Split from: In memory of...

[Anonymous]

Oh he died, how sad.  One less person who got famous for no reason.

Edit:  Yes this was a harsh spur of the moment comment, I take it back.

[Anonymous]

Show some respect, if you don't like the guy don't post here.

[Anonymous]

Ok, it's just he wasn't exactly a good actor.  He actually only got some awards after he was paralysed, well how does that make sense?  He wasn't in any films, that I can recall, after his accident.  I just personally think he got the sympathy vote because he was 'Superman'.

[Anonymous]

Oronos, you havn't taken into account that the guy set up a massive paralytic charity to help others like himself. The man was a good guy, and we only have precious few in this world, so lets leave them be. Remember, it says RIP on the graves, for rest in PEACE.

[Anonymous]

Give him a break Oronos.  The guy died today.

Ok he was not the greatest actor of all time but the work he did to help further spinal cord injury treatment deserves our respect.

[Anonymous]

But the thing is, he didn't give a shit about paralsyed people until after he was paralysed himself.  Ok yes, he did set up a charity and I'm not 'glad' he's dead. Rest in peace by all means I just think that he was famous for all the wrong reasons.

[Anonymous]

So... You're saying that he shouldn't have helped paralysed people after he became paralysed because he was only helping people because he was paralysed? So the world would be a better place if he had been paralysed and then spent his money on a ferrari wheelchair instead of spending it on research. Huh. Weird world you live in. He's famous for being paralyzed and helping people and that's a bad thing? So by that logic, the Red Cross should stop flying their flag when they're accepting blood donations? Because they're using their fame to help people? Because I don't give money to help paralysed people, I don't give a shit about them? Screw you. Just because the list of charities I do give money to doesn't include one specific group doesn't mean I don't give a shit about that group. Would my priorities change if I suddenly found myself paralysed from the neck down? Hell yes. Would I spit in your face if you told me I didn't give a shit about paralysed people before I became paralysed? Hell yes.

Unless you're typing with one hand and writing checks to charities (like the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation) with the other, shut the @#$% up. You look like an ass. And, for the record, he did act and direct after becoming paralysed. If hollywood chooses to award his efforts and draw more attention to his plight, thereby garnering sympathy and helping more people with a fresh flood of donations, charitable contributions and awareness of paralysis... good for them. Even if his directing wasn't the best. Even if his acting was sub-par. Charities do more good with advertising and famous people supporting them than they do without. That's how the world works. Anyone who helps people, regardless of the reason, is still helping people.

Yeah. He's more famous because of his accident than he would have been without it. Yeah, he used that fame to help people that he might otherwise wouldn't have. Maybe if he was still alive you could ask him if he would trade all of the "fame" he got because of his injury in exchange for the ability to walk again. Or the ability to hold his wife's hand. Or the ability to feed himself. Or ten thousand other things you and I take for granted.

[Anonymous]

Exactly.

[Anonymous]

well said gillette,and oronos i have decided to put a one month ban on you posting on this topic for not respecting the dead.

i created this topic so i people could pay there respects. not so we could start an argument about if someone deseves our respect or not.

[Anonymous]

So first I am told to shut the fuck up, then I am banned simply for voicing my opinions.  I find this pretty ironic seeing as we are a faction that is supposed to be fighting for freedom.  I never said that he didn't deserve respect and I'm pretty certain I even said rest in peace, I just think a different way from you that's all.  This is the reason I think of Christopher Reeve this way, sure that article is pretty fucking harsh and I don't think it's necessary to be THAT rude about him but the facts there are ones that I agree with.  I'm sorry if my opinions offend you, if you have a problem with them please confront me with them and not just tell me to shut the fuck up because I am an arsehole.

[Anonymous]

Welcome to communism.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, I saw all that. I also saw:

But the thing is, he didn't give a shit about paralsyed people until after he was paralysed himself.

Prove it. Prove he didn't give a shit about anyone but himself. Just because his life was refocused after he suffered a tragedy doesn't make him less. It makes him more. He suffered, and out of that suffering, he grew. According to Maddox, he was living a playboy lifestyle and then got hurt and dedicated his life and fortune to finding a cure for himself because he was selfish.

Along the way he helps fund new research, argues before congress for stem cell research, starts a charity (which I guess is going to evaporate now since he was only out to help himself), raises awareness and gives people hope. Or maybe I'm crazy and all those people that they interview who are paralyzed that say that Reeve was a great guy and an inspiration were just bought off by his publicist to make him look better.

And Maddox says he's an asshole. Oh well. I guess the world needs more assholes. Where do I sign up?

Maddox still labors under the impression that everyone is selfish. Even the people who do 'selfless' things are just doing it to make themselves feel better. And the truth is, I don't give a crap why anyone helps anyone else out - as long as they help other people. Christopher Reeve became a better person because of his tragedy and - selfish or not - he did good in the end. Too bad Maddox can't learn from other people... but he's probably too busy typing up an article about how much he hates hearing about Reeve on TV. And how the only reason that A&E is showing the movie that Reeve directed is because he was paralyzed. And blah blah blah.

Try posting negative things about Reeve on a forum where people have to type with a stick between their teeth. Bet they aren't as nice as me.

edit:

And, just for the record, if I didn't respect your opinion, I wouldn't even bother responding. I just happen to strongly disagree.

[Anonymous]

Ok well after seeing your edit, I get the impression this will last for a very long time and will probably end up badly.  I have had my share of experiance with crippled, disabled and unwell people including some experiances of my own.  But I am not going to give you a self-sympathising anecdote because I find them annoying and I'm not looking for the sympathy vote.

A certain person I know (yes a cliché but you don't know him so it doesn't matter) has Parkinsons disease (for those of you who don't know, this affects the dopamine release which, without treatment, can lead to paralasys(sp?)) and he dedicates all his time, money and energy to trying to aid research for a cure for this.  Soon he will be going in for serious surgery where they will be placing a wire inside his brain in an attempt to get the gland working again.

Perhaps that was an anecdote, but my reason for it was to show that at least one person I know has done the same as what Reeve has done.  He has taken what he has and put it forward to researching a cure,  it may not be hundreds of thousands of pounds/dollars but it is what he has.  He wont be on the television.

The point is, Reeve did what anyone in the same sort of position would do but he got famous for it and to be honest that strikes me as being if nothing else then odd.

[Anonymous]

i am sorry oronos for banning you and now that the topic is split, i have lifted the ban, i just thought it was not the right place for it.but i also have to say that i see the reasons why you have that POV, which everyone can have there own of.

[Anonymous]

I don't believe that you can get angry at Christopher Reeve for winning the public's hearts with his charitable actions, whilst other people who similarly do all they can in the same situation don't get any press coverage etc. Firstly, when you have suffered a disability like that, and all the immeasurable hardships that go with it, you would want to make sure as little people as possible have to go through the same thing. I am sure that his intention in starting the charity was never to get "on tv" as you say, but to do all that he could to help those that have suffered as he has. Yes, when he became paralysed, he is bound to want to help the paralysed. That is because he has experienced the suffering and to say that starting a charity to "get famous" is selfish is just plain wrong, when clearly that was not his intention in the first place.

Yes, many charitable deeds go unnoticed, but charitable deeds are not there to show off to other people, they are there to help, silently. Know that parable from Jesus where the bloke who fasts but doesn't tell anyone about it is better than the guy who shouts about it? In our modern society where we all know what colour toothbrush David Beckham has, where celebrities are worshipped and there every move followed, you can't blame a guy for getting noticed for doing charity work when he was superman.