? Is it a sporting event, to see who can "beat" the opposition by bashing after death?

I don't understand the mentality that delights in attacking the dead, any more than I understand the brutal joy in gathering to watch gladiators battle to the death, public executions, bullfights, dog fights, rooster fights, lions vs people, or whatever.

What is the point? If someone dies, and you don't remember their legacy fondly, can you move on without comment? Can you withhold your moment of silence, refrain from offering a goodby or condolences for family left behind, and move on? Must it be an opportunity to gang up on the dead?

If GWB were to die today, I would not mourn. That would be hypocritical. I would offer up a sigh of relief, and turn to face the replacement, not trusting to turn my back. I wouldn't need to spit, kick on, or otherwise desecrate the body. Toss it on a pyre and move on.

[Xenotime]

34. That's the tone around here. People are so touchy