"Do not gloat when your enemy falls; when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice, or the LORD will see and disapprove and turn his wrath away from them."
I saw the TMZ headline reporting Mr. Barry's death, and shook my head. Someone thought it was highly appropriate.
One last turn of the knife whether it can be felt or not. We human beings really are a piece of work. Why be so evil and deliberately hurtful?
I'm always a little afraid for those who so grandly ridicule others; those who forget that people have families, friends and acquaintances. Those who can't even back off of a person in death, and find something tactful to say, as if death isn't enough, make me a little sad. Everyone's mother and grandmother warned, "If you don't have something good to say, don't say anything at all".
I'm always a little afraid for those who so grandly ridicule others; those who forget that people have families, friends and acquaintances. Those who can't even back off of a person in death, and find something tactful to say, as if death isn't enough, make me a little sad. Everyone's mother and grandmother warned, "If you don't have something good to say, don't say anything at all".
Maybe some people missed that speech.
Marion Barry, Jr. showed DC that he, like all of us, was flawed, but he was dedicated and committed. TMZ has shown me that it too is flawed, and dedicated and committed to being unnecessarily provocative and pitifully lowdown.
There is nothing entertaining about the way people are hounded under the guise of gaining information, or enlightening the public. Payback is a dog, though...a big rabid dog. What goes around really does come around, but it comes around with a vengeance. People really should be more careful about what they say. Tables do turn.
Marion Barry, Jr. showed DC that he, like all of us, was flawed, but he was dedicated and committed. TMZ has shown me that it too is flawed, and dedicated and committed to being unnecessarily provocative and pitifully lowdown.
There is nothing entertaining about the way people are hounded under the guise of gaining information, or enlightening the public. Payback is a dog, though...a big rabid dog. What goes around really does come around, but it comes around with a vengeance. People really should be more careful about what they say. Tables do turn.
What would happen if, tomorrow, a new show
debuted, dedicated to solely following, investigating, and exposing the
indiscretions of all employees of this program and other programs like
it?
Mr. Barry might emerge as the most squeaky clean of all.
Many people are so confident that their own indiscretions are secret; so wonderfully arrogant and self-righteous, so adept at categorizing and rating wrongdoing, that they are extremely callous, careless, thoughtless, and vocal in their criticism, judgment, and scrutiny of their fellow human beings.
Many people are so confident that their own indiscretions are secret; so wonderfully arrogant and self-righteous, so adept at categorizing and rating wrongdoing, that they are extremely callous, careless, thoughtless, and vocal in their criticism, judgment, and scrutiny of their fellow human beings.
Just because one can do something doesn't mean that one should.
It bothers me when supposedly intelligent, educated people fail to think. I don't want to know that it was Harvey Levin's idea. This cannot
be the action of an intelligent individual who boasts collegiate degrees. I need to know that some
ignorant, drunk, rogue employee overstepped his or her boundaries
when no one was watching.
What would make anyone think that headline was
entertaining or necessary? Who thought that would be a good idea?
If the
plan was to upset people...well sir...or ma'am...it worked. Perhaps not so much that it was an affront to Mr. Barry, but that it was in such poor taste for anyone.
One need not have been
a former supporter of Mr. Barry to find the headline so dreadfully
heartless and wrong.
What have YOU done, about which no one knows (or so you think), that, if made public, would cause others to demonize you, negate your entire body of work, and make you the butt of jokes? What if you found out that thing you've done (or are still doing) was going live, worldwide in 5-4-3-2-1... Would you continue to work on behalf of others in spite of relentless opposition, or would you make excuses for yourself? Would you quit? Would the shame and embarrassment motivate you to figure out a way to disappear, or end your life?
What have YOU done, about which no one knows (or so you think), that, if made public, would cause others to demonize you, negate your entire body of work, and make you the butt of jokes? What if you found out that thing you've done (or are still doing) was going live, worldwide in 5-4-3-2-1... Would you continue to work on behalf of others in spite of relentless opposition, or would you make excuses for yourself? Would you quit? Would the shame and embarrassment motivate you to figure out a way to disappear, or end your life?
Marion
S. Barry, Jr. proved to be more brave than most. He fought
for the residents of DC and Ward 8, especially seasoned citizens and school children, perhaps more than he fought for himself.
SYEP offered my own daughter and thousands of teenagers their first summer jobs. Say what you will, but Mr. Barry cared.
The mercy one shows is the mercy one will receive.
SYEP offered my own daughter and thousands of teenagers their first summer jobs. Say what you will, but Mr. Barry cared.
The mercy one shows is the mercy one will receive.
It's time for "I was just doing my job" to stop
being an excuse for crude, crass, tactless, petty, and childish
behavior.
(Wait. I'm sorry children. That is an insult to you. Even you know better.)
The headline demonstrated a
total lack of respect, compassion, and understanding...but of course,
tenets like respect, compassion, and understanding have to be
taught...early.
The New Yorker's David Remnick, fortunately, had the right idea. Truthful, but respectful. Postscript: Marion Barry
The New Yorker's David Remnick, fortunately, had the right idea. Truthful, but respectful. Postscript: Marion Barry
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