When a polarizing figure dies, there is sometimes an impulse to ignore courtesy and to instead viciously attack. The glowing tributes can create a visceral push-back instinct. But upon the day of a man’s passing, respect for the pain of his loved ones, and yes, even his ideological fellows and followers, is a proper thing. There is no shame in allowing a day for the mourning of others.
Now, that does not mean it is not appropriate to criticize. It’s not even to say that on the very day you cannot reconfirm your distaste for the deceased. No, when a polarizing figure dies, even in the short hours following the news, it is to be expected and tolerated that those who oppose him will say so. Again, it’s a pushback against what may be historically inaccurate, hagiographic, rhetorical excess on the part of his dedicated fan base, as well as against any attempt to score political points with a perceived martyr. That’s understandable.
But what is not right, and certainly not classy, are the vicious and nasty personal comments celebrating the loss that others are feeling. Let me give you some examples:

That’s just awful. Especially a health jab at someone who died of brain cancer. Or this one:

Yes, the viciousness that greeted the announcement of the death of journalist Robert Novak was disgusting and cruel. Oh sorry, did you think I was talking about someone else? Well I wasn’t.
Robert Novak was a conservative and a journalist. He never sent anyone to war (in fact, he opposed the Iraq war), robbed a bank, or committed manslaughter at a lake; yet apparently the crime of being a conservative is justification enough for celebrating his death. Here are a few more choice Twitter screenshots:







Believe me, there are plenty more where those came from.
Of course, I will also give credit where credit is due:

Unfortunately, he was undermined by his own blog.
Certainly, the world does not revolve around Twitter … yet. But the increasing hand-wringing about criticism directed at Kennedy often cites Twitter commentary, so let’s just call this a reminder. And just for a further reminder, Redstate, Hot Air, and Michelle Malkin blogged about Kennedy’s death as well. Note all the triumphal crowing about hell and such? Me either.
Now, let’s be real here. Yes, there was some nastiness from the right regarding Ted Kennedy on the day he died. Just as there was some even-handed and respectful commentary from the left, including from Markos Moulitsas himself, regarding Robert Novak on the day of his passing. But that’s just the point, isn’t it? The din of outraged objection from the left over negative Kennedy commentary rings all too hollow in the face of the arguably more sinister, arguably less justified nastiness from the left only a few weeks ago when another man of the same age died of the same disease from our side of the aisle.
For my part, I tried to keep mostly quiet on the day of Kennedy’s passing. Not for him. For them. But like I said, he was a polarizing figure. Criticism, even on the day of his death, is to be expected and tolerated.
As for the increasingly morally indignant objectors on the left, do let’s try and remember two weeks ago. Hmm?

Outstanding work Caleb...
Aaron Gardner Friday, August 28th at 3:10PM EDT (link)Sharing this on my FB!!
Aaron’s Archive
conform and celebrate diversity….or else!!!
Screw the dead, screw the living
kowalski Friday, August 28th at 3:20PM EDT (link)Caleb don’t you know by now that the only thing that is real is the State?
It’s the STATE, man. The STATE.
Defend Liberty — Join the NRA | Live in Massachusetts? Join GOAL.
All glory to the hypno-toad
Caleb Howe Friday, August 28th at 3:24PM EDT (link)I forgot, sorry.
Caleb Howe (formerly known as absentee)
Support Activist Blogging! | twitter.com/CalebHowe
5!
bk Friday, August 28th at 3:26PM EDT (link)It's Harry High School, boy
kowalski Friday, August 28th at 3:28PM EDT (link)You’ve fought your entire life to tell people that it isn’t just like high school, but *it IS*. The quarterback of the football team can burn the stadium down, he can have his pick of the girls, he can crash from place to place like a tremendous piece of human wreckage, and still Eugene Robinson will write things like this:
Ted Kennedy killed a woman and got kicked out of Harvard University for hiring someone else to cheat for him on an exam. Ted Kennedy became the man that liberals love, because it’s all about High School.
Defend Liberty — Join the NRA | Live in Massachusetts? Join GOAL.
Not the only thing.
blooch Friday, August 28th at 3:54PM EDT (link)There is also the pouch. Respect it.
“I have to admit that Karl Marx (1818-1883) was a smart man. He was, in many ways, a psychologist.”–drealoth
You totally had me...great job!....
JadedByPolitics Friday, August 28th at 3:28PM EDT (link)I get disgusted with oldstream media acting as if those on the RIGHT are somehow nastier and use anything anyone on the RIGHT says as a sledgehammer against them while ignoring the outrageous disgusting hatefilled screeds from the left as if they are all sweetness and light. I live for the day the entire country has the internet and can see the TRUTH for what it is. The left is filled with really sick, sick people and you would be hard pressed to find that kind of hate on the right and I don’t count what the oldstream media likes to insinuate the right is ie: KKK etc. those are not the right.
Whoever has his enemy at his mercy &
does not destroy him is his own enemy
Did OJ Die?
jeannieology Friday, August 28th at 3:34PM EDT (link)http://www.redstate.com/jd11756/2009/08/28/if-oj-ran-for-senate/
Remember the Respect Reagan was Given...
gahazzah Friday, August 28th at 3:55PM EDT (link)… such as here;
http://farm1.static.flickr.com/45/147392712_d244596191.jpg?v=0
and here;
http://employmentblawg.blogspot.com/reagan%20in%20hell.jpg
I would like to point out though, if you look at both photos you will notice several people holding the exact same “Reagan in Hell” posters. The left even astroturfed a funeral procession.
/government
The Other Poster Too
gahazzah Friday, August 28th at 3:56PM EDT (link)The “God Hates F*&s” poster was likewise astroturfed if you look at both photos taken at different locations.
/government
Those protesters
Caleb Howe Friday, August 28th at 4:31PM EDT (link)are from a hate church known as the Westboro Baptist Church. They are extreme douchebags, America haters, and defilers of troop funerals. They are from neither the left nor the right, but straight out of crazy.
Caleb Howe (formerly known as absentee)
Support Activist Blogging! | twitter.com/CalebHowe
Thank you for speaking up on the WBC idiots.
Moriah Monday, August 31st at 5:12AM EDT (link)I was about to say — please don’t associate us liberals with them.
I almost considered supporting the war when I realized they were protesting against it too. Then again, I have a hard time legitimizing shouting obscenities at funerals with the word “protest”.
Blessings,
Moriah
no respect for traitors
blackdays Saturday, August 29th at 10:33AM EDT (link)http://www.forbes.com/2009/08/27/ted-kennedy-soviet-union-ronald-reagan-opinions-columnists-peter-robinson.html
“….government does not solve problems, it only subsidizes them.” Ronald Reagan
So..
usrbinperl Friday, August 28th at 4:02PM EDT (link)I was thinking about the stimulus bill, and I had a question…
Does Ted Kennedy now qualify as a shovel-ready project?
Made of Awesome, Caleb
Lori_Z Friday, August 28th at 4:29PM EDT (link)Seriously well done. Very revealing.
Also known as SnarkandBoobs
Yeah I dont really care about being nice anymore
kyle8 Friday, August 28th at 6:48PM EDT (link)I’ll say whatever I want to about that wicked old pinko Kennedy, or any other stupid left winger.
After the last eight years they lost ALL claim to any sort of comity. Following Saul Alinsky’s rules have gotten them a hell of a culture war and I will match hate with hate.
They destroyed the public discourse and they are going to reap what they have sown.
“Nothing works like freedom, Nothing succeeds like liberty”
Kyle
Public Domain will KILL liberalism
$peciallist Friday, August 28th at 7:43PM EDT (link)Hoisted on their own Irony…
My Compassionate Tought For Ted Kennedy
popdaddy Friday, August 28th at 8:24PM EDT (link)I wish he could have been the killer released from prison last week to go home to die.
God Bless Mary Jo Kopecky
Nothing Positive to Say
Mike Gray Friday, August 28th at 10:24PM EDT (link)I’m in no way comparing Ted Kennedy to Jeffrey Dahmer, but not sure anyone felt the need to accentuate the positives when he died. My point in going there is only to show that there is obviously a limit and not speaking ill of the dead is not universal. (Could have used Hitler too, but didn’t want to go Godwin on this thread)
I’m not going to speak kindly of someone in death who I had absolutely NOTHING positive to say about in life. And I mean NOTHING.
Hunting down the RINOs at rinosafari.com
Sen. Kennedy funeral a real tear jerker
lonestarred Saturday, August 29th at 11:25AM EDT (link)Who could not help but be moved as the Funeral possession of Ted Kennedy made a ceremonial visit to Chappaquiddick where the Hearst carrying his casket and the limo transporting his pallbearers drove off Dike bridge into the waters of Martha’s Vineyard. The pallbearers then swam to shore from their sinking vehicle where they retreated to the same hotel in Edgartown where Ted went that night some 40 years ago to “get some sleep”. Very nice touch.
Finally, as Ted Kennedy’s bloated body floated to the surface, a Greenpeace vessel approached to raise his corpse from the waters, thus clearing the waterways of a potential environmental hazard. Once the pallbearers were well rested and had a change of clothes, and the Senator’s remains were placed in a more watertight casket all proceeded to Arlington National Cemetery for the burial.
The whole ceremony just left you speechless.
I agree. In summary, it's really a tearjerker (= a tear for a jerk).
Rod_Patrick Saturday, August 29th at 11:38AM EDT (link)Oops. Sorry guys.
I forgot the “respect” meme.
Plastic "over" the flag?
jeannieology Saturday, August 29th at 12:10PM EDT (link)They put plastic over the flag…they should have put the plastic between the coffin and the flag.
http://www.jeannie-ology.com
To paraphrase an adage:
vech Saturday, August 29th at 1:28PM EDT (link)An old saying instructs us that we should
Speak of the dead only that which is good.
So may I proclaim for this man who lies in lead
The one good thing I know is that he’s dead
A moment of silence
livefreenh Monday, August 31st at 9:16AM EDT (link)In accordance with the previous comments about speaking well of the dead, I am listing all the things below that Kennedy did that were a) NOT self-serving, b) NOT taking my tax money and giving it to someone else, c) exempted from laws that the rest of us have to follow:
There.
Tolerance
Jeff Woehrle Monday, August 31st at 11:37AM EDT (link)It is interesting how the ‘party of tolerance’ seems to lose that self-awarded crown when it comes to Conservatives. Be it Sarah Palin and her daughter or Robert Novak, liberals seem to derive much glee from the very behavior they so willingly (and scornfully) attribute to Conservatives.
I will give this quote
scrapiron Monday, August 31st at 3:52PM EDT (link)“I have never killed a man but, I have read many obituaries with great pleasure”
Clarence Darrow
Additonally, I agree. Enjoy eternity Teddy…wherever your are. The USA is a better place now.