Reply #37: I think especially after a person first dies it is a basic sense of decency and fair play.

[elocs]

Let's say that there is this person whom you detest and hate everything they have done or for which they stand. You are then able to tie them up and gag them and in a fit or oratorical brilliance you verbally destroy them. When you are finished you then feel totally noble and righteous as you strut and declare how bad you are, that you destroyed them and they didn't even say a word to defend themselves.

Because they can't! You have them bound and gagged and when somebody is dead that is the ultimate bound and gagged. We sit behind our anonymous usernames here on the internet and in our infinite wisdom and intelligence and confidence that we are absolutely right about everything so we feel free to pass judgement on other's ideas, actions, and who they are as a person. Passing judgement on somebody's ideas or actions is not inappropriate, but so often I see the tendency to make those with whom we disagree to be evil incarnate and personified and so that especially gives license to trash them as a person when they die.

What's the point? I am sure there are many Republican senators who disagree with almost everything that Ted Kennedy stands for, but they still respect him as a person. When he dies they will not dance with delight. I am sure there would be many people who would behave that way and we would think that would be despicable, so why do we feel so free and justified to behave that way when it is somebody whom we don't like dies? Is it because they do it? For myself, I don't want to be like them. I don't want to be bitter, small, petty, and narrow minded. I don't want to do to anyone else what I would not want to be done to somebody I love, admire, or support in regards to them as a person.