[SoothingDave]

The "illustrious deceased" gets me, as does the "leader of great charisma."

He was certainly charismatic, so that doesn't seem to me to be more than obvious sentiments. All leaders have "great charisma." Seems to be words that don't convey much.

"Illustrious," it was mentioned, could just mean "prominent" or noticeable. That he was.

SD

[bigeasy_70118]

"Illustrious," it was mentioned, could just mean "prominent" or noticeable. That he was.

Prominent and noticeable are not perjoratives. Why not use them?

[PayNoAttentionManBehindCurtain]

LOL I knew you would be over here.

Still getting the check from Rome?

BigMack

[Faraday]

Suppose we should expect a statement from the Vatican about how the "illustrious" Osama bin Laden, "a leader of great charisma," is loved by many people. This nonsense of not calling evil evil is a peculiar way of exercizing moral suasion. Are the Palestinians moral lives better served by having the evil done in their name papered over? Whitened seplechers...

[Aquinasfan]

He was certainly charismatic, so that doesn't seem to me to be more than obvious sentiments. All leaders have "great charisma." Seems to be words that don't convey much.

"Illustrious," it was mentioned, could just mean "prominent" or noticeable. That he was.

True. I should give the pope the benefit of the doubt. But the impression, at least in English, isn't very good. Something may also have been lost in translation.