Rest in Peace, unless . . .

[cssmall]

Rest in peace unless you were a conservative or a person that even disagreed with one of your liberal heroes right? I mean, it doesn't really matter if they die, leaving behind a legacy of education with children and adults about animals debunking the dangerous myths about them. So, you know what? "I knew it was going to happen sometime" or "eh, so what?"

In the day since Steve Irwin's death, I have been more disappointed by this place than ever before. The actual term for the emotion that I have felt with some of the reaction and smarmy remarks is disgust, mainly because I never thought we were like that. I have seen conservatives praise the deaths of liberals, but I thought we were supposed to be better than that. I thought we were supposed to care about all life. I thought we cared about the opposite opinion. Oh well, guess not. Aren't we the ones that look for nuance in every situation?

However, being a liberal, I have this to say: I am willing to accept Steve Irwin because of his ultimate goal. He was a penultimate conservationalist and, perhaps, the face of the field. In fact, he used the tactics with which I wholeheartedly agree: education, passion, protection, relocation and outreach. These are all tactics that as an archeologist (without the pretentous "a") I espouse with *humans.* Do you know who signed the sections of the National Historic Preservation Act that make archeology a requirement at all places? Richard Nixon. Therefore, I owe my career to Nixon. Does that make me less of a liberal? Does it make Irwin less of a conservationalist for saying he wants to sit on the fence so he can get as much money as possible to help animals? No. Just because he's not ramming spikes in a tree or any other amount of *terroristic* activities doesn't mean he could give a care less. In the end, I will personally remember Irwin as a conservationalist that educated my children and myself, that entertained my children and myself, and that touched my children and myself.

If you want to follow a ticket blindly, then we are no better than Republicans. It shows that we don't care about the issues; rather we just care about that damned D (which means you would vote for Lieberman if he were on the ballot). In the end, it doesn't matter. What was written here will be either applauded or attacked. For that I have little care, because I expect those that are geniunely touched and affected by Irwin's death will join me in my grief whilst those that think someone has to be the perfect liberal to be the perfect anything will attack me. I apologize for not being perfect.

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. Nixon was not at all like today's conservatives

Nixon wasn't even a conservative.

[cssmall]

5. You could make the argument, true.

However, I was using that as a comparasion.

[savemefromdumbya]

2. snake taming shouldn't be about politics

the guy did a great job and the children loved him!

[Coventina]

3. Thanks for a thoughtful post.

I am seriously weirded out that this has become such a hot-button issue here on DU.

You would think that Mr. Irwin caused some posters to feel threatened for some reason. The reactions of some are just really puzzling.

[Jed Dilligan]

4. Welcome to the Big Tent.

Sorry if it's news to you that many of your fellow Americans are bloodthirsty, small-minded, resent-addled schadenfreude addicts.

If your party wins an election.... I don't care which party.... That's who you're voting with. Because elections cannot be won without them.

To those who bemoan the fact that this is not the "Liberal Underground," I would offer my cheer that the DEMOCRATIC Underground is beginning to reflect the population more closely.

A population that is frighteningly unliberal.

I mean that without sarcasm. The degree to which Americans are not liberal is truly frightening.

So many of us have an Abu Ghraib for a soul.

[cssmall]

6. *laugh*

It is not news to me at all, however, I thought we were better. I chalk it up to naivety.

[Finder]

7. He was not a right winger...he was apolitical and atheist. n/t

[mtnsnake]

8. K&R!

[seabeyond]

9. disgust about descibes it for me too. i agree with your post

it is what i have been feeling, thinking, saying too.

[OzarkDem]

10. He spent millions of his own money buying land for preservation

Thanks for the kind and eloquent post. Its nice to see so many DU'ers re-staking claim to common decency here.

Dems stand for the most compassionate ideals and seek to see the best in everyone while working for the common good. Sometimes we have to reinforce those values, but its well worth the effort.

“Let us dedicate ourselves to what the Greeks wrote so many years ago: to tame the savageness of man and make gentle the life of this world.” Robert F. Kennedy

[nadinbrzezinski]

11. His death is the latest in revelatory moments

to me. I have talked about this with fellow DU'ers over PMs. This place is not what it used to be... and careful thought has given way to sheer emotion.

I guess it is the price of getting big

:-)

As to Irwin, RIP... and his younger son will not even remember his dad... which I am sure many of the snarky have forgotten

[boolean]

12. Can we PLEASE put an end to all these threads?

Honestly. My finger is getting tired of hitting the hide thread button. Can we have a separate forum called the "Dead celebrity worshipers grieving forum"? I promise to never go there. Then we won't have to wade through all these fucking melodramatic disappointed-in-DU posts.

[cssmall]

13. Can we please put an end to your attitude?

Honestly, Boolean, does making a valid point not based on an emotional response come naturally or does it take an effort to not think critically about the actions of those around you?

This is cyberspace. I realize that it is inherently powerful and inherently obfuscating of the individual behind the keyboard; therefore, you would treat people with an indecency unlike all else. You, after a waiting period from this post, will have earned an ignore from me, because your words are no kin to free thought and eloquence. If you do not like my post and feel that it needn't be where it is, then by all means contact a moderator and have them move it. If, on the other hand, if I have made a point with the defensive as portayed in your response, then I would advise that you should learn how to conduct yourself in open discourse.

[OzarkDem]

14. Here's a better idea

How about creating a "spleen venting" forum where people can go to blow off steam, be rude, engage in ad hominem attacks, insult each other, bash Dems or other forum members or whatever they want? Sounds fair.

[hfojvt]

16. don't we already have one of those?

It's called "GD"

signed,
the lounge lizards

[onenote]

15. you could've just skipped this one and saved your poor finger

Why do I doubt you'd have the willpower to stay away from a "dead celebrity worshipers grieving forum" if you couldn't stay away from this thread.