Me And Commack

I met Giggles and my friends Commack and Tats on Saturday for brunch on Stone Street in the Financial District.  Commack and I used to sit beside each other at work and traveled to to Taiwan and Italy together for assignments.  Also in a drunken stupor in Puerto Rico (another work trip), I invited him to a Hindu wedding in Toronto, which he actually attended!  Tats is a childhood friend of Commack's who I had not seen in at least a year.  I texted Commack early that morning to meet up since I was a dud the night before and went to bed early though they had been persistently messaging, trying to convince me to grab drinks.  Commack and Tats were on their way to Long Island for a fantasy football draft (one of like 84 they had planned in the next few weeks) and I guess Commack decided to dress up for the occasion.  He was wearing baggy cargo shorts and sneakers with a t-shirt with a faded red logo of some kind and a big straw cowboy hat with the picture of some dude printed on the front.  "Umm who is that?" I said.  What you have to understand about Commack is that he gets extremely passionate when talking about pretty much everything but especially politics, history, rock music and the O.C. (yes, the television show).  He pointed at the image on his hat and informed me that it was Dimebag Darell, the former guitarist of Pantera who had been "assassinated" on stage at a concert with his new band, by a crazed Pantera fan that blamed him for breaking up his favorite band.  Tats laughed and questioned (rightfully so) Commack's use of the word assassinate for Dimebag since he's not exactly Abe Lincoln!  But Commack remained resolute in his belief that he was assassinated, since it was premeditated and Dimebag is a public figure.

(Stone Street where we had brunch!)

I had thought the conversation had ended when I joked "Does that mean Biggie and Tupac were assassinated?" but today I received this email from Commack (both Giggles and Tats were copied):

"Definitions:
Assassination - murder of a public figure by surprise attack - murder, slaying, execution - unlawful premeditated killing of a human being by a human being.
Public Figure - a personage of great public interest or familiarity like a government official, politician, celebrity, business leader, movie star or sports hero.

Just a few links that reference the killing as an "assassination":
http://www.metalhammer.co.uk/news/dimebag-darrell-assassination-drawing-to-be-auctioned/
http://www.dogmaticblog.com/2009/11/12/the-assassination-of-dimebag-darrell/
http://www.bravewords.com/news/126040"

Tats replied:

"Wow c**** this really struck a nerve with you that we received a full definition."

Most of the time I don't feel like inciting arguments (even friendly ones) with people, since I have my opinions and am confident in them but don't always feel the need to share them.  Instead I like to hear what they have to say and file it away in my brain as another point of view.  However, today I was getting in there!  I replied:
 
"I suppose if you take the word 'assassination' in its most literal sense, Dimebag was assassinated. However, common usage of the word usually relates to a killing of a public figure for political or financial gain though revenge can be involved as well. The sites you have included are reported by sources where Dimebag would have been considered a significant public figure, however CNN and other mainstream news outlets did not use this word when they reported the killing, reserving the word for royalty and political leaders.

http://www.cnn.com/2004/US/12/09/nightclub.shooting/

I liken your use of the word assassination to the word 'martyr' which is a person who suffers persecution and often death for the people, a country or an organization, or refusing to renounce a belief, usually religious, political or rights. We can all agree that Ghandi was a martyr (who also happened to be assassinated), but do we consider the punk kids who get suspended for wearing t-shirts with controversial messages on them (usually anti-gay) to school and then go on TV with their hick parents crying freedom of religion/speech as martyrs? While the definition fits, they are definitely NOT worthy of the usage.

We know that Dimebag was a well respected musician, but certainly he cannot be held in the same regard as JFK, Abe Lincoln or Ghandi, whose deaths resonated with millions worldwide and made a mark on history. It is out of respect for these individuals that the literal use of the word is not widely used."

Tats responded "Whoaa", Commack agreed with most of my arguments but still believes Dimebag was assassinated and Giggles, much like during the initial conversation, did not seem interested at all.