Now that William F. Buckley is dead

[Sarah Ibarruri]

I've heard even lib people say, "But he was so well educated!" and, "Wasn't it a pleasure to hear him speak!"

My mother told me never to speak ill of the dead, but I at least have to say that being dead does not change who William F. Buckley was. Truthfully, when I think of Buckley, I see only a wealthy, ostentatious, arrogant, pendantic dirtbag who didn't care a rat's ass that the people I worry the most about (the elderly poor), were and are being hurt by fascist policies like the ones he promoted. HIS belly was full, his bed well made, and he could have servants, while the elderly poor could/can barely pay for a roof over their heads, food and medication to survive.

No, frankly, I don't give a damn how many vocabulary words he had memorized. He was a dirtbag before and now he's a dirtbag that passed away. A man is what he says and does, and he was not a good man.

That is all I have to say.

[rurallib]

1. I grew up in his glory years and my only memory is

his overt racism. After that I pretty much discounted whatever came out of his mouth, knowing that it was only to serve his racism.

[libbygurl]

2. While I could hardly agree with his views....

...what I found so interesting is that in the early '70s, Wm Buckley actually had someone as extreme on the left as linguist Noam Chomsky on his show, Firing Line.

Today, the only place you'll find a Chomsky talk at some venue will be solely on C-SPAN. Nowhere else, not even PBS/NPR, ever gives any airtime or space to Chomsky.

Edited for clarification.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

3. Don't confuse those days with Buckley. Those were days of more freedom.

He was still a horse's ass.

[libbygurl]

4. It speaks, though, to the marked change of what a Republican has come to mean today.

Oh, and of how narrow the press/media has become in its coverage of the spectrum.

Just my humble op.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

5. Fascism, that's what it is. We've got to get people reading again or this country is toast nt

[libbygurl]

7. Hmm...could start with revamping education? Not to just get more hits on my post, but....

...this article, I think, is relevant to getting the populace more informed and THINKING in the future.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=103&topic_id=341611&mesg_id=341611

The Finns appear to be doing something right, and Americans shouldn't be shy about studying their model.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

9. It's one step, but not the only one. The culture in this country needs to change drastically

It needs to stop being a culture of sprawl, loneliness, isolation and independence.

[libbygurl]

17. It's the cult of the INDIVIDUAL that has gone out of control, methinks, which is...

...at the root of many social, economic problems now coming to light here. The overrunning of the social, cultural and political sphere by the extreme Republican/right wing worship of the INDIVIDUAL as opposed to the common good.

I'm still amazed at some otherwise nice people who insist that they would never allow any part of their income to go pay for someone else's health care. The utter selfishness of that notion appalls me. Moore's 'Sicko' portrayed the contrast to this attitude in the Canadian segment.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

20. You're right, but (and correct me if I'm wrong) wasn't the cult of the individual....

... the "personality" in mind with which this country was designed, so to speak? Manifest Destiny, the west, etc.? Every man and woman out for himself. Ugly idea of life. I think this country started that way and just remained that way.

[libbygurl]

25. Exactly. Which is why I think the European socialist model will never take root here.

I'm a transplant here myself (from SE Asia), and tend to see things a little differently to those born and raised here.


Ed. for clarification.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

26. Scarily horrible isn't it? :( nt

[libbygurl]

30. Unfortunately, I think that's the truth.

Hey, your sig line is so true! Where'd you get that? Not familiar with the name.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

32. He was a Brazilian priest. :-) nt

[libbygurl]

33. Ah, thanks! Was he familiar with Liberation Theology? nt

[Sarah Ibarruri]

35. I don't know, frankly nt

[rurallib]

6. Often on FreespeechTV

[libbygurl]

8. Hmm, I'm not familiar with that. Could you enlighten me more, please? nt

[Canuckistanian]

10. Willaim F. Buckley was an "intellectual" to many uneducated people

When you actually LISTENED to what he had to say (minus the $10 words), he was no different than a Limbaugh or O'Reilly.

ZERO Compassion for his fellow man, a "Look out for yourself" attitude all the way.

Down on your luck? It's really because of a moral failing on SOMEBODY'S part.

And it ain't a conservative.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

13. True! the bottom line is he *was* the Rush Limbaugh of his time nt

[Zorra]

11. Just because a fascist dies it does not make all the rotten things they did

all OK.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

14. Absolutely! Bad people, when they die, are merely bad people who died nt

[bronxiteforever]

12. He was a great defender of the rich and the nobles. More George the Third than Jefferson

[Sarah Ibarruri]

15. You're right. He stood for the rights of the powerful and the disemboweling of the poor and middle

class.

[provis99]

16. he was a self-hating Catholic

the guy loved WASPs, and probably wishes he was born one. His obnoxious self-aware elitism probably grew out of the recognition that he was never going to be taken seriously by the WASPs he admired so much.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

19. He lived to put the rich on a pedestal and ensure that ....

.. the middle class and poor "realized" the rich were better than them.

[unkachuck]

18. "...I see....

....only a wealthy, ostentatious, arrogant, pendantic dirtbag..."

....I couldn't agree more....to me, he personified what's wrong with this country....

....as a blue-collar working stiff, I found his smuggness irritating and condescending....may the good Lord give him what he truly deserves....

[Sarah Ibarruri]

21. You described him better than I did. CONDESCENDING. That's what he was

A complete dirtbag in my eyes.

[skooooo]

22. Was he into Ayn Rand?

It would seem likely, but does anyone know?

[Sarah Ibarruri]

23. Good question! I would think not because he was a Catholic that went to church....

While Ayn Rand was an agnostic Jew (albeit a mentally disturbed one).

[libbygurl]

28. Wouldn't be surprised if he was, regardless of his religion.

Objectivism is a really good fit with right wingers!

[elizfeelinggreat]

24. hate is hate !

I cannot see "honoring" someone just because they have died --- you're so on target here, many people with real integrity die in obscurity. Their contribution is magnificent, his is ugly.

Did Mr. Buckley's friends honor their enemies just because they had the money to buy some attention?
No, I don't think so .... so if you want to feel guilty about something feel guilty about what we let them get away with when they continue to say such things with no remorse.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

29. Thank you. Yes, too many truly good people die in obscurity, while this pointless individual....

... gets huge obits. :(

[sanjiadem]

27. WFBuckley was another cog in a machine determined to

brainwash people into believing exactly the opposite of what was in their best interest, only to enable the wealthy to become uber-wealthy and return the rest of us to serfdom.

And, while relatively speaking, not a significant player (except, perhaps, in his own mind), he was a part of a process that has resulted in, to put it plainly, an overwhelming majority of Americans working harder and harder, smarter and smarter, and longer and longer, for less and less (the 'treadmill' effect) and selling our children's futures for their greed.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

31. What an incredible and accurate description!

"..........he was a part of a process that has resulted in, to put it plainly, an overwhelming majority of Americans working harder and harder, smarter and smarter, and longer and longer, for less and less (the 'treadmill' effect) and selling our children's futures for their greed."

[mac2]

39. He was full of big teeth and arrogance.

I won't miss his "intelligence" at all.

[Benhurst]

34. Amen!

[juno jones]

36. And to paraphrase the relatively ancient SNL

William F. Buckley is STILL dead.


Thank gods. He was a bit before my time, I never knew how reprehsnsible he was until a couple of days ago, but, wow. Whatta dirtbag.

And his obit in the Seattle Times called him the 'Father of American Conservatism'. They said a mouthful right there.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

38. LOL! Hey, at least you found out that you missed nothing :-) nt

[spag68]

37. Good riddance