Amy Goodman: Bang Pots and Pans for Molly Ivins

[marmar]

from the Seattle P-I, via CommonDreams:


Published on Thursday, February 8, 2007 by the Seattle Post-Intelligencer (Washington)
Bang Pots and Pans for Molly Ivins
by Amy Goodman

Molly, I hardly knew ye.
The untimely death of Molly Ivins last week, after a long battle with breast cancer, has provoked a surge of impassioned eulogies -- yes, that would be the appropriate use of the term "surge."

Ivins was first and foremost a journalist, in the highest and best sense of the word. She spent the time, did the digging. She had a remarkable gift for words, a command of English coupled with her flamboyant Texas wit. She directed her reportorial skill at the powerful, holding to account the elected and the self-appointed. She first questioned authority, then skewered it.

I had the good fortune to meet Molly, but on too few occasions. I went to Austin, Texas, for the 50th anniversary celebration of The Texas Observer, the plucky, progressive news magazine that was Molly's journalistic home for so long. Texas' former governor, Ann Richards, was there. Richards, a Democrat, was not immune to Molly's practiced barbs. The governor said of the writer:

"I know it's been a shock to all of us, but over the last 10 or 15 years our girl Molly Ivins has learned to dress, run a comb through her hair now and then and give a fairly decent speech. A truly remarkable woman who goes around America making speeches and telling lies about me. And I welcome her attentions any time. May God bless this woman who has more survivor blood in her veins than anyone I have ever known."

Richards preceded Molly in death by cancer by just a few months. ......(more)

The rest of the piece is at: http://www.commondreams.org/views07/0208-24.htm

[JuniperLea]

1. I can't believe DUers aren't all over this!

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x261871


I think it's a great idea... guess I'm alone... :shrug:

[ClayZ]

2. K and R THANK YOU!

:kick:

[Captain Hilts]

3. Yes! Let's bang pots and pans at Capitol Hill. nt

[sinkingfeeling]

4. When and where are we going to do it?

[Mandate My Ass]

5. The Molly Ivins Brigade

Meanwhile, houston.indymedia.org announced the formation of The Molly Ivins Brigade, to protest the war with pots and pans.

I asked Molly about The Texas Observer. "As we watch the concentration of ownership of mass media," she said, "it's more and more important to keep these little independent voices alive. I think that's where the hope of journalism lies."

Fighting cancer. Fighting to stop the war. Fighting fiercely to protect independent media institutions such as The Texas Observer. Molly, while I hardly knew ye, we know you by your good works. Molly has died, but the fight goes on. She asked that donations be made to the non-profit Texas Observer, texasobserver.org. In this time of the Clear Channeling of America, it is pennies well spent.

[ThomCat]

6. I would LOVE to be able to march in the street

wtih pots and pans with hundreds of thousands of other people demanding peace and justice.

Kinda hard to do on crutches, but I'd sure as hell be there!

[ClayZ]

7. LETS MAKE NOISE!

There is NO PEACE to disturb!

[Marnieworld]

8. When she died I banged pots and pans on my driveway in tribute

Crying and shivering and shameless. She was so special and was a true comfort to me so many times.

Molly- we fight on with you in spirit! End this war now.

:cry: :patriot:

[confuddled]

10. What a noble and touching thing to do.

Thanks for the inspiration.

[Mandate My Ass]

9. bump

[Captain Hilts]

11. Participation would require drinkin' beer afterwards....nt