Role Models?

Who exactly are we honoring as role models? Michael Jackson? Steve McNair? Why are these people being held up after their questionable deaths as heros? What heroics did they perform during their lifetimes? Sing a song. Play a game. All for an outrageous amount of money. Yes they did charitable works, but does that make up for the way they lived their lives? Do we just ignore the manner in which they lived their lives because they were celebrities?
Also, all the people who are saying they died too soon. You reap what you sow. You live your life with terrible habits, right on the edge and you expect to live forever? The ones left behind all seem so shocked by the outcome of lives that they watched spiral.
MJ-- he was never convicted, but how many times did he so innocently settle out of court? Where did he head after the last big scandal? Someplace where it was acceptable.Was it a tragedy that he was addicted to all those drugs? Well, call me hard hearted, but who started taking them and kept taking them? He was sick. Yes, on so many levels. Oh yes, the parents who raised (and exploited him) are now getting custody to do the same to his "kids"(not actually his at all).
The McNair thing-- His brother was quoted as saying what a wonderful family man he was. No, I don't think so. If he was such a terrific family man why wasn't he home with his family instead of at a condo his wife didn't know about with his girlfriend. Last time I checked marriage and family was a loving couple and maybe some kids-- no girlfriend.
So when the funeral events are held I am not going to watch. I will hope that a few people will take away the lesson of reaping what you sow. I hope my kids take away one more lesson on drug use and what happens when you turn your back on your family.
What qualities exactly are we honoring in these men's lives? What kind of life are we showing our children is worthy of this level of public adoration?
B