Mourners' Attire Not Quite Reaganesque

[kskiska]

Ronald Reagan was a formal man. He would step off Marine One in a finely tailored suit, tossing a wave and a smile. Even as he cut brush at his Santa Barbara ranch, his jean jacket seemed freshly pressed, his pompadour impeccable.

The same can't be said for many of his mourners, some of whom trundled past his flag-draped coffin yesterday wearing flip-flops, cargo shorts and T-shirts, their flabby midsections exposed. Some young women wore ultra-mini skirts and halter tops. Altogether, the sweaty masses clashed with the crisp honor guard in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda, perhaps America's most sacred secular site

(snip)

"If you're going to stand for three or four hours in the sun in a black suit, you take a chance of being a heat casualty."

That is exactly what David Kegin, 23, did. He suffered in line for 2 1/2 hours in a black suit, dark shirt and black tie. "It was rough," said the Senate intern from Tulsa. "I think it is out of respect to honor him. I don't think we should be wearing anything that doesn't honor him."

Former Republican senator Robert J. Dole (Kan.) agreed. Paying his respects in a dark suit and red tie, he acknowledged that times are different. Surveying the crowd, he said, "I personally couldn't go to church without a jacket and tie, but this is middle-class America."

more…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A33272-2004Jun10.html

[CShine]

1. Pardon me for saying it, but what's the point of this story?

I never did have any affection for Reagan, but I have no earthly idea why this story was ever printed. Looks like a bunch of irrelevant nonsense to me.

[snooper2]

44. media whores are running out of things to write about...

eom

[calimary]

51. That's it, actually. They're running on fumes at this point - well, except

for the actual funeral coverage.

When you've been working the same big story for more than a week, it starts to boil down to the last bones by now. You really are scraping bottom, looking for angles to enlarge the story.

Just beating a dead horse, pardon the pun.

[Tellurian]

2. Rubbish...

Divisive BS..

[physioex]

3. Exactly...nonsense.

This paying respect to the dead is beyond me. After all they are dead why do they care? It's time to get on with life, there are a lot of terrible, urgent problems that need to be solved...

[Tom Kitten]

4. Hair shirts and self flagellation maybe?

I wasn't in the mood to register to read the article(besides I'll read it in the morning at work, I get it in email) but what the hell do these people want? People passing out from heat exhaustion, rendering their garments in grief, wearing sack clothes abd ashes, whipping each other with cat-o-nine tails or what????

"Dutch" wore blue jeans all the time, just what the fuck is up with these people? Isn't turning out and standing in line for hours to "pay your respects" looking at a flag draped coffin enough?

Where were these fuckwads during the ten years years their god still lived suffering from an incurable disease meanwhile opposing research that could help alleviate its devastation?

Stupid nimrods, in their own way they dance the dance of ideology on his corpse while espousing his unblemished sainthood!

[bleedingheart]

5. This story says a lot about the big misconception that somehow

Republicans are rich and classy....

I guess they thought Reagan voters were all impeccably dressed and driving to the Capital in limos?

That or they are shocked by the "kind of people" that actually liked Reagan....egads! If I were one of those mourners I would be offended by this...

[Solly Mack]

6. Oh my.....aren't the common folk good enough for the Gipper?

those people came to mourn "as they are"...in all their glory...being themselves.

what? their vote is good enough but not their actual selves?

tsk tsk

[NJCher]

7. you want to see tacky? Here's tacky:

Beautiful Mind's legs look like a pair of Roman columns.

Psst, Babs: Big women don't wear white hose, OK?


Cher

[DS1]

33. GANDALF! YOU'RE ALIVE!!

:evilgrin:

[bitchkitty]

41. Good Lord!

For a minute I thought it was Colonel Sanders, back from the dead!

[Rex]

8. This article is meant to make out as if ALL Reaganites

are rich people of class and can dress savvy. It goes on to form the illusion that 'times have changed' and Reaganites no longer dress in suits, that the clientele has changed.

Well guess what. Trashy people LOVED Reagan and the Repuke party is full of ignorant mouth breeders. This article is pure disinformation.

[jus_the_facts]

9. Yeah how DARE those ugly *POOR* lookin' people come here.....

....OOOOOH THE HUMANITY! :wow:

[FredScuttle]

10. I love Dole's quote

Thanks for weighing in, Bob....by the way, did you, perchance, stand in line for 4 hours in that D.C. summer like the rest of the lumpenproletariat? Of course not...you got ushered right to the front of the line, where you could mumble a few curses at the casket, then hustle back to the limo, then back to the Watergate to pop a few Viagras and nail Libby for a couple hours, eh?

It's like clockwork...whenever I start to feel a pang of empathy for Dole, he demonstrates how much of a miserable prick he really is.

[Manix]

14. LOL!!

[Wendigo]

11. "The same can't be said for many of his mourners,"

"some of whom trundled past his flag-draped coffin yesterday wearing flip-flops, cargo shorts and T-shirts, their flabby midsections exposed. Some young women wore ultra-mini skirts and halter tops."

So Jenna Bush actually showed up for the funeral?

[Piperay]

12. This whole thing is like mass

hysteria, the more people there are the more that come just because they have to be part of what's 'happening'. It's kind of like when they auctioned off Jackie Kennedy's things and hordes of people (who couldn't afford to) paid humongus prices for things because they were caught up in the moment. After they came to their senses they didn't want the stuff they bid on and refused to pay for it. Or even like the O.J. trial where people just wanted to have a shared experience but don't really give a damn what they were sharing, just had to be part of it. Sometimes people really disgust me. :crazy: :argh: :puke: :mad:

[notadmblnd]

34. I know what you're saying.

I saw people who were'nt even born when Reagan was president wiping tears from their eyes. One woman was sobbing uncontrollably.How can anybody have an emotional attachment to someone they never even knew? One thing I've noticed about death (I lost my husband 10 months ago) is that it's not really the dead we cry for. It's ourselves we cry for.

I think the people we saw there paying tribute to RR were either the rich and powerful that benefited by RR policys or the common folk that the Reagan admin convinced had been kept down by liberal policies of past admins. I don't care if you put a dress and lipstick on it or not. Apig is a pig is a pig.

[Ripley]

35. Yes, tis another directed life moment for Americans.

A lot of them don't know what or how to feel until the TV tells them. Raygun was the most beloved President ever!!! so you need to pay your respects...once in a lifetime moment!!! It's the same with the drugs they push on 80% of the commercials nowadays. Whereas people used to take a Tums after eating too much pizza...now they are told they should take some little purple (?) pill every fricking day of their lives!

Sorry to hear about the loss of your husband notadmblnd. :-(

[Jade Fox]

48. "Its ourselves we cry for."

Yup.

I had this same feeling after 9/11 when people were projecting their
own stuff on to what was a genuine tragedy--for those to whom it
actually happened.

Sorry to hear about your husband. :hug:

[saracat]

13. Sorry about the heat!

But the Senate intern and Dole are right IMHO. You show respect for life when you show respect for the dead. You are actually showing respect for yourself in paying tribute to the deceased. I am no Reagan fan, and I doubt that I would go to view the casket, but if I did I would dress appropriately. I am assuming these people are thoeretically going to "pay their respects." And dressing for a day at the beach is NOT respectful.I would question why they are there.I think many view the casket as a tourist attraction.But in general, we have become a society where we don't feel it is nessessarry to show respect by dressing for anything. And I think that is sad.We must think that we ourselves are not worth the effort.And BTW, I take exception to the posters implying the mode of dress implies poor people. Untidiness and slovenly attire has nothing to do with being poor or middle class.The poor are many times the most impeccably groomed of all, as they have to make the effort. If you want rich and sloppy and inappropriate,think Jenna Bush in Europe with her Mom!
P.S. (I live in Phoenix and have attended several funerals that lasted for hours in the summer and I wore hose and a jacket!)

[RapidCreek]

15. Hey pal...it's rough to spring for a Hugo Boss suit, Ralph Loren Tie

and a pair of Gucci's when you're the rabidly anti-union check out boy at Walmart.

I mean let's face it...this was the ultimate goal of the man in the box...The surfs coming to pay their respects to the landed gentry. Expect to see allot more of it in the years to come.

These are the folks who will fight as your mercenaries in your colonial wars, while your kids go to Harvard. They are the ones who you have successfully convinced of the evils of unions. They are the ones who yearn for a mandate forcing public school teachers to teach creationism. They are the ones who happily die eating cat food while you enjoy the best medical care thier tax money can buy. These are the folks whose kids tear out Democrats campaign placards in their neighbors yards. These are the folks who brag to their freinds that they work two jobs and so does their wife. These are the folks who vote happily vote Republican as you ship their two jobs off to Bengladesh.

After all, as one of my Good Repuglican Buddy's once told me....Being rich wouldn't be any fun if there weren't a bunch of poor folk fighting to kiss your ass. Heck poor old Bob wouldn't have stood out at all if everyone showed up in a Caddy dressed like a mortician, now would he?

RC

[saracat]

17. Great post, but if

the rapidly anti-union checkout boy at Walmart wants to pay his miguided respects to Reagan, he should show some respect for himself by appropriate dress. And that doesn't mean Hugo Boss and Ralph Lauren. It doesn't even mean a suit.It means decently groomed and from what I observed on the tube, somewhat covered. No bathing suits. It is not to much to ask.I still don't get why dressing appropriately is aligned with being "rich" and being a slob is associated with being "poor". I had both "poor" and rich members in my family and the "poor" dressed better!

[RapidCreek]

23. Ah I deleted it....just more of the same.

NT

[saracat]

26. Too late.Read it.

And who are you to decide that they are following their custom and aren't just slobs? Interesting that you think your experience is so much more relevant than mine.And you are awfully patronizing of the "poor" whom as a "progressive" Or " liberal" or Dem you ought to support. But I guess you put your values in the closet along with the Armani and whatever else you had.

[RapidCreek]

30. My values? You mean the one which gives me authority to judge

another based upon the cloths they wear? Nope sorry...that ain't in the closet...that's a value I never possessed.

It's not the poor I patronize....but the proudly stupid. I don't reserve that sentiment for any particular socio-economic class nor do I direct it toward someone based on thier choice of apparel.

I find it somewhat odd that you as a liberal, would castigate someone based upon their appearance.....

Oh and it ain't to late....I have the post saved....I save all my posts. I'll put it up a bit later...I've gotta run right now.

RC

[Ripley]

32. I agree.

I stayed out of the big long thread about this in GD the other day.

But come on people!!! Funerals and weddings are usually the only two times you have to bother to wear something nicer than shorts and a logo t-shirt. I am totally not a fashion-police person, but I must agree that this is disgraceful. Look back at photos from JFK's funeral...not one man without a suit and tie I bet. Sure, America's attire in general has become more casual since then...GREAT!!! I know people who don't change their clothes to go to church. But a funeral?

And it is not about money. Everyone can get a nice jacket and pants or dress at your local thrift store for those rare occasions.

I tell you why this pisses me off. I was in Europe a few years ago and was appalled at the behavior of other American travelers. While we were touring a Duomo in Italy, some hilljack walks in talking loudly and wearing his baseball cap!! A church guys ran over to him, told him to remove it or leave. It was a very disrespectful action.

Geeze folks if you want to have a sit-in outside Raygun's crypt and wear bikini's and thongs...Go For IT! But to walk past the casket "in state" wearing beachwear...just shows poor manners.

Sorry, just call me Miss Ripley Manners from now on! :D

[saigon68]

18. Hey RC ---Great Post

This is in the running for saigon's post of the Day

Purely oustanding biting sarcasm !!!!!!

[saigon68]

21. CONGRATULATIONS RAPID CREEK

You have won the saigon "Biting" post of the day!!!

FOR FRIDAY JUNE 11 2004

[RapidCreek]

25. Oooooh a medal!!!

I can hang this next to my Company Honor Man Citation!!!! Or maybe catch the next flight to DC and attatch it to my DayGlo Orange Speedo before I flip flop past the body of Evil Incarnate!!!

RC

[saigon68]

28. You deserve it !!!!! You are the REAL DEAL !!!!!

This type of creative writing is what marks this site as the BEST place to get the real news and commentary on what is really going on.

Thank God for the INTERNET and the creators of this tiny little place on the Web.

[RapidCreek]

24. Hehehehe thanks :)

RC

[Piperay]

16. Yeah, I think most of these

people are there because it is "THE thing to do" on a June day. They're in town and so they are going to the newest tourist attraction, so they came say they were there. x(

[Rich Hunt]

50. great post

I especially agree about the bad dress = poor people point. A lot of those people looked like they were going camping - that doesn't mean they were 'poor' or 'trashy'. A lot of people who don't have money believe in dressing up as a matter of pride.

I disliked Reagan, but even I thought it was trashy to wear a wife-beater or sandals with socks. They were dressed like tourists. You can find hot weather clothes that are more appropriate.

BTW, I'm sure that lots of those people were simply gawkers, not necessarily Reagan fans.

[Forkboy]

19. I would have gone in a clown suit

and left my big red nose on the coffin.

[Gin]

20. If I was in DC as a tourist...I would have gone to see the capital..I have

never been inside....RR was the ticket in that day....and I would have had casual clothes on...because my gown is in the cleaners.

[markses]

22. Aren't most mourners tourists who had already planned area vacations?!?

I'm not particularly surprised that they don't have suits.

[Darth_Kitten]

27. This Kegin puppy seriously needs to get a life......

:evilgrin:

[Citizen Daryl]

29. "You vulgar serfs don't deserve to mourn royalty." n/t

[Ganja Ninja]

31. Hooded black robes should have been the uniform of the day.

[smirkymonkey]

42. Don't you mean pointy headed white ones?

:evilgrin:

[Justice]

36. I Can't Help But Agree With Bob Dole

For all of those, like Dole, who didn't have to stand in sweltering heat for hours to view Reagan (view is a weird concept, since viewing is usually of a body in an open casket, not a closed casket) - should be wearing dress clothes.


For all "middle-class America" (which is said by Kansas born heartland boy Dole who is married to southern roots NC wife Elizabeth in a most negative way I might add), who stood for hours, shouldn't Dole have said - it is not what they wore, but that they came or words to that effect.

[Stuckinthebush]

37. Please tell me this is the last day of the Reagasm

I am so tired of hearing about Reagan and what he was like and what he did and what he wore and how lowly and unworthy the serfs are that come filing by his casket and how no other president in the US of A was as brilliant as he was and how he would have gone into Iraq and on and on and on and on.

Please, please, please tell me that this is the very last day of Reagan worship in the media.

Please.

[underpants]

38. I heard about the THONGS of Regan mourners

now that is just plain disrespectful.

[PfcHammer]

39. With any luck, all this nonsense will buried along

with RR today. Then on to real business.

[CWebster]

40. Why is it

That if the lines were so long it seemed so sparsely populated with gawkers in the rotunda--who all seemed in no particular hurry to move along. I've seen greater crowds straining to see the Pieta.

[fob]

43. No wonder Al Gore got all those clothes-based-articles-of-mass

-derision!

WTF! Perhaps it really is possible that these jackoffs haven't noticed any cultural changes after that evil rock-n-roll came to life in the summer of 1956? Did they really think they could bombard the serfs with 99 cent stores and below sustainable wage jobs and expect them to continue to dress with the nobility? The thought that they were trying to bring back the 50's always seemed a quaint way of describing their backward thinking, but it turns out it was true all along!

I'm shocked!, shocked I tell you that tourists are wearing comfortable clothes in the summertime in DC. I can't tell you how many times I wasted valuable luggage space with a three-piece Armani suit, just in case some funeral needed attendin' while I was on vacation. Oh the missus was pretty hot about dragging that thing around and having to find a cleaners to have it pressed in whatever our destination was, but it would have been worth it to make sure I received Bob Dole's appreciation. I also could have been interviewed for the story and heaped a pile of scorn on my fellow peons, thereby raising my own status at their expense, it's the raygoon way and would have made him proud.

</rant>


PS: With the security these days they should be pulling aside and strip searching anyone who waits in line in a black effing suit and tie! It's like in 48 Hours when Eddie Murphy notices the guys in trench coats inside the nudey bar.

YEEAAAARRRRHRRGGGGHGHHHHHHH!!!!!!


fob

[Jade Fox]

45. Republicans eating their own....

They want so bad for Reagan to have a classy send off like Kennedy
and Roosevelt, and what they are getting is.....the tacky reality of those
who "loved" Ronnie.

I love this article.

[TrogL]

46. Maybe it's all they own

Not everybody can afford a new suit.

[Jane Eyre]

47. Spectators, not participants - another Reagan legacy

It occurs to me that the mourners at JFK's funeral were dressed appropriately because they felt that they were a part of the process. Reagan's modern legacy is that "the people" have become spectators rather than participants in the process, be it a state funeral or democracy itself.

Reagan presidency has been described as "the role of a lifetime". He was playing for the masses, not asking them to participate. The funeral attire of the masses is symbolic of Reagan's legacy - they are simply on the outside looking in. They may as well be watching "Bedtime for Bonzo" on late-night TV.

[L.A.dweller]

49. Great post

I think you hit the nail on the coffin!