Cordially, WFB -- God rest his immortal soul.   

Men, born in faith, will still persistently seek out separate proofs of what they already know to be the truth.  This is not done for any reason but to continually reinforce what is already written on their hearts — lest they fall into despair.  In the late 1970’s examples of the truth were in short supply, especially in New York City — at least I thought they were.  Then one Sunday, after Mass, switching the channels (we only had six) I stopped on Channel 13.  That is where William F. Buckley reconciled the truth of faith — a gift of God — with the truth of living politics: Conservatism.  I soon found out that there was a companion piece to this intellectual theater called Firing Line, it was called National Review and it was the printed version of the political truth; the bible of conservatism.   Just like on Sunday afternoon, where the good guy, dressed in his comfortably rumpled Brooks Brothers, holding his clipboard, always triumphed over Gailbraith, Schlesinger, Kinsley et al — because he was armed in the truth; every two weeks I received everything I already knew deep in my soul about the subjects of our time except they were expressed in genius and packaged in wit and again buttressed by certainty.

I suppose I am one of the millions who were intellectually, politically and socially shaped by WFB.  The one thing in common that all his admirers have is that WFB made us all want to be better communicators in the world of ideas.  I am not famous or wealthy or even distinctive in any great manner.  But, I am a better citizen thanks to WFB and because I am a better citizen we are a better country and because we are a better country it is a better world.

The coda of what he has meant to me can be summarized by two separate yet interrelated certainties that WFB brought to me.  By gazing at a child’s ear you can prove the existence of God and that nothing is learned in life except through suffering.  Thank you WFB may you rest in peace.

03/02 06:59 PM