The Right did its best to whip up fake outrage over the way Democrats conducted themselves at Senator Edward Kennedy’s funeral. Allahpundit attempted a creative conflation of the Graeme Frost fake outrage campaign with the Paul Wellstone fake outrage campaign and came up with a post bristling with fake outrage that one of the senator’s grandsons said a prayer at the funeral that mentioned health care.
I didn’t watch the funeral and can’t find a transcript of the prayer, so I don’t personally know what the grandson said. However, I find myself unable to work up much outrage that we, the living, would be asked to carry on the Senator’s life’s work.
Since the etiquette of expressing “win one for the Gipper”-type sentiments (ah-HEM) at funerals seems to be in question, let me go on record as saying that I want my funeral to be a rally for whatever cause I’m caught up in when I’m done. Not that I expect a big turnout, but anyone who does show up should be wearing the proper message T-shirt and be prepared to donate money to the Cause. Instead of a eulogy, I want people to discuss an action plan. Then just dump my ashes in a nice flower bed somewhere and go out to fight the good fight. You could do me no greater honor.
And if we want to talk about child exploitation, look no further than this kid.
My sense of the thing is that most of the country is ignoring the fake outrage this time. Most folks are either noting the end of an era, or not, but the fact that speakers at the Senator’s funeral urged people to carry on his work doesn’t seem to be bothering anyone but the wingnuts.
Allahpundit also asked, “I’m unfamiliar with the sermon where Jesus called for Caesar to create a public fund to heal the sick. Can any Bible aficionados help?” I’d rather know where Jesus taught us to shut our eyes to suffering if there’s no way private industry can make a profit from it.
The wing-nuts are so predictable.
Perfect! I did watch almost the entire funeral yesterday, and there were many, including the priests, who were pleading for the kind of health care Ted Kennedy worked his entire life to ensure. The kids were great, of course. (They’re Kennedys), but your idea of the perfect funeral is one I love and am going to copy. The instructions will go into the envelope with my will, but my children and grandchildren will know ahead of time how it should be done.
If I know my family, they will be up there advocating for my causes anyway. Because my causes are their causes. We’ve been working together since before there was such a thing as progressives, and we’ll go on working until we drop.
I am adding your blog to my blogroll. I would appreciate it if you looked at mine and decided to do the same.
Thank you for all you do, Ramona
Liberals having their family, including grandchildren speak at funerals. What evil will they think of next. Why can’t liberal have the class of Mike Huckabee and use Ted Kennedy’s death to condemn the public health-care option.
http://www.salon.com/politics/war_room/2009/08/28/huckabee/
maha,
They just like to thump the Bible, not actually read it.
That would require work, thought and contemplation. And to use baseball parlance, they’re 0 for 3 there.
Why not just stick to buzzwords and catchphrases? It’s soooo much easier…
http://www.smirkingchimp.com/thread/23545
Can any Bible aficionados help?
Aficionado?* Doesn’t he mean Bible scholar?
*a person who likes, knows about, and appreciates a usually fervently pursued interest or activity (Merriam Webster online dictionary).
I watched a good part of the services and I thought it was in very good taste. Healthcare was mentioned several times not the least of when the priest (man in funny suit, not sure what he was) read a letter from Ted to the pope where he mentioned healthcare as his life’s work. I’ll bet the dam liberal fascists powers must have forced Ted to write that letter, or maybe they just faked it all together.
One thing I did find very annoying was Keith Olbermann, get a hold of yourself man, enough with the grand Shakespearian prose, you’re a cable news TV bobblehead. I had to keep turning to C-Span where it was just filmed and not covered like some grand sporting event. I like Keith for the most part but he’s really quite full of himself, staring at that teleprompter must somehow automatically inflate the ego!
Do creatures like Allahpundit actually think before they write? Is A. actually suggesting that, if Caesar HAD decided to create a public fund to care for the sick that Jesus would have opposed it? I’m pretty sure JC would have been fine with such a plan, and he certainly wouldn’t have been going armed to rallies against it, nor comparing Caesar to, um, well, I guess Caesar?. Whatever.
Back in the real world, I’ve actually been impressed by the coverage of the ceremonies for Teddy. The media have actually been willing to seem OK with honoring the idea of a career dedicated to defending those in need, and making the world better for the many, instead of the few. Someone on the Nice Polite Republican radio couldn’t resist throwing a “for better or worse” into a line acknowledging Kennedy’s big effect on our nation, but otherwise, they’ve been remarkably well-behaved.
PurpleGirl– perhaps he thinks religion is a hobby.
The fake-outrage whiners are ignoring two essential things: 1) Ted Kennedy’s life and accomplishments; and 2) the purpose of the litany/petition portion of Catholic mass (I’m sorry, I’m not an “aficionado” of the Catholic faith, so I don’t know if that’s the proper term for it). It’s a call-and-response, familiar to most Christians, in which someone at the front of the church states something for which they are praying, and the congregation responds, “Lord, hear our prayer.” One of Ted’s youngest relations mentioned health care; another (GASP!) mentioned reconciliation between “straight and gay.”
The televised funeral was the final spiritual send-off, if you will, of Edward M. Kennedy by his family. They’re going to pray for the realization of his unfinished work. That’s how it’s done.
But don’t worry, faux-outrage whiners; Ted’s in the ground at Arlington now, and you can go back to equating Obama with Hitler.
To everyone else– the funeral was amazing, if you missed it. And keep an eye on Ted Kennedy Jr. If he decides to enter the political arena, I believe he could accomplish some of that unfinished work.
Aficionado?* Doesn’t he mean Bible scholar?
No, PurpleGirl… Allahpundit used the word “aficionado” to enhance his ridicule of the Christian faith.
My understanding of the letter at the cemetery was Kennedy’s last word on his fight for health care for all Americans. It counteracted all the comments being made by McCain and other repugs that Kennedy was coming around to compromising and giving the repugs what they wanted. It was a lovely funeral service. Orrin Hatch on Friday night spoke way too long; but, other than that it was poignant and heartfelt from what I saw. The pictures of Arlington Cemetery as it got dark were very nice and moving.
Maybe we liberals should watch this funeral oration stuff. Didn’t the Reagan tear-fest cost the Republicans the House, Senate and White House?
I’m surprised the mob didn’t turn up at the funeral with their assault weapons and bullhorns, and drown out the service with their screaming.
Didn’t the Reagan tear-fest cost the Republicans the House, Senate and White House?
Ummmm… no. Not even remotely. The Republicans in the House, Senate and the White House cost the Republicans the House, Senate and White House.
If the Dems crash and burn, it’ll be for a lot of reasons. None of which will have anything to do with Ted Kennedy’s funeral.
Joanr16: You were close in calling it the Petitions. In the current Lutheran Liturgy, that group of prayers, intercessions and petitions are just called the Prayers and is recited after the reading of the gospel and the sermon and before Communion. It is done in call and response style. I don’t have a current Catholic order of mass, and my 1950s/60s missal shows the order of mass with lots of prayer portions done call and response style but not in the concentrated period as it is usually done now. Actually it’s been 20-odd years since I was an active Lutheran and much longer since I identified as a Roman Catholic. During my Lutheran days I enjoyed reading about church history and stuff.
Swami: Since I don’t often read Allahpundit I didn’t know that. It just hit me as a weird way to describe the person who could answer that question.
I’d rather know where Jesus taught us to shut our eyes to suffering if there’s no way private industry can make a profit from it.
You obviously haven’t seen the secret inner teachings of Jesus that were meant for the elite – the teachings the Family disseminates down on C Street. Only we saps fall for that “help the less fortunate” crap.
The current name for that part of the mass is the prayers of the faithful. Sadly, you don’t often hear the type of prayers offered at Ted Kennedy’s funeral mass.