by Jared O. Bell

My 91-year-old grandmother has a litany of wise sayings, but one in particular always stayed with me. A few times after we attended a funeral, she would comment on the eulogies with a matter-of-fact clarity, saying, “People get up there with the lying and the carrying on, acting like the person was a saint when in life they weren’t.” In other words, death does not magically transform the flawed into the flawless.

Last week, as the nation mourned former Vice President Dick Cheney, her words echoed loudly. The narrative that emerged felt strangely predetermined. Tributes poured in describing him as a patriot, a strategic mind, a man of unshakable conviction. Even former President George W. Bush framed him in soft focus, calling him a “good man who loved his country.” His c

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