Exploitation of the Dead

There has been a lot of discussion about the reaction to Zarqawi's death by the father of one of his victims. An interview on Fox and Friends this morning raised some eyebrows by their questioning of Mr. Berg when he said:

1) He was not convinced that Al Zarqawi was the killer of his son. [It has been confirmed by several independent sources.]

2) He was saddened by the death of the brutal terrorist, whom he has 'forgiven' for the death of his son.

3) He blames President Bush for invading Iraq, ultimately creating the circumstances that lead to his son's death.

I would have asked him how/why he has 'forgiven' a man he is not convinced is his son's killer, but the interviewers did not challenge him on this flight from logic. As for questioning the propriety of challenging Mr. Berg's other statements, because he is a 'grieving father'...

When you act like a grieving father, you get treated like one.
When you act like a political activist idealogue, you get treated like one.

He crossed the line between them by using his son's notorious death as a stage for the advancement of his own political agenda—and apparently, a political career—he's running for office.

You can maintain dignified 'moral authority' OR you can engage in the rough & tumble of political activism. You can't do both.

(And if you make yourself a target...and a bastard...well, you know what happens!)

The Gunslinger