Let's discuss Whitney Houston or, more specifically, Whitney Houstons death. I was on Facebook Saturday night at 8pm when at least a dozen people posted that she died. How sad. A mother, an amazing talent, an ever-giving philanthropist and a very unnecessary end.
I think I posted a simple, "How sad." on my Facebook, as did many others. And within minutes, I knew it would begin... the inevitable tirade, "Why is it sad that Whitney Houston died. How about firemen/police/military (whatever said writer has allegiance to) that die every day?"
How about you let me express a feeling of loss for this mother... for her children... for her friends... for her family? Why do people come out of the woodwork every single time a celebrity dies and disrespect their memory in order to hold anothers death in a higher regard?
Why can't it be sad when any life is lost? My father died of self-inflicted lung cancer. When I announced his death would it have been appropriate for someone to follow it up with, "Well, he smoked himself into the ground, let's instead focus on someone who died in the military."
Yet, that is exactly what happened when Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson and Whitney passed. A friend of mine posted on his wall... "Why is it sad that a crackhead like Whitney died? How about the firemen and police men who give their lives every day?" I simply replied to him, "I think it is sad when any life is lost."
How is my expressing a sadness for the death of a fellow human somehow demeaning the memory of a death of any other person?
Just think a little bit before you throw crap like that out there in cyberspace. All lives should be valued, and every life lost is very painful for someone. Demeaning that person, their life and their legacy after they die is just not necessary.
You have the same outlet where you are spewing venom against the deceased where you can honor a fireman/ policeman/ member of the military every time they pass and I promise I will not attack you for showing your respect.
