Hello fellow kossacks,
I'll tell you right up front that this is a diary I am going to have trouble writing. I don't expect this opinion to be popular. I don't expect this diary to get a good reception, but for the sake of this community I feel I should say something about this topic.
It is true that Andrew Breitbart's politics were not something that I admired. His version of journalism and "the truth" were a blight on the body politic in the United States of America. He was not someone I agreed with...ever. I'll be the first to admit that I loathed his political positions. I'll be the first to admit that I thought the man was a liar and a cheat, who has perpetrated a scam on the people of America. His campaigns against ACORN, Shirley Sherrod, and any other number of prominent people and organizations were slanted and chopped up in the right wing's favor. He was not my favorite person on earth, lets just say that.
But, look guys, were all human beings. We all know someone like this, hell we even might be related to some right wingers who have issues with the truth. The fact of the matter is Mr. Breitbart was someones son, uncle, or brother. He has a family who cares about him. He has friends who will miss him, perhaps a wife or kids who will never get to have a husband or father. No matter what side of the political aisle (or reality) you come from, we all can relate to the grief that his family and friends are going through. Death connects us together, and reminds us that we are each human beings, despite the differences that drive apart the living. All of us will have a family member or friend die, and be on a death bed ourselves one day. Death connects us all. That is why we show respect for the dead, because one day, we will be there ourselves.
Now, I am not saying that because Breitbart is dead, we should forget the sins of his political life while he was still living. You can continue to loathe Andrew Breitbart's version of journalism and politics. Just because he is dead doesn't mean that we all have to forget the massive negative impact the man had on journalism, nor do we have to forget his own brand of hate politics. By no means do we have sing the praises of a man that sought to bring down the progressive movement that made the US great. We don't have to be all gooey-eyed about Mr. Breitbart and what a great person he was. But what we, as kossacks, and as progressives, should realize is that death is what makes us human beings; that everyone dies, and thats why deference is given to the dead, especially on the day of their death.
That being said, I am kind of disappointed in some Kossacks reactions to the news that Andrew Breitbart died last night. We progressives are supposed to have the ability to see the common humanity in everyone, regardless of their political leanings. While the majority of kossacks reactions were perfectly respectful, there were a rash of comments, and even a diary, that I found to be in bad taste, and too soon. I gotta admit, I was hoping that most, if not all, on this website could understand that the dead should at least be afforded some respect -- especially on the day of death itself. But there were a lot of kossacks that jumped right on the "lets insult him" bandwagon, and I find that not only in bad taste, but in violation of the progressive values that I was brought up on.
Maybe I am being sensitive, sure, but is giving up our values worth taking a potshot at a dead person, who isn't around to at least defend himself? Is it worth giving up, essentially, what makes us better than the other side? I say no. Your mileage may vary.
Thanks for listening. As always, I appreciate dissent in all of its forms.