Grief isn't an automatic validation for a cause

NY Times via Kansas City Star ^ | Jun. 13, 2006 | JOHN TIERNEY

[neverdem]

Michael Berg, a Green Party candidate for Congress in Delaware, announced on national television that he regretted the death of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi. He didn’t blame al-Zarqawi for beheading an American contractor. The man responsible was President Bush — “the real terrorist.”

Any other politician would have been vilified for saying that. But Berg, as the father of the American who was beheaded, belongs to a new politically invulnerable class. Arguing with someone in mourning just isn’t done — unless, of course, you are Ann Coulter and you have a new book to sell.

She managed to offend everyone from Hillary Clinton to Bill O’Reilly by suggesting that some of the activist widows of the Sept. 11 victims were enjoying their husbands’ deaths. That’s over the top even for Coulter. But she has identified a real problem: How do you conduct a political argument with grieving relatives?

Coulter faults liberals for exploiting victims and their relatives as human shields for their arguments against the war and in favor of gun control. But conservatives use these tactics, too. Bush had the parents of a slain Iraqi soldier stand up during the State of the Union address as a tacit endorsement of his policy.

America is supposed to be a government of laws, not men, but the surest way to pass a law is to name it after someone, ideally a girl or woman. Dozens of states have passed Megan’s laws. There’s another measure against sex offenders in Ohio called Nicole’s Law, not to be confused with the Nicole’s Law in Massachusetts, which requires carbon-monoxide detectors in homes.

There is a federal Katie’s Law (giving money to rural police agencies), a New Mexico Katie’s Law (requiring DNA samples to be collected from suspects), and a Minnesota Katie’s Law (providing money to track...)

[neverdem]

Grief is reliable motivation for political action, the dems and the nanny state.

[LibertarianInExile]

Fine article BUMP!

[garyhope]

There's way too much showy "grief" and demonstrative emotion constantly dripping all over modern life.

Everyone should just shut up, go home, close the door and grieve alone or with family. Inside and without the TV cameras asking "What were you feeling?".

"Feelings",..bah humbug. Just shut up.

[beyond the sea]

"She managed to offend everyone from Hillary Clinton to Bill O’Reilly by suggesting that some of the activist widows of the Sept. 11 victims were enjoying their husbands’ deaths. That’s over the top even for Coulter. But she has identified a real problem: How do you conduct a political argument with grieving relatives?" ----

Yep.

[beyond the sea]

excellent article (Coulter) ............. ping

[Looking4Truth]

Grief isn't an automatic validation for a cause

So true.

The syndrome that your title encapsulates is behind a lot of the nanny-statism that we are experiencing now as a society/world.

[beyond the sea]

"Whether they support the war or not, they are expressing their personal views and not necessarily even their slain children’s."

"Cindy Sheehan camped outside President Bush’s ranch in Texas to protest the war, but her son re-enlisted before his death." -----

Yes.

[Echo Talon]

She managed to offend everyone from Hillary Clinton to Bill O’Reilly

I guess by Bill O'Reilly's logic since she is being attacked by BOTH sides it proves that she is "fair & balanced" :D

[beyond the sea]

The world doesn’t need a John’s law.

Unless it's:

****

No loitering in the men's room.

[Echo Talon]

thank for the ping.

[beyond the sea]

LOL

[Echo Talon]

Bush had the parents of a slain Iraqi soldier stand up during the State of the Union address as a tacit endorsement of his policy.

I do not agree that that is the same thing...

[Echo Talon]

Johns law: you poke it, you own it! :)

[beyond the sea]

lol

[sauropod]

.

[Question Liberal Authority]

She managed to offend everyone from Hillary Clinton to Bill O’Reilly

Wow! That's like the entire political spectrum from Paleo-Condescending Elitist to Neo-Condescending Elitist.

[boxerblues]

The parents stood, they did not start running at the mouth

[Echo Talon]

The parents stood, they did not start running at the mouth

exactly

[Finalapproach29er]

Politics are about emotions; especially the last 40 years.

No intellectual basis quite often.

[driftless]

I give the grieving parents or relations of a slain family member great leeway when it comes to expressing their grief. But this guy Berg is not just expressing grief, he's mounting a political campaign. Just as the Jersey Girl did. That makes them open for criticism. The whole argument of being beyond criticism simply because one has suffered a loss is a ridiculous contention.

If a person goes into public arena, they are subject to the sames rules as anyone else. David Berg is not granted immunity because he has suffered a tragedy. Millions of Americans have suffered tragedies. That does not make them exempt either if they choose to transport their grief into the public scene.