You are correct! I am 33, and I honestly thought, "May he rest in peace." I always knew in the back of my conservative mind that he wasn't all the teachers, government, and media made him out to be, but now I know why.
To me, the biggest clue is the overtone of monomaniacal excess whenever the Enemedia is lionizing its heroes. For the next two weeks we will be deluged with noise about the guy, with the implication that all the while, nothing of consequence is taking place in the world.