My Friend P was completely appalled by the report this week on the funeral service for the last set of persons killed in that horrible accident that claimed 14 lives in Portland last month.

You must be wondering what was so appalling for My Friend P. Well, figure these two things.

The accident took place on December 21, 2008, and it is four weeks later and seven of the people are just being buried. Now something must be wrong with that. Death by itself is one of the hardest things for people to bring closure to. The funeral is normally one of the big steps in the road to closure - but it takes four weeks for 50 per cent of those killed to be put to rest. Now, how inhumane can we be?

But that was only part of My Friend P's annoyance with this. The real bug bearer was with the politicians who attended the funeral.

Now there are some things that are private and personal and really ought to be the place for close friends and family. So it is amazing, for example, how some people insist on inviting all and sundry to their wedding. Sometimes people are invited because of their positions or ability to give gifts, when the real criteria ought to be: is this your friend? So, too, funerals are a place for those who really empathise, have some compassion and genuine empathy for the bereaved.

Church watch

So, someone who died might have been your friend and you go and pay your respects - but they were not your close friend so you go to the church watch, read, sing and keep yourself quiet then leave.

But, not so with our sad politicians, they go off to the funeral and they need to speak. They turn the funeral podium into a political soapbox. One goes up and says they [meaning other politicians] are trying to blame us [meaning them] for this tragic accident because of stuff that we did not do when we were in power and that is not fair because. Blah blah blah. Then the other side comes up and has his two political cents to add to the nickel and dime argument as well as an economic explanation about why country roads have, and might continue to, remain unrepaired for years to come.

I am sorry but how do these become relevant topics at the last rites of these people? Do they for one second think that when the truck was plunging over the precipice to execute the horrible deaths of the 14 Portlanders, that anyone was giving a fist throwing or bell ringing thought to who should have fixed the roads?

It is sickening to see and maybe the church is to be blamed as the minister ought to have told these politicians, be it the MP or the prime minister, to sit themselves down in the church, pay respect to the dead and be silent. Who knows though, maybe it was the church who asked for the political rally - and if that were so, then the politicians should have politely said no.

Respect for dead is just that - and it does not include big speeches and politicking. A sermon from the pastor is all that is needed.

Email comments to: myfriendp@hotmail.com

So it is amazing, for example, how some people insist on inviting all and sundry to their wedding. Sometimes people are invited because of their positions or ability to give gifts, when the real criteria ought to be: is this your friend?