Syndicated columnist Molly Ivins died Wed of breast cancer. She died the day Senator Joe Biden made tthe remark that Barack Obama, was an articulate and bright black person. I'm sure she would have had some bombs to throw at him.
I met Molly Ivins in Minneapolis, when she was in her twenties, working for the Minneapolis Tribune. She was doing a feature story to run for several days about young radicals. It was also way to actively take part in the anti-Vietnam war movement. .Her columns made uppity women, angry Afro-Americans, antiwar activists and uppity women into heros. Molly was a tall glamourous red head, dating a community organizer involved with housing issues at the time. She was smart and funny. You missed something if you never got to meet her.
This is from her column written just before her death. I had know idea she was dying when I read this. My instincts were telling me she was saying something important. Raise hell. Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous. Make our troops know we're for them and are trying to get them out of there. Hit the streets to protest Bush's proposed surge.
Her columns made fun of the rulers. Although humorous it is wrong how the mainstream media calls her a humorist. Molly was the reporter that exposed the infamous "Downing Street Memo". She was always furious about the laziness of the mainstream media. Her wrath was felt by both major US parties. Based in Texas, just covering local politics in a straight manner, came off as humor. What surpassed her politics, was that she was a darn good writer.
Molly's family was conservative. Her father managed John Connally's senatorial campaigns. I don't have an agenda, I don't have a program. I'm not a communist or a socialist. I guess I'm a left-libertarian and a populist, and I believe in the Bill of Rights the way some folks believe in the
Bible."
Maya Angelou wrote in her honor:
Up to the walls of Jericho
She marched with a spear in her hand
Go blow them ram horns she cried
For the battle is in my hand
Renegade Eye
17 comments:
hey ren eye,
off-topic: first that i heard that you went to anti-vietnam war protests. cool! blog about that? (or have you already?) :-)
sad indeed
Senator Joe Biden made tthe remark that Barack Obama, was an intelligent black person
If he only said that, there wouldn't be a problem. But he actually said that Obama was ''the FIRST mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-looking''...
As for Molly, I only read one of her columns. Got me so mad, I never read another one...
thank you for the Molly story...gosh I can 't believe you met her...I loved hearing about her- the person...and she will be missed so much..we need to honor her in what and HOW we write...thank you....
I read your comment at my place in regards to the incomparable Molly, and wow, I just don't know what to say Renegade. Thanks so kindly and I'm honored.
My dad is the person who introduced me to her when I was in high school. He would read her columns and leave the paper open to her column on purpose so I would peruse them while eating my breakfast before school. He and I have spent countless hours discussing her columns, and I will so miss her and those discussions now. May she rest in peace, and may a new Molly Ivins replace her needed voice.
Sonia: I think if you met Molly you'd like her. She was really fun to around. I'll rewrite that paragraph you mentioned.
Adarna: In the 1970s Senator Church had a committee examining CIA spying on US civilians. I was on their list. I had an FBI file when I was in high school.
Welcome Enigma
Tina: It's true what I said on your page.
graemeanfinson: Very sad.
sad post. will be sure to look her up.
hmm, fbi file! and in high school! that's intense.
some of my filipino-american friends are also in 'fbi files.' i hear the fbi can be a really sinister mercenary lot.
Biden is an idiot and won't get any traction even among Democratics (ic included since they are so offended when it is omitted).
I too read Ivans once, and then never again. I saw her beginning to be interviewed and immediately changed the channel.
She was probably happy that Chavez duped the Venezuelans into alloing him unrestrained rule.
That said, may God rest her soul.
The notion that "our troops" want to be doing anything other than what they are doing and that somehow you can "support" them by railing against what they volunteered to do is nonsensical.
Those that are contemptuous of U.S. military power are intellectually dishonest if they suggest that they admire, wish the best for or even hope that the instruments of our policy return home safely.
The more courageous, truthful position is that you can't explain why someone whose socio-economic status and average intelligence is higher than the population at large (as is the case with the uniformed U.S. serviceman) unless they are evil and therefore, you hate them.
It is politically unacceptable to say so in America, because most of us still believe that this is the greatest country on the face of the earth and we are proud of our military. But be at least as courageous as those whom you would criticize.
Thanks for honoring Molly in this way. She truly was one of a kind, and I beleive she was truly underrated...May she rest in peace.
Completely off topic, but hey, wasn't Prince great last night? As a native Minnesotan, he did my heart proud...
Comrade Beatroot says (who can;t sign in on the old blogger):
What was the ‘Downing Street memo’, Ren?
By the way and completely off topic: it is my birthday today and one of my mates gave me a CD: he said:
“I know you like strange music [??] so I thought I would give you this..”
It’s a CD of Argentinean tango music by Astor Piazzolla. Never heard anything like it before and it is ABOSULTLY FANTASTIC!
When it was playing I was thinking of you, interestingly (as I was thinking of a person I never met, except for text marks on a computer screen)
What a post modern world it is…
Anonymous: See http://www.downingstreetmemo.com/
I wish people would use their name on this blog. I don't freak out about disagreement.
Piazzolla is the master of tango music: ballets, molongas, waltzes. My favorite piece is "La muerte del Angel". Sometime I'll post about it.
Postmodern world? Not my world.
CB: Molly's politics were from her heart. They were different than mine. I don't think Chavez meant much to her pro or con.
Biden was always full of sound and fury, signifying nothing.
Molly had more feelings towards the troops, than I ever did.
NO: Have a blog?
When Prince grew up in Minneapolis, there was no Afro-American radio station. That influenced his unique sound.
I remember when he played in bars.
Thank you for the expose. I had heard the name but never really knew of her work. I am curious to read more about her.
Anomymous was me, Beatroot, Ren. Can;t seem to comment on old blogger. I am the new tango fan!!
Beatroot
No, I don't have a blog...I used to have about five..I believe you commented on my first one..It was called "Here I Am!"
Long Story..Might be time for another blog, no?
Well, I started another one..let's see how long this one lasts!
I'm a little paranoid these days!
Post a Comment