Pamela Troy (562 posts) Sun Jul-13-08 02:09 PM
Response to Original message
35. Okay. Here's my answer.
“Should I feel guilty because I’m glad he’s dead? If I feel like liberal democrats are American traitors, isn’t that a logical response?”
Comment made in the wake of Paul Wellstone's death on Lucianne.com
First of all, let's make something clear -- the announcement by the moderators about removing inappropriate comments in the wake of Snows death was NOT prompted by mere criticism of Snow's career. It was prompted by ugly "jokes" that were posted here in the wake of news about Snow's relapse several months ago.
Some people here are trying very hard to pretend that the moderators are overreacting to "thoughtful criticism" of Snow. That's not what it is about. It's about people mocking the man's suffering, and the suffering of his family.
Now, to answer your questions:
Why exactly is it bad to acknowledge that the world is a slightly better place now that some people are gone, if for nothing more than a sense of justice?
In most cases it takes a rather staggering freight of hubris and malice to declare unequivocally that the death of an individual human being has made the world "a slightly better place." Making this assumption in the context of politics isn't just arrogant and malicious -- it's dangerous. The notion that the death of certain human beings will make the world a better place is what has driven institutionalized mass murder on both the right and the left.
"They aren't here to defend themselves" is a weak argument, since many bad people, while living, felt no guilt in attacking the defenseless.
Whether or not the person in question felt guilt about "attacking the defenseless" is completely beside the point. Moral and decent people do not take their cues on morality and decency from the immoral and the indecent. A system of "ethics" that's applied ONLY to people you like is not a system of ethics.
"It's disrespectful" also does not work. What is it about death that automatically grants one the respect that many were not willing to grant them in life because of their evil deeds?"
It's not just Tony Snow's death. It was just as disgusting when people were mocking him for his terminal illness when he was still alive.
"Think of the family?" Did the deceased think of the families of those who they were hurting? Did the deceaseds' families try and prevent the evil done by their loved ones? Didn't the deceaseds' families usually directly benefit from the actions taken by their dead relations at the expense of someone else?
I had no idea you knew Snow's family so well and on such a personal basis that you can make such a confident assertion. That said, I can only repeat: Moral and decent people do not take their cues on morality and decency from the immoral and the indecent. A system of "ethics" that's applied ONLY to people you like is not a system of ethics.
"It makes us look bad." Should we really care about what "they" think of us at this point? "They" have been working so hard for so long to hurt us; what they think of us should be the least of our concerns at this point.
Inasmuch as "they" are not just Freepers and right-wingers, but other liberals and Democrats who loathe Freeper-like behavior whether it comes from Freepers or DU-ers, yes, we should care. This is a POLITICAL BLOG. Much of politics involves not engaging in such repulsive behavior that you alienate the very people you are trying to convince and embarrass those who would otherwise be on your side.
I've written a great deal about this kind of malice, and how destructive, how ugly it is. In most of my writings, I've used the many, many examples available from the right side of the aisle.
So I'm not going to bite my tongue when I see Democrats and liberals engaging in similar mockery of the personal tragedies of Republicans and Conservatives.
I really have to say I'm astounded by the emotional stake so many DUers seem to have in hatred. Some of you clutch it to your chests like an alky hugging a bottle. Is reserving a group of people you can despise unreservedly so very important to you guys? Is everything truly spoiled for you if you DON'T have someone whose sufferings you can mock? I'm reminded of the people who become outraged at the prospect of prison inmates NOT being mistreated, NOT being abused, NOT being raped or tortured.
Is that nasty tickle you get when contemplating the pain of someone whose politics you dislike so very, very important to you?
Originally Posted by nacho
Sentiments of how "evil" he was and how much they hate him (and everynone in the Bush Administration) is considered "open discussion of the actual records and accomplishments". 
