Well Markos, You stepped in it this time. Yup. Your comment,
I'll never understand parents who put themselves in such positions of danger knowing that a misstep can leave their children without a parent.
generated 700 (and counting) comments and most of them disagree with you.
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Having read your stuff for about 2 years now, I know you've been in the minority before and had no apologies.
But this time you might want to reconsider. As I read your comment, I could not tell if you were being snarky, wrote quickly without thinking, or just pulled a "Mel Gibson."
I'll assume you know the dangers of drinking and diary writing (my only troll ratings ever came because of comments I wrote while buzzed), and since you are quite a respectable a person I could not convince myself that you were being snarky about the death of a celebrity. That left me with the conclusion that you just didn't give Steve Irwin's death enough thought.
You are not alone. I too, at first, thought of the word "lunatic" but then I reminded myself that his shows were likely edited to make him look a little crazy and thus, pump up the entertainment value and ratings.
Once I got past the derogatory thoughts, I felt a deep sadness. Unlike the sadness I've felt for any but a few celebrities who have died in my lifetime (Jim Henson, John Lennon come to mind).
I cannot pinpoint why I feel Steve's loss so strongly. Part of it is what he gave to me and my family. He exposed me and my children to aspects of this world I would have never seen otherwise.
Part of it is his attitude. I never got the impression that he was full of himself. In fact, I saw a man who cared more for the planet and its wonderful creatures than anything else.
Part of it was his passion. Who in the public eye shows more passion for their work as Steve did (Granted there are many equally passionate people but few more passionate than he.)
Part of it is that he died young. Like Henson and Lennon, he was not done yet.
I am sure, had you given Steve's death more thought, you too would have come to the conclusion that so many of your commenters came to. Steve died doing what he loved and there could be no better way for him to die.
I'm going to miss Steve and his adventures. That my friend is Fair Dinkum.
Mark