Can we at least PRETEND to be decent human beings, please?

[TheWraith]

Seriously, people, this is really out of hand. People complain about the coverage of Tim Russert's death, but nobody has gone more over the top than his critics online.

You may have liked him, you may have hated him. You may have thought he was a shill, or a good journalist, or somewhere in between. But one thing I would imagine everyone could agree on is that nobody, short of the most wretched specimens of humanity, really deserves to have a party thrown over their death, with a line of people queued up to kick the corpse.

Whatever you might have disagreed about, the guy wasn't Hitler, he wasn't Stalin, he wasn't Charles Manson or Sirhan Sirhan. If you don't feel like saying anything nice, fine--that's your right. But the ongoing orgy of bashing, of smearing, of non-stop harping and criticism of every aspect of his existence is offensive even for people like me to whom Russert meant nothing.

If you can't offer a calm, reasoned critique, without sounding like a freeper throwing dung at anything you disagree with, then perhaps you should reconsider whether you really need to speak up at all.

[Lex]

1. I see more people pissing and moaning about the "bashing"

than I do anything else.

[TexasObserver]

15. Thank you.

Well said.

[Rosemary2205]

17. it was a rough weekend.

It was so nasty on DU I had to stay away. I was embarrassed for the community.

But yeah, the giant pile of nasties I think have finally got all the vomit out and died down enough that now the folks calling for decency are finally being noticed

[Tangerine LaBamba]

2. Thank you

Well said.

[Bluerthanblue]

3. agree-

on both sentiments.

peace~

[DebbieCDC]

4. I think a lot of the issue is this overly excessive media coverage

I mean, they are carrying on like God died or something. Now I understanding MSNBC is going to carry the funeral????

I mean please, let's stop this nonsense. I didn't care for Russert at all, but I'm sorry for his family and friends. But this carrying on is starting to look like a remake of "Evita" for crying out loud.

[Boojatta]

10. Possible funeral oration

Judge, O you gods, how dearly Russert loved potato chips! This was the most unkindest cut of all; For when the noble Russert felt his veins clogging, Russert's awareness of the Ingratitude of those potato chips vanquish'd him. Then burst his mighty heart.

Great Russert fell. O, what a fall was there, my countrymen! Then I, and you, and all of us fell down, Whilst bloody treason flourish'd over us.

Good friends, sweet friends, let me not stir you up To such a sudden flood of mutiny. They that have done this deed are honorable potato chips. What private griefs they have, alas, I know not, That made them do it. They are wise and honorable potato chips, And will, no doubt, with reasons answer you. I come not, friends, to steal away your hearts. I am no orator, as Bush is;

I have neither wit, nor words, nor worth, Action, nor utterance, nor the power of speech, to stir men's blood. I only speak right on; I tell you that which you yourselves do know; Show you sweet Russert's aorta, And bid it speak for me. But were I a potato chip, there would I put salt In every wound of Russert that should move The cold stones of Rome to rise and mutiny.

[Gabi Hayes]

19. crinkle cut?

that's a very unkind cut,AFAICS

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=russert+potato+head

check the first few links....too funny

[Marr]

5. I've seen a lot of calm, reasoned critiques-- and even more hand-wringing pleas

to offer up phony praise for the man, as if telling pleasant lies about the recently deceased is the decent thing to do.

[Donnachaidh]

6. oh please -- the manners monitors are doing so much handwringing it's frightening

And THAT is what is wrong with this country.

You'd rather people hide in their homes and mumble to themselves than speak out about a man that carried water for the Bush regime - because of some antiquated sense of propriety?

Do you think Tim Russert gave even a moments notice to the kids who died in Iraq so we can steal the Oil? Did he ever offer up a solution for the people losing their jobs BECAUSE of the fraudulent banking practices that have blossomed during the Bush Regime?

:bah:

[Kickin_Donkey]

7. Oh, goodie, a new one: "kicking the corpse."

It sounds like you're just another whiner who can't stand to hear ANYTHING negative about Russert, judging by your language. There's been very little, if any, harping, throwing dung, bashing or smearing of Russert on DU. Most it has been calm, sound, reasoned -- and justified -- critique. You just can't take the documented criticism.

This is the digital age. We communicate instantly on any issue. The second we started seeing unreasonable, emotional praises of Russert as the greatest, fairest, nicest journalist in the history of mankind, is the second we started to have the record straight.

Furthermore, this is a political forum, not a funeral parlor condolence forum. What else would you expect us to discuss regarding a political talking head?

Actually, all the Russert stuff had begun to settle down -- and now you come up with an inflammatory, scolding OP. You're the one who's kicking the corpse to stir up the flies.

[TheWraith]

11. Glad you didn't have anything to offer except ad hominem attacks.

Actually, as I clearly said in the OP, I don't give a damn about Russert. That doesn't change the reality of what constitutes decent behavior.

And of course, you can't resist blaming the person who calls out the behavior. People here really are learning the wrong lessons from the Republicans.

[Kickin_Donkey]

20. Where's the ad hominen attack?

Just like you're imagining an ad hominem attack against you, you conflated valid criticism of Russert into "bashing," "kicking the corpse," "a lack of decency," blah, blah, blah.

LIke I said, all the commotion was dying down, but you had to kick the corpse again to scold everyone.

[TheWraith]

23. "you're just another whiner" ... "You just can't take the documented criticism"...

And once again--you can't address the SUBSTANCE of what I said, so you attack me and blame me for your behavior.

[Nexus7]

8. True, he was an enabler, not a doer

Cold comfort, that.

[Tutonic]

9. It was a slow news cycle this past weekend.

It'll pass in a day or two once Larry Johnson releases his Michelle "Whitey" tape.

[nadinbrzezinski]

22. IT WAS? Tell that to the people in the midwest

oh wait, mission accomplished

(Forgot the jail breakout in Kandahar)

Oh and this is the top of the damn list

[UTUSN]

12. He was on the WRONG side, GET it?!1

The REAL problem is that we sound like Shrub: "WITH me or AGAINST me"


That said, G.E. RUSSERT was an ASSHOLE.



Now, I've figured out WHO he really was: A hard-scrabbler, fine, NOW what!1

[UTUSN]

13. "Pretending" is ON him!1 n/t

[mitchtv]

14. I'm sorry he's dead, I'm also sorry

the media chose to canonize him. The coverage was insufferable, and morbid. He was a man, He died, life goes on, it was not the major news story they cracked it up to be. They're still dragging his corpse around this evening.

[devilgrrl]

16. Tim Russert was bigger than Elvis

I hope his MTP desk and chair are placed in the Smithsonian.

:popcorn:

[Rosemary2205]

18. The son said today that he took the chair home.

[texanwitch]

21. Now you are going to get the Elvis crowd mad.

Pass the popcorn.

[TheWatcher]

24. All of you Grave Dancers are going to look really foolish

When Tim rises on the third day after his funeral.

:popcorn: