The best is no longer among us. Steve Gilliard of the News Blog passed away early this morning at the age of 41.I've been reading Steve every day since maybe his first few days. In an email exchange a couple of years ago I begged him to tell me over a beer someday why he wasn't the most popular news/politics blog in the US. He agreed; someday we'd have that beer. Honestly, I've been looking forward to the moment ever since ...and I'm not going to stop.
His motto was "We Fight Back." And he did every time. After more than 20 years of radical, intolerant conservative dominance of US national discourse and the consequent lies, Gilliard put his pen to the new medium of blogging and swore-off the old Liberal tendencies to allow Right-Wing hate, corruption, and destruction to go unanswered because such idiocies didn't deserve a response.
He decided to hit back at least as hard... and at least blow for blow... every time the people that are destroying the old county tried to cram another lie, myth or distortion down our throats.
I fell into formation with him from that very moment. No more assuming that anyone with sense or reason would automatically recognize the obviousness of it all... that had been proved wrong over and over again.
And no going-on-the-defensive, either. That had been proved a trap. We would give as good as we got and better. No shot would go unanswered. We were smarter, better, loved our country and constitution more, and the false populism of the Reagan-Democrats phenomenon was ripe for us to explode. I loved him.
I believe that he influenced everyone. I could hear it, smell it, taste it, feel it, see it whenever anyone fought back. He never got the amount of credit that I believe he deserved... but the great ones never do in their time. That made me feel a little better. I'm not sure but I always had the feeling that that might have comforted him as well.
I hope that his love, Jen, will attempt a foundation or think-tank in his memory... he would often rail at that lack of any of those types of organizations on our side of the tracks. He needs... no, WE need something very alive to commemorate him.
Hold the -30-.
With kisses south of the Equator,
Mike
Here's a little taste for newbies and old fans.
More...
...and here
...and here
...and here
...and here. Thanks, RP
...and here
...and in his own words, here
thanks again, my friend.
1 comment:
Mike,
I currently have my family clamouring for my attention so I will make this really quick. I am glad and sad at the same time. Glad because I had never heard of this guy and his blog and it's fantastic reading. Sad becuase he is gone and won't be around to kick more ass.
I wish I would have heard about him earlier.
Saludos,
Frank
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