Whatever your feelings about Steve Irwin, he died doing what he loved most

[derby378]

He inherited his passion for animals from his father, and he worked hard on wildlife conservation projects in Australia. His great love, aside from his wife and children, was his job.

If his life and death serve to increase our collective awareness of threats to Australia's fragile ecosystem and the truly magnificent animals that are native to Australia, then his death has not been in vain. Much has been done, but there is still so much to do.

My heartfelt condolences go out to the entire Irwin family.

[AngryAmish]

1. So did Elvis

It doesn't make his death less funny.

[ForrestGump]

2. I'll be searching the obituary columns for you

And making sure I have a full bladder.

Funny, isn't it?

[datasuspect]

3. grave dancer

SHAME SHAME SHAME!!!!

[derby378]

6. He died on a toilet - I don't see your point

The best death I can hope for anyone, other than dying peacefully in your sleep, is that you give up the ghost while doing what drives you the most in life, whether you're a firefighter, a paramedic, a conservationist, or whatever.

[Pirate Smile]

7. I must have a different sense of humor then you. This is just very sad.

I don't see the humor.

[eShirl]

11. OK, show me how his death was funny.

Because I just don't see it.

[AngryAmish]

12. Dying on a toilet is per se funny

look up funny on wikipedia

[eShirl]

16. which has nothing to do with this guy.

[OzarkDem]

28. You're disgusting

If you can't keep your poisonous thoughts to yourself, can you please express them somewhere else?

[ForrestGump]

47. Leaving aside the funny things I could think of to do with your body parts

in response to you thinking the death of my favorite singer was funny, let me just say that dying while on the toilet is not at all uncommon and that -- if that's how you go -- I'll be sure to wear a clown nose and squirty lapel flower and bring a kazoo to the funeral, just to get everyone in the proper mood.

[NOLADEM]

17. You owe me a keyboard

I shot milk through my nose...

He tempted fate, and harrassed animals for profit.

It was just a matter of time.

Weird way to go though.

[OzarkDem]

29. Save it for FR

its inappropriate here.

[NOLADEM]

36. I didn't realize Steve Erwin was a Democrat

I don't mourn his death because he tempted fate everyday for profit. He was no conservationist.

I don't care if he bought a bunch of land for animals or not. He tackled, harassed, pinched and prodded animals unnecessarily for a living, and karma caught up with him. He fed crocs with his infant child in his arm for crying out loud.

Sorry for his family he is dead, but he was an irresponsible parent doing such idiotic things when he had young children.

I do wish his family the best. But I don't mourn his death. He was absolutely asking for it, and it was not ever even remotely necessary to harass the animals to teach about them. Observing them in their natural habitat exhibiting natural behaviors would have been far more instructive than watching some Aussie redneck harrass wildlife. If I recall correctly, he was even fined at one point for harrassing endangered species.

[LostinVA]

42. He was a major conservationist

Don't like him if you don't want to -- but don't make up stuff about why.

And, he was never fined for harassing animals.

And, if the "stunt" with Bob and the croc freaked you out, I'm glad you didn't grow up with the farm kids and crabber kids I did -- you would have been calling DSS on their parents.

[ForrestGump]

46. Stop this crap

You're not anywhere near the truth, and all you're doing is letting yourself be seen as a disgusting pig. There're other boards more suited to that...

[Balbus]

41. Get your mom to buy you another one.

Either that, or do your chores around the house so you can get your allowance and buy another one.

[fleabert]

20. his death is funny?

he swam over a stingray that was buried under the sand. It could have happened to anyone who dives.

tragic, not funny. Conservation and animal education lost a hero in his death.

shame on you.

[OzarkDem]

31. The GOP troll count has increased in recent days

its a shame people have nothing better to do with their time.

You're absolutely correct and I'm sure most other DU'ers agree with you.

[LostinVA]

43. It sure has

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

30. And You Sir, Are A Grade A Jackass.

Shame on you.

[Balbus]

40. Put down your comic book long enough to type that, did you?

Ah, that's right, today is Labor Day - no junior high today.

[Gman]

4. I'm just very surprised to read that anyone was "shocked"

to hear of Irwin's death. My first reaction was it all caught up with him.

Regardless, his death is tragic and a big loss for all.

[xultar]

8. Ok. So we're all gonna die. But when it happens it is always a shock

unless you are a psychic. Who knew it was going to be today vs a week from now.

I mean God. WTF.

WTF DU liberals with no heart. Kinda like the righties we hate.

[notadmblnd]

5. I just read... he was stabbed by a stingray

whil filming an underwater documentary.

[LostinVA]

24. Quite a freak accident

[Evergreen Emerald]

9. He was so full of life and energy

And he accomplished so much for nature and the environment. What a great loss.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

10. I hope he is herding freepers in the great beyond.... showing

them the error of their ways... contributing to global warming and polluting the natural world he loved so much.

[herbbrown]

13. Crickey!!!

[seabeyond]

14. i am a huge chicken. i miss a lot in life, and i am ok with that.

it is who i am

he is not. he did what he loved. he gave a lot to my kids alone. he was true to self. i can certainly respect and admire the man. i dont need to trash him and suggest he live my life of cowardness because i will never be eaten by a shark, or crocidile or stung by a sting ray.

i couldnt agree with you more.

being true to self. living life in our passions. that is what we are put on this earth for, imo.

thank you for your post

[Haole Girl]

45. I enjoyed your post, and your input here seabeyond

And, it is indeed a common fact that most people die in their homes, or near them, instead of enjoying the great outdoors...at least, that's what I've always heard. I don't know the exact statistics. My point, to this post, though, is to thank you for being a true liberal...that is, seeing other people for who they are and respecting their other viewpoints on life. :)

[JitterbugPerfume]

15. For some reason

it always surprises me to see such uncaring attitudes in DUers .

I did not personally watch him much , but he was a conservationist , and for that alone he deserves respect , not scourn . And as for Elvis , he brought happiness to MANY
I don't care for him either but it doesn't take away his value as a human being

[ForrestGump]

18. It doesn't surprise me much, any more

We've got our share of scum on this side of the political fence, too.

[Shakespeare]

23. They seem confused.

Note to those to whom it applies: being an obnoxious, vindictive fuckwit does not make you cool. Most folks learned that lesson by the time they made it through junior high.

[LostinVA]

25. You got it

[Kingshakabobo]

32. Well said. nt

[etherealtruth]

33. Almost poetic :)

... and so true.

[Fleshdancer]

19. that's my take on it too....

I can't help but roll my eyes when people pile on Steve Irwin for having a risky job/hobby. Breaking news: we all die. I hope I get the opportunity to die while doing something I love...it's better than dying from a drunk driver, suffering a heart attack from the years of fast food eating or slowly wasting away from cancer. While Irwin's risks were more "in your face" so to speak, the truth is we all take risks every day. People should keep this in mind the next time they just have to answer the cell phone while driving in rush hour traffic.

[fleabert]

21. and, the risks he took were taken long before the international exposure

started. he was making his own little films that no one saw for years. He was passionate long before anyone knew his name, as his father taught him to be...

[Fleshdancer]

26. it would have been a shame to change him

I loved his sense of adventure and his almost child-like curiosity about the environment around him. Could you imagine sticking him behind a desk in a cubicle his whole adult life? That would have probably been torture for the guy.

[etherealtruth]

37. I found him to be an adorable character ...

... on top of the wonderful conservation work he did.

His untimely death is tragic.

[LostinVA]

22. And he's passed this passion on to his daughter

Who has already showed quite a bit of expertise with animals.

[OPERATIONMINDCRIME]

27. My Heartfelt Condolences To The Family As Well. He Was A Great Man.

Well said.

[etherealtruth]

34. I saw the story of his death just after 5 AM

I have felt "sad" about his tragic death all day.

He was an interesting character:), that brought his passionate love of animals into homes all over the world.

I will miss him.

[samsingh]

35. this is very sad.

[tularetom]

38. The first time I watched his show, I said

this fuckin guy is gonna get killed some day doing all this crazy daredevil shit. Yes I feel bad but you just knew it had to happen.

[earth mom]

39. It's true, only the good die young!

Steve is gone way to soon and will be sorely missed by millions. Our family loved him and he leaves a great big hole in our world. Who else approached animals with the kid like wonder he was able to hang on to even as an adult?! His enthusiasm was contagious because even someone like me who never cared one bit about crocs or snakes (ick!) could happily spend hours watching his shows alongside my kid! Steve was truly special and one of a kind! And yes, we should all be so lucky to be able to do what we loved and share it with the world!

RIP Steve, you still ROCK! :yourock: :cry:

[Odin2005]

44. The obnoxious comments here are pathetic.

As I said in the thread in Breaking News, being a naturalist is a dangeous job because Mother Nature is a dangerous bitch. His death is nothing to be laughed at.

[derby378]

48. I heartily concur

Steve left behind a wife and children. They'll have the whole gang at Australia Zoo to see that they're taken care of, but they're still not the same as having Steve around.

I am perplexed yet saddened at the level of vitriol directed at Steve. The way some folks around here trash him, you'd think he was a supporter of al-Qaeda or something just as loathsome.