Rest in peace, or not…

Today’s page post came from a news article I saw about the passing of an actor. There were the usual “rest in peace” comments, but there were also people speaking honestly about the harm he caused. The familiar “don’t speak ill of the dead” quickly followed.

But I always wonder, who does that really protect?

Because death doesn’t automatically rewrite a person’s story. And for some, what’s left behind isn’t nostalgia, it’s harm. Harm and a whole lot of unresolved emotions.

Truth doesn’t become disrespect just because someone died. Silence isn’t the same as respect, and the people who were hurt shouldn’t be expected to soften their reality to make others more comfortable.