How did I fail to acknowledge the passing of Adrienne Rich? She gave the world so much – in politics and in art, and by example. Recognizing my own mind in Rich’s prose was one way I realized I was a radical. From The Guardian: Adrienne Rich, who has died
Continue readingTag: obits
Red Tory v.3.0.3: Brietbart Dead of “Natural Causes”
El Rushbo pays tribute to Andrew (‘Stop Raping People!”) Brietbart, the muckraking right-wing activist and provocative web entrepreneur who abruptly died today at the age of 43. Of course, Libmbaugh’s somber eulogy turns out to be really nothing more than a convenient vehicle to attack supposedly hate-filled “leftists” (based on
Continue readingRed Tory v.3.0.3: So Long, Hitch
Christopher Hitchens died yesterday. His voice will be missed tremendously, maybe even grudgingly by some of those with whom he disagreed so vehemently about many things, not least of which, of course, the non-greatness of God. Just last week, Hitchens spoke at the Freethought Convention in Houston, TX, therefore making
Continue readingwmtc: honeyboy edwards, 1915-2011
Honeyboy Edwards died two weeks ago, just shy of his 96th birthday. He was the last survivor of the first generation of Delta bluesmen. Born David Edwards to parents who were sharecroppers on a cotton plantation, for nearly 80 years Honeyboy played his…
Continue readingwmtc: mcquaig: lewis’s masterful eulogy a stirring reminder that we will not go quietly
Linda McQuaig’s appraisal of Stephen Lewis’s beautiful eulogy of Jack Layton is worth reading.It will probably be a while before a Canadian prime minister again offers a state funeral to someone on the left.Of course, there aren’t many political lead…
Continue readingwmtc: celebrating jack: "one should always have a dream that is bigger than a lifetime"
Nothing remains to be said about Jack Layton, the man and the leader. I certainly can’t say anything that hasn’t been said so many times already. I can only continue to miss him, and to pledge my determination to his cause – to our cause. But I thought…
Continue readingwmtc: celebrating jack: rise up
I missed this song in the 80s, along with the video, filmed on the streets of Toronto. Perhaps it was a Canadian thing that didn’t cross the border very much, but I only know “Rise Up” from the 2011 NDP election campaign.Yesterday, like most of you, I …
Continue readingwmtc: jack layton memorials are more than grief: they’re an affirmation of the ndp’s vision
The enormous outpouring of emotion on Jack Layton’s passing continues unabated. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians are leaving messages and flowers, and making donations to the Broadbent Institute. Millions more are writing tributes online, through NDP…
Continue readingRed Tory v.3.0.3: Rex Murphy on Jack Layton
Rex Murphy shares his reflections about Jack Layton’s exceptional performance in the last election campaign: “He was a cane-wielding, one-man wonder of grace and cheerfulness.”
Such a cruel irony…
Continue readingRed Tory v.3.0.3: So Long, Jack
No one can truly say they were surprised by the news of Jack Layton’s death this morning of cancer after having seen his last public appearance in July announcing that he would temporarily step aside from leadership of the NDP … Continue reading →
wmtc: jack latyon 1950-2011, with love and thanks
I learned the terrible, shocking news of Jack Layton’s death a bit late, and only because friends texted and emailed me. I tend to be in a news bubble on Monday mornings. I’m heartsick. We all are.My heart breaks for Olivia and all of Jack’s family, an…
Continue readingwmtc: the big man is gone: clarence clemons dead at 69
What terrible, sad, shocking news. Clarence Clemons, the Big Man, the heart and soul of the E Street Band, has died.
My heart goes out to Bruce, who must have lost a brother today, as well as all the other E Streeters, and Clemons’ four sons.
Mr. Cl…