The Gadfly

In the opening lecture for my Persuasive Writing course, with Kevin Williamson, we discussed “Kennedy, Unsentimentally“—National Review’s obituary on the late Sen. Ted Kennedy. Our conversation focused on the tone of the piece. Was it too mean? Too soon? Read it and decide for yourself. But, personally, I thought the editors—especially with an ideology in stark contrast to that of the “liberal lion”—were fair in their assessment of his life and career. Others in the room disagreed.

Then, today, I read this:

Ted Kennedy murdered Mary Jo Kopechne and never served a day in jail. In fact the people of Massachusetts, who apparently approve of such behavior, elected him to serve in the United States Senate for nearly fifty years.

The post, only two sentences long, makes the editors of the National Review seem quite kind and affectionate. Another fair treatement can be read here.

All of this makes me wonder what is appropriate when speaking of one who has recently deceased. One extreme can be seen here, and it is most likely an inappropriate and tactless way. Nonetheless, it is worth considering—especially when the cause of one’s life is in disagreement with your own. When Michael Jackson died, he was idolized. In the same way, liberals are ignoring Sen. Kennedy’s shortcomings and using his legacy to pass a health care bill.