Why must we speak no ill of the dead?
Let me start this thread with a disclaimer and request. This thread is not intended to dishonor Blackhorn and please don't turn it into a thread bashing him.
With the recent passing of controvercial GB member Blackhorn I noticed a social rule being observed by most members and even stated outright by Saxonpig.
quote:Originally posted by SaxonPig
It's expected to put aside one's differences and let hard feelings go upon the death of a fellow human being. As much as we may disagree or even dislike someone if they should pass from this world before we do the least we can do is be respectful, speak well of them, and express our concern for the family and friends.
Why has this become a social expectation? If someone was disliked during life why do they get a "pardon" upon their death? I don't buy into it.
With the recent passing of controvercial GB member Blackhorn I noticed a social rule being observed by most members and even stated outright by Saxonpig.
quote:Originally posted by SaxonPig
It's expected to put aside one's differences and let hard feelings go upon the death of a fellow human being. As much as we may disagree or even dislike someone if they should pass from this world before we do the least we can do is be respectful, speak well of them, and express our concern for the family and friends.
Why has this become a social expectation? If someone was disliked during life why do they get a "pardon" upon their death? I don't buy into it.
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I guess becuase it is the decent thing to do while the body is still warm.
Like I said initially, I didn't like the guy. He was very caustic and I can't recall a single nice statement that he made to me, in fact, he did nothing but lob insults at me.
But, I wish those who loved the man no ill will, and my heart goes out to them.0 -
Because they cannot defend themselves!
I too had differences with blackhorn online. But I also talked to him on the phone a couple of times and got to know him as the person he really was.
There are many on this forum that I have had disagreements with. It does not mean that I do not respect them as a person. It just means we do not see eye to eye on some subjects.0 -
The two gentlemen above have it nailed. It's just a matter of common decency to drop any differences at the time of a person's death out of respect for the family (even if they are not reading this forum). After some time has passed if you are still angry you can gripe about a dead man who can't respond if you are really that petty. 0 -
Some of you may know where this comes from, almost all of you will not but read it.
We go on from design to design, add hope to hope, and lay out the plans for the employment of many years. Then the messenger of death comes when we least expect him. What are all the externals of majesty, the pride of wealth, or charms of beauty when nature has paid her last just debt? In the grave all fallacies are detected, all ranks leveled, all distinctions are done away. Here the scepter of the prince and the staff of the beggar lie side by side.0 -
+1 and will add at this point, what difference does it make now to take some final jabs? It is equivilent to pizzing on his grave. Makes you feel good but really doesn't accomplish much else.
Remember the good times and imagine you when you get to that stage of existence.0 -
Horse feathers! When Rosie D, Chuck Schumer, Hillary, or Teddy kick the bucket, I can't wait to hear te accolades from Slipgate, Giter, Porky, and Spanie. [}:)]
If someone is a dick in life, they are still a dick in death. I never argued with BH, so this doesn't apply to him from my perspective. I seem to recall all the weiners badmouthing Anna Nicole Smith pretty bad. So are people liars or just idiots?0 -
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
Horse feathers! When Rosie D, Chuck Schumer, Hillary, or Teddy kick the bucket, I can't wait to hear te accolades from Slipgate, Giter, Porky, and Spanie. [}:)]
If someone is a dick in life, they are still a dick in death. I never argued with BH, so this doesn't apply to him from my perspective. I seem to recall all the weiners badmouthing Anna Nicole Smith pretty bad. So are people liars or just idiots?
That's another story, the 4 you mentioned are known as "super azzhats" - they are free game, alive or dead. The ones you listed above would be cause for celebration when they do meet their makers. As far as I know, Blackhorn was not in that league.0 -
I ran in to a similar circumstance at work. A department supervisor was fired about weeks ago. I never approved of the guys work ethic while he was there and he despised mine. When he was finally gone, I was happy. Very happy. The guy was a determent to the facility.
Some people did not appreciate my glee. Same thing. SOme people don't like to talk ill of a person no longer employed there. I thought geez...It's not like the guy is dead.0 -
quote:Originally posted by Captplaid
I ran in to a similar circumstance at work. A department supervisor was fired about weeks ago. I never approved of the guys work ethic while he was there and he despised mine. When he was finally gone, I was happy. Very happy. The guy was a determent to the facility.
Some people did not appreciate my glee. Same thing. SOme people don't like to talk ill of a person no longer employed there. I thought geez...It's not like the guy is dead.
Probably a lot of us have had supervisors like that. I had one for three years -- it got to the point where I went to his boss and stated that he needed to find me a new supervisor or he needed to find a new employee. After pleading my case, I was reassigned to a new supervisor.
When this ex-supervisor of mine became manager a few years later, and the announcement was made, you could see the blood drain from the faces of several people who he had supervised in the past.
Two years later, he was canned.
I was thrilled. This was a man who made my work life a living hell.
If he had died while being manager, I wouldn't have celebrated. That would have been uncouth. You can walk away from being fired. You can't walk away from death.
Same as with BLKHRN. I have no joy in his death.
quote:That's another story, the 4 you mentioned are known as "super azzhats" - they are free game, alive or dead. The ones you listed above would be cause for celebration when they do meet their makers. As far as I know, Blackhorn was not in that league.
I still wouldn't celebrate their deaths. I was pi$$ed when the loving liberals were celebrating Reagan's death. There's a difference between disagreeing with someone, not liking them, etc., and actually celebrating when they die.
The death of Hitler would have been a cause for celebration. I was very, very happy when Saddam was executed. I'll jump for joy when I hear that bin Laden is as cold as his heart. But, these are mass murderers that deserve nothing less than an early demise.
Simply disagreeing with someone is not a reason to celebrate when someone dies.
I won't, however, say what great people they were (just as I didn't do that with Anna Nichole Smith), and I won't sing their accolades.0 -
this is something that i've been trying to explain to people in my "real" life as well. it's a sort of respect we show for reasons unknown. jump on board! 0 -
It is all about "RESPECT", and how one was raised. To speak ill of the dead speaks volumes about how someone was brought up.
Trinity +++0 -
De mortuis nil nisi bonum dicendum est.
It is not as if this is some sort of new concept.0 -
There is no profit in carrying on a feud with a dead man. In all likelihood the dead man won't even know it. There is a probability that no matter how you felt about a dead man, he had friends and family who loved him. Trying to carry on a feud which should have died with the man can cause unnecessary grief for those friends and family. No good can come from it and it could very easily cause harm. Just my opinion, but I think that's why. 0 -
I didn't like the man, even a little, but I am sorry and saddened to hear of his untimely demise. My sympathy is with his family and friends. 0 -
First I have heard of his passing. I too did not much care for the internet persona, but so what.
Look at it this way: we do not speak ill of the dead for all the noble reasons stated above which are real enough, but also out of respect for ourselves, not to become people who would kick a man while he is down.
Personally I plan to kick Big Tire as much as possible while he is still alive, it will be a lot more fun.0 -
quote:Originally posted by nunn
I didn't like the man, even a little, but I am sorry and saddened to hear of his untimely demise. My sympathy is with his family and friends.
and that's the right thing to say - maybe even excluding the first sentence!
my original motto stands = MEN PEOPLE SUCK!0 -
According to General Sheridan, even Indians are good after they're dead. 0 -
quote:p3skyking:
If someone is a dick in life, they are still a dick in death. I never argued with BH, so this doesn't apply to him from my perspective. I seem to recall all the weiners badmouthing Anna Nicole Smith pretty bad. So are people liars or just idiots?
Nice point! I've seen quite abit of that around here, too![xx(]
That sums it up pretty well. I don't abide by that 'Its the decent thing to do.' philosophy, either.
If the person was 'over the top' at going out of their way to be nasty, mean and despicable in life ... good riddance. The only exceptions are those who were (perhaps) mentally ill.
I'll finish any wounded animal 'because it's the right/decent thing to do' ... but I'll either not bother to comment or be more than happy to tell it how it was with a 'maroonic jerk' if they've earned it ... they own in.
... I also don't give a twit about how people talk about me after I've gone to that Big Outdoor Range in The Sky ... or That Big Subterranean Range in the 'other place!
[}:)]0 -
I see some comments like "He was awful so I can be awful, too" and I recall that my mother told me to be better than others. Just because someone else wants to be an ass doesn't mean I have to be one, too.
Or maybe she was wrong?0 -
She was.
[:D]0 -
My uncle's step father was a cruel man. Everyone at the funeral was there out of respect for his wife and her son and daughter. My mother made faces at my aunt during the funeral, trying to get her to laugh. Only the step daughter and the wife had tears. (Step daughter and wife are both nit-wits.) Everyone else in the room was glad to see him go.
The sad thing was, years back, this woman would have married the first guy that came around after my uncle's father's death. This guy was not the first man. He was the second. The first guy did not meet the old man's approval. He made the guy off to leave. Decades later, my uncle met this man. He still carried a picture of the woman and her two kids in his wallet.
It was a long bout in lung cancer, but most everyone was glad to see him go.0 -
When my wife's mother died (before I was on the seen), her sister made a big deal. She was being dramatic. Finally another sister said "You never liked her when she was alive, so shut up and quit making a big deal." 0 -
quote:Originally posted by SaxonPig
The two gentlemen above have it nailed. It's just a matter of common decency to drop any differences at the time of a person's death out of respect for the family (even if they are not reading this forum). After some time has passed if you are still angry you can gripe about a dead man who can't respond if you are really that petty.
I'm not angry at all until a moderator starts calling me names like petty. This thread is meant to spark a discussion about the taboo of talking ill of the dead.0 -
quote:Originally posted by p3skyking
Horse feathers! When Rosie D, Chuck Schumer, Hillary, or Teddy kick the bucket, I can't wait to hear te accolades from Slipgate, Giter, Porky, and Spanie. [}:)]
If someone is a dick in life, they are still a dick in death. I never argued with BH, so this doesn't apply to him from my perspective. I seem to recall all the weiners badmouthing Anna Nicole Smith pretty bad. So are people liars or just idiots?
+1
I will dance with joy when certain people kick the bucket.0 -
quote:Originally posted by hisbigbootygirl
quote:Originally posted by nunn
I didn't like the man, even a little, but I am sorry and saddened to hear of his untimely demise. My sympathy is with his family and friends.
and that's the right thing to say - maybe even excluding the first sentence!
my original motto stands = MEN PEOPLE SUCK!
What do you have against MEN???0 -
Only reason I can think of...
Why would we NEED to speak ill of the dead.?
The person can't do more harm, good or even rectify the situation - and it's better to just let it go. It serves no need to speak ill of the dead.
It'll give yourself some calm - and help prevent you from getting an ulcer.
So it's better all around, to just forget the bad things - and remember the good.0 -
ha! i didn't realize that i left the a out. i don't think men people suck, i think MEAN PEOPLE SUCK! lol
sorry guys!0 -
quote:Originally posted by hisbigbootygirl
ha! i didn't realize that i left the a out. i don't think men people suck, i think MEAN PEOPLE SUCK! lol
sorry guys!
That's good. i was beginning to worry about the kind of bars y'all hang out in.0 -
I see no problem with saying unflattering things about the dead, provided it is the truth...
Part of life is being a role model for others. Sometimes our greatest contribution is showing others how to behave...other times it is showing others how NOT to behave.
Blkhrn was intellegent, articulate and had a tremendous knowledge of firearms.....he could also be petty and boorish to the extreme. That doesn't make him a "bad" person or a "good" person, it is simply who he was.
Frankly, I'll miss his insights.....0 -
Ya cain't polish a turd. Damn straight 0
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