Speaking Ill of the Dead (Sometimes, It's a Duty)

John Wayne Gacy, Jr.
Go ahead, speak ill of him.

John Wayne Gacy, Jr. Yes, I've spoken ill of him, and of Adolf Hitler, Al Capone. The fact that those scumbags are dead has not deterred me, nor many of you. They were horrible people, and the fact that they are dead does not change that fact. To not speak of their misdeeds is to put your head in the sand, to deny history, reality and to deny us an opportunity to learn...and express honest feelings. 

Is any sane person saying nice things in memory of "Unabomber" Ted Kaczynski? Reports say he committed suicide in his prison cell on Saturday, June 10, 2023. Kaczynski "carried out a 17-year bombing campaign that killed three people and injured 23 others." 

Good riddance, I say, and I'm not alone. 

The old saying "don't speak ill of the dead" assumes that every dead person deserves respect. But plenty of people do say nasty things about dead people. Some deserve it, some don't. I suppose it could be a matter of personal perception, one that will find disagreement among us. But there are some who absolutely deserve to be spoken ill of after they've died.

Abortion Kills More Black Americans Than The KKK

Walter Hoye

May 15, 2013 - The nightmarish revelations about abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell's clinic, called a "house of horrors," shook up a lot of people. Gosnell was convicted of first degree murder earlier this week for the deaths of babies born at his Philadelphia clinic.

A lot of people on the Left dismiss the Gosnell case as an aberration. It's an unusual case, they say. They continue to shrug off the reality of the abortion holocaust. Whether or not an abortion clinic is "following the rules," the fact remains that unborn children are being slaughtered daily. Few on the Left  think of abortion as murder; many don't consider an unborn person to be a person. But if were you put it to them this way, they might reconsider: Abortion is the biggest single killer of Black Americans. Bigger than the Ku Klux Klan, as we are reminded by Walter Hoye, founder and president of the Issues4Life Foundation.

Excerpts from the CNS News article:

Over 86 years, the Ku Klux Klan lynched 3,446 blacks – a figure matched in less than four days if tallying the number of black babies who are aborted.

Walter Hoye, founder and president of the Issues4Life Foundation, shared those statistics at a press conference on Tuesday where black clergy and other leaders gathered in response to the guilty verdict in the trial of abortionist Kermit Gosnell, who was convicted of murdering three newborn babies. 

“Right now to give some of us just a perspective of the impact of abortion on demand in the black community, according to the archives of the Tuskegee Institute, from 1882 to 1968 – 86 years – the Ku Klux Klan lynched 3,446 Negroes,” Hoye said. “While it took the Klan 86 years to accomplish this, abortion on demand in America accomplishes that is less than 4 days.” 

Hoye's numbers are based on the Guttmacher Institute's fact sheet on induced abortion in the United States. That fact feet shows that in 2008, 2.1 million abortions were performed in the U.S. Of those, 432,000 of those abortions were performed on black women. Using those figures, in three days 3,550 black babies were aborted. In four days, the total would be 4,734 aborted black babies. 

Hoye said that over 20 million of the more than 50 million abortions that have taken place since the Supreme Court Roe v. Wade ruling legalized the procedure are performed on black women. 

“Since 1973, abortion on demand in black America has taken more lives than homicides, heart disease, diabetes, cancer and HIV/AIDS combined and has become the No. 1 cause of death in the black community,” Hoye said.  Full article...

RIP: General Norman Schwarzkopf, Dead at 78

General Norman Schwarzkopf

Dec. 27, 2012 - Another great American has passed away. A U.S. official says retired Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, who commanded the U.S.-led international coalition that drove Saddam Hussein's forces out of Kuwait in 1991, has died. He was 78," reports FoxNews.

Schwarzkopf, also known as "Stormin' Norman," The "U.S. official" was not authorized to release the information publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

• Read more about Gen. Schwarzkopf, including his background, at NPR. 
• Read an excellent history of the 1991-1992 Iraq conflict by the general at Frontline's Oral History at PBS. 
• Video: Gen. Schwarzkopf describes the victory of Desert Storm with added combat footage (below).

RIP, Gerry Anderson, Creator of Thunderbirds, UFO and Space 1999

Dec. 26, 2012 - Gerry Anderson, creator of 1960s sci-fi hit TV show "Thunderbirds" died at the age of 83 today. Thunderbirds became a cult classic, as did his other creations "UFO" and "Space: 1999." The death of Anderson, a British citizen, was announced by his son Jamie in a blog post today:

"I’m very sad to announce the death of my father, Thunderbirds creator, Gerry Anderson. He died peacefully in his sleep at midday today (26th December 2012), having suffered with mixed dementia for the past few years. He was 83. Please make donations in his memory to the Alzheimer’s Society via justgiving.com/RememberingGerryAnderson"

Anderson was a driving force behind many other sci-fi television shows, too. "Supercar," "Fireball XL5," "Stingray," and "The Protectors" are just a few. See his full filmology at IMDb and read more about Gerry Anderson at UFO Pundit....

RIP, Charles Durning. War Hero, Actor Dead at 89

Charles Durning, 1923-2012

Dec. 25, 2012 - Actor Charles Durning, star of stage and screen, died yesterday in his New York City home at the age of 89. The Hollywood Reporter says that his agent "told The Associated Press that he died Dec. 24 of natural causes."

Durning was one of the greats of Hollywood, equally commanding in both comedic or dramatic roles. Durning's 50-year acting career included roles in film, television and Broadway. He played supporting roles in memorable movies such as "Tootsie," "Dog Day Afternoon," "The Hudsucker Proxy," "Home for the Holidays," "Dick Tracy" and more.

"Durning also was an accomplished stage actor and once said he preferred doing plays because of the immediacy they offered," reports Reuters. "He gained his first substantial acting experience through the New York Shakespeare Festival starting in the early 1960s and won a Tony Award for playing Big Daddy in a 1990 Broadway revival of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof."

Military Hero: Acting was not the most impressive aspect of Charles Durning. He was also a highly-decorated soldier in World War II. In real life, Durning's is a story of incredible heroism. For his service during World War II, notes Military Money Matters, "Charles Durning was awarded the Silver Star Medal and three Purple Hearts."

Durning's death came on the same day as that of another great actor, Jack Klugman, who died of natural causes in his home in Northridge, CA.

Related:

• RIP Charles Durning and Jack Klugman: 2 actors we loved knowing St. Louis Today 
• Charles Durning, Oscar-Nominated Character Actor, Dies at 89 Hollywood Reporter
• Charles Durning Filmography StarPulse.com
• Charles Durning Filmography Fandango.com

RIP: Actor Jack Klugman Dead at 90 (Updated)

Dec. 24, 2012 - Legendary film and television actor Jack Klugman died today in his Northridge, CA home at the age of 90 of unknown - but apparently natural - causes.

"Adam Klugman said he was spending Christmas with his brother, David," reports ABC News, "and their families. Their father had been convalescing for some time but had apparently died suddenly and they were not sure of the exact cause."

Klugman is best known for his role as Oscar Madison in the sitcom The Odd Couple, playing opposite Tony Randall, and as a medical examiner in the drama Quincy, M.E.

Jack Klugman, Rest In Peace (AP Photo)

Another great actor, Charles Durning, died on the same day in New York at the age of 89.

Related:

• RIP Charles Durning and Jack Klugman: 2 actors we loved knowing St. Louis Today 
• Charles Durning, Oscar-Nominated Character Actor, Dies at 89 Hollywood Reporter
• Jack Klugman Filmography StarPulse.com
• Jack Klugman Filmography Fandango.com

Chicago, Death Trap For Children

Chicago's streets are bloody
(Chicago News Bench photo)

The Homeless Patriot has some sharp comments about the high number of children who are killed in Chicago every year.

Says HP, "Chicago's overall murder rate is horrible. Recently, Chicago officials bragged that the local murder rate was down, but that's a bit like a pest control guy bragging that the dozen rats he killed today has reduced the local vermin population." HP goes on to quote two great articles.

Check it out at Homeless Patriot's post "Chicago Is Deadliest City for Children..."

Related articles

• Only 30 Percent Of Last Year's Murders Have Been Solved (chicago.cbslocal.com)
• Murder Rate Down Everywhere In Chicago But Englewood (chicago.cbslocal.com)

Missing Mail Carrier's Body Found By Montrose Beach, Chicago

March 3, 2010 - For weeks, his face was seen on "Missing" flyers taped to phone poles and lamp posts. The search for mail carrier Richard J. Wieting ended tragically on Tuesday, March 2, when his body was found floating in Lake Michigan on Chicago's north side late in the afternoon. He went missing from Hanover Park on Tuesday, January 19. According to WBBM 780 AM, Wieting's body was discovered in the water and was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy was conducted this morning but the cause of death was not released. Where, Exactly, Was His Body Found? Although WBBM reports that his body was found "at Montrose Beach near West Leland Avenue and Lake Michigan," a press release from the Village of Hanover Park says that his body was pulled "from Montrose Harbor." Leland Avenue and Lake Michigan is quite a distance from Montrose Harbor. It's six blocks, or roughly a quarter of a mile. Montrose Harbor is just south of Montrose Avenue. On January 24, Fox News reported that Wieitng's daughter said his 2007 PT Cruiser was found near Foster Avenue Beach, which is the first beach north of Montrose Beach. Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Exclusive: Chicago Cop's Death on LSD Raises Big Questions

Update 2/24/2010: Funeral Details for Sgt. Alan Haymaker  

Update 2/23/2010: Who Really Killed Sgt. Alan Haymaker?  

Update, 2/25/2010: Man Charged in Burglary That "Killed" Sgt. Alan Haymaker  

R.I.P., Sgt. Alan Haymaker

Monday, February 22, 2010 - The tragic and untimely death of Sergeant Alan Haymaker just past 5:00 a.m. today has been blamed on "icy conditions," but that - and our exclusive photos below - raise more questions. Chicago News Bench visited the crash scene, and it left us wondering if CPD is telling the whole story of what really caused the accident.  

Note: Our photos, below, clearly show what the other media have not shown: That Sgt. Haymaker's car was never on the exit ramp, he did not attempt to take the exit ramp, and that he transitioned over the curb from Lake Shore Drive in a straight line with NO spin-out.  

In short, Sgt. Haymaker completely missed the well-lit, well-marked, easily visible Irving Park off ramp, and instead drove straight over the curb on Lake Shore Drive (LSD). He did not lose control on the ramp - in fact, he never entered the ramp. As he jumped the curb, his car continued in a straight line, knocking down a light pole and slamming to a stop when it hit a tree. It is not known whether Sgt. Haymaker was actually trying to take the Irving Park ramp - it seems very unlikely, however, because it was many blocks north of the burglary to which he was responding.  

Sgt. Haymaker was still well north of where he should have been getting off, which should have at Belmont to approach the burglary at 3167 N. Clark. Belmont is 3200 north. The Irving Park exit ramp, actually at Bittersweet and Marine, is 4100 north.  

The public "explanation" given so far by Chicago Police Department’s Major Accidents Unit is puzzling and insufficient in light of photographs (below) taken by Chicago News Bench on Monday afternoon.  

The photos we have seen elsewhere, like the one here by The Chicago Tribune, do not show the tire tracks of the car as they leave LSD, go over the curb, and straight toward a tree. Our photos show that. According to CPD, Sgt. Haymaker was driving south on Lake Shore Drive as he was en route to a report of a burglary scene at 3167 N. Clark Street, several blocks west and more than 10 blocks north of the Irving Park off ramp. Lake Shore Drive is well lit. While "icy conditions" were named as a reason for the accident, visibility was not mentioned. The stretch of LSD southbound lanes is long and flat in the approach to the Irving Park off ramp, so nothing should have been obstructing Sgt. Haymaker's view of the wide and well-marked off ramp.  

Our questions for the Chicago Police Department:

There is no mention in the reports visibility being a factor in the accident; what was the ground visibility at that location at that time?

Was Sgt. Haymaker attempting to enter the Irving Park exit ramp?

How fast is it estimated that Sgt. Haymaker's car was moving when it went over the curb?

Even if ice was a factor in the accident this morning, why did he steer his car off of Lake Shore Drive, over the curb, and into light post and tree, with NO sign of any spin out prior to leaving the pavement of LSD?

Was Sgt. Haymaker's blood tested for drugs and for alcohol?

Is CPD saying that Streets and Sanitation had not salted LSD and all off ramps by the beginning of the morning rush hour? Is CPD saying that a major road (LSD) was icy more than eight hours after the snow storm began?

Is it CPD's policy that officers drive at very high speeds to a burglarly at a retail address at 5:00 a.m., when there is no threat to life at the burglary scene?

The car seems to have spun after leaving LSD and before striking the light pole; had it continued straight it would probably have missed the pole as indicated by the tire tracks still clearly visible in the snow at 3:15 p.m. today. This indicates that the car may have fishtailed, most likely as Sgt. Haymaker tried to steer and/or brake on the slippery snow-covered grass of the median on which he suddenly found himself.  

Our photos below clearly show the path that Sgt. Haymaker's car took as it mysteriously went over the curb. There seems to have been no spin out prior to jumping the curb. We saw no skid marks on Lake Shore Drive anywhere near the accident scene.

		Click images to enlarge
		Photos by Tom Mannis

N. Side Chicago Woman Killed by Snow Plow

February 9, 2010 - Tragic accident in Chicago's Rogers Park neighborhood takes the life of a woman about one block from where she lived. An elderly woman, identified as Yuliya Polzikova, 71, was struck and killed this afternoon by a snow plow a short distance from her Rogers Park home, authorities said. The accident occurred at about 2:15 p.m. in the 1300 block of West Morse Avenue, Chicago police said.... According to police, Polzikova was walking on Morse when she was struck by a Chevrolet Silverado with an attached plow clearing a private parking lot. More at Reaction Radio... Ms. Polzikova resided in the 1200 block of West Morse Avenue. The Chicago Tribune reported that Ms. Polzikova "was rushed to St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, where she was pronounced dead a short time later, a medical examiner's spokesman said. The police Major Accident Investigation Unit was interviewing the plow driver. The unidentified driver was expected to receive citations related to the collision, police said." Also See: Woman, 71, fatally struck by snow plow in Rogers Park - Chicago Sun-Times Elderly Woman Struck and Killed by Snow Plow in Rogers Park - MyFoxChicago Leave a Comment * Conservative T-Shirts * Follow CNB on Twitter * RSS Feed

Nice Work, Pratt Beach Lifeguards

James Laden, 36, drowned on Wednesday after he and "another person" jumped from the concrete pier into rocky, shallow water at Pratt Beach (part of Loyola Park at 1045 W. Pratt Blvd). Why did it take lifeguards up to 12 minutes to pull him out of shallow water? It's reported that Laden and a friend jumped into Lake Michigan Wednesday afternoon. "The men had reportedly been fishing on the pier at Pratt Boulevard," reports ABC7 Chicago, "They went into the water, and one may have gotten tangled up in a fishing line. The police marine unit was able to rescue one of the victims, who was unharmed. James Laden, 36, was under water for up to 12 minutes before a lifeguard got him out. He was pronounced dead at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston." WBBM 780 AM reported that a Fire Media Affairs spokesman claims that a lifeguard pulled Laden out of the water, but that he may have become tangled in fishing line. What we don't hear is why two "fishermen" would jump off of that pier, where everyone knows the water is shallow and very rocky. Authorities don't explain why lifeguards are rarely seen on that pier. Was there alcohol involved? Drinking is a common practice on the end of that pier, in part because the lifeguards rarely bother to patrol it. I suppose it's possible that the light fishing line used at that pier by most fishermen prevented the big strong lifeguard from pulling him the 6 to 10 feet to the surface, but it seems unlikely. Reports all say that Laden was under the water for 10 to 12 minutes before the lifeguard got him out. There's no excuse for that. Had a lifeguard been stationed nearby, as one should have been, Laden might be alive today. Think about that. A young, healthy lifeguard can run the length of that pier in about 30 seconds. In the 10 years that I frequently visited that pier, in all weather, I have never seen a lifeguard stationed on it. The nearest ones are either lounging in a trailer or bobbing in a row boat in a part of the lake where the end of the pier cannot be seen. In other words, the pier has been a disaster waiting to happen for years. We have reported on the lifeguards at Pratt Beach previously: NO WARNING: Chicago Lifeguards Clueless (with video) No White Shoes (or Lifeguards) After Labor Day Update #2: Parking on Pratt (with photos) Are YOU a citizen of the United STRAIGHTS of America? Leave a Comment... Chicago News Bench RSS Feed We're on Twitter...

Swine Flu? How About These Killers...

Suppose that 1,000 people die of "swine flu" in the United States. Panic time? Nah. It's just par for the course, you see. At the end of April 30, only one swine flu-related death has been reported in the U.S. Death is all around us, always waiting, and there are many ways to die. Swine flu is just one little second-string player on a very large team of expert killers. From the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), here is a list of "Leading Causes of Death" (for the U.S.). Notice how many died of influenza/pneumonia. Number of deaths for leading causes of death (in U.S.): Heart disease: 652,091 Cancer: 559,312 Stroke (cerebrovascular diseases): 143,579 Chronic lower respiratory diseases: 130,933 Accidents (unintentional injuries): 117,809 Diabetes: 75,119 Alzheimer's disease: 71,599 Influenza/Pneumonia: 63,001 Nephritis, nephrotic syndrome, and nephrosis: 43,901 Septicemia: 34,136 Source: Deaths: Final Data for 2005, Table C More data: Deaths, percent of total deaths, and death rates for the 15 leading causes of death: United States and each State Deaths: Leading Causes for 2004 CommieBama Hats and More Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Follow ChiNewsBench on Twitter

Vatican: Obama Agent of Death

Breaking news, dated Thursday 26 March 2009 from Straits Times: NEW YORK - ARCHBISHOP Raymond Burke, who leads the Vatican supreme court, said President Barack Obama 'could be an agent of death' if his support for abortion rights becomes a model for leaders in other countries. Archbishop Burke also said parishioners should press US bishops to withhold Holy Communion from Roman Catholic politicians who back legalized abortion. The archbishop made the comments to anti-abortion activist Randall Terry in a videotaped interview that Mr Terry showed on Wednesday in Washington. FULL ARTICLE... RELATED: Tens of Thousands Sign Petition Asking Notre Dame Not to Honor Pro-Abortion Obama Anti-abortion activist vows daily protest of Notre Dame’s Obama invite Burke says Obama’s concept of hope is “very disturbing” Vatican official criticizes US bishops on abortion Chicago News Bench RSS Feed Cool Stuff...

DEAD BODY FOUND IN HOUSE, 1700 BLOCK W. CARMEN AVENUE, "BEEN THERE ABOUT A WEEK"

NOV. 4, 2008 - The Bench Exclusive - At 9:20 PM this evening, Chicago police dispatch called out that a dead body had been discovered in a house in the 1700 block of W. Carmen Avenue, Chicago, 60640. At 9:28, a CPD body removal team was en route. DEVELOPING. UPDATE #1: CPD officer on scene reported that the body has been in the house "for about a week..."

48 MILLION KILLED

Abortion. It's funny, right? (No, I don't think so either.) A friend sent an email to me today, with what she thought was a funny "Dear Abby" letter. The letter is not real, of course; she meant it as a joke. I wanted to share it with you. First, the text of what she sent to me. Then, my response to her. Dear Abby: There is every good chance that my kid just knocked up his 17-year old girlfriend. What should I do? - Distraught Dear Distraught: If you're a Democrat, you should be deeply ashamed of your moral failure and the blame should be placed squarely on you, the parent. You're the problem with society. If you're a Republican, congratulations on the beautiful miracle your wonderful family has been blessed with. My response: Funny, but not accurate: If you're a true Liberal, you have no understanding of the concept of "moral failure" and you've been taught that to blame society and ask the Government for help. Odds are you will encourage the expectant couple to kill the baby as soon as possible, giving no thought to the fact that the baby - the one whose life will be snuffed out - has no say in the decision. Later that day, you might go to a rally to protest the killing of trees or the bombing of terrorists, perhaps holding a sign that says "Violence Never Solved Anything." You will give no thought to the fact that pulling a baby out of its mother's womb and letting it die is a horrific act of violence. If you're a true Conservative, congratulations on the beautiful miracle your wonderful family has been blessed with. You will tell your 17-year old son to accept the responsibility for his actions. It will require that you work harder to pay for the all things that go along with raising a child. But you will expect the Government to shoulder the burden, which would, of course, really be your neighbors' because the Government does it with tax dollars that they pull out of their pocktes. Like a billions of babies conceived unintentionally throughout history, your baby will likely grow up to be at least a normal, healthy person. Every day of your life, you will look at that child and thank God for him or her. Odds are you will often give deep thought to the fact that pulling a baby out of its mother's womb and letting it die is a horrific act of violence. There are approximately 3,542 abortions performed every day in 2004 in the United States, based on an estimated 1,293,000 abortions performed that year. [Source] By contrast, there have been 4,158 American deaths (hostile and nonhostile combined) in the Iraq War (Operation Iraqi Freedom) as of September 11, 2008. That's approximately 5.5 years of fighting in Iraq. That's 2.07 deaths per day. [Source] In World War II, there were 407,316 American deaths. In Vietnam, 58,168 American deaths. From 1973 through 1997 more than 35 million unborn babies have been aborted in the United States. [Source] Add approximately 13,000,000 to the 1997 figure (1,200,000/year, a low estimate) and by now we've had roughly 48,000,000 abortion deaths domestically since 1973. More than a million abortions every year is a staggeringly high figure, especially when one considers that the number of unborn babies who die every year from abortion is higher than all American casualties from the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, World War I & 11, the Korean War, Vietnam, and Persian Gulf Wars combined: Abortions 1.5 million/year Gulf War (1991) less than 200 Vietnam War 58,151 Korean War 54,246 WW II 407,316 WW I 116,708 Civil War 498,332 Revolutionay War 25,324 Iraq War 4,158 (March 5, 2003 - Sept 11, 2008) Total American War Deaths: 1,047,727 (since 1776) Total American Abortion Deaths: 48,000,000 (since 1973) [Source] What is Partial-Birth Abortion? Partial-Birth Abortion is a procedure in which the abortionist pulls a living baby feet-first out of the womb and into the birth canal (vagina), except for the head, which the abortionist purposely keeps lodged just inside the cervix (the opening to the womb). The abortionist punctures the base of the baby’s skull with a surgical instrument, such as a long surgical scissors or a pointed hollow metal tube called a trochar. He then inserts a catheter (tube) into the wound, and removes the baby's brain with a powerful suction machine. This causes the skull to collapse, after which the abortionist completes the delivery of the now-dead baby. MORE ABOUT THIS...

A Single Word

Fat Woman Crushes, Kills Boy

I wonder if they serve no-carb meals in the prison this woman might end up in? LA JOYA, TX - A morbidly obese woman who has been accused of fatally injuring her 2-year-old nephew by hitting him on the head was charged Wednesday with capital murder, Hidalgo County authorities said. Mayra Lizbeth Rosales, 27, was arrested and informed of the charges in her La Joya bedroom Wednesday. The bedridden woman was photographed and fingerprinted at home before being released on a personal recognizance bond, Hidalgo County Sheriff Lupe Trevino said. FULL STORY...

Bench Exclusive: Murder Most Fowl

A murder victim was found by The Bench this afternoon in Rogers Park, Chicago. The victim's chest was ripped open, the heart was removed and the head was missing. The photo here shows the decapitated victim lying near the sidewalk on N. Glenwood, about 20 feet from W. Pratt. The victim's name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.

The killer is thought to be a falcon or a hawk. Experts believe a cat would have made more of a mess of the victim. Neighbors are asked to be on the lookout for any suspicious birds of prey.

American Holocaust Slows Down

The good news: The U.S. abortion rate has fallen from 1.6 million in 1990. The bad news: More than a million more babies will be ripped out of their mothers' wombs in 2008. U.S. Abortions at Lowest Rate Since 1974 January 9, 2008 The number of abortions in the United States fell to 1.2 million in down 25 percent from the all-time high of 1.6 million in 1990 and dropping the abortion rate - MORE at BREITBART...