Jesse Helms has died

[sparkindarkness]

And, not being American, I can't say whatever he did changed my life at all. I had heard of him however and I was, frankly, horrified that such a repellant man existed outside of a comedy.

I have seen, well, subdued rejoicing coming from many quarters - people who are glad to see him gone but realise the utter tackiness of celebrating someone's death.



It is said that it's a terrible thing to speak ill of the dead and awful to celebrate anyone's passing. And maybe it's true, I can't disagree firmly there, it certainly leaves an unpleasant taste in the mouth

However, if celebrating a death is bad, then I can't help but wonder how much worse it must be to have lead such a life that so many people are gleeful when you are dead?

Comments

[snuck.livejournal.com]

some things should be celebrated... the turning of a tide washes out old, brings in fresh water...

I am glad that a man of such influence well beyond his right, has been quietened. Sad that it is in his death (although 86 is well beyond life expectancy)... but his life wasn't contributing much to society anymore, and he was sullying the world still.

Ugh. Hard to not speak ill of the dead at times, but sheesh - that man was a piss poor excuse for political influence

[sparkindarkness.livejournal.com]

It'sd almost sad - and deeply horrifying. I mean, dying and your epitaph being "thousands, maybe millions, of people are glad I am dead." What an utter tragedy and what an utter waste of a life.

How can we speak anything but ill of a man who did nothing that wasn't ill?

[mrmeval.livejournal.com]

Just give it up and put this on a bumper sticker:
"Jesse Helms would have done better as fertilizer growing food for poor people."

And on the one below it.

"After being suitably sterilized."