He Lived His Life the Way We All Should   

A week after the great William F. Buckley Jr. has passed on I find myself reviewing him a bit. It was like this when Milton Friedman and Ronald Reagan passed away. These men that so helped to create my line of thinking are so few yet the work that they have produced will be with us forever. At 27 and still maturing politically, I always found great joy in diving into the words of Mr. Buckley. There are few when it comes to politics that have handled the subject with such intelligence, class, and wit. It did not matter which side of the aisle one finds him or herself. Even when I did not agree, it was damn hard to disagree.

Today, the political spectrum seems poisoned to me. Various commentators on both sides are really dumbing down the issues to appeal to the mainstream. I find myself reading more and more of Buckley as this election year heats up. For nobody made a better case for the right and Mr. Buckley made it about being right and backed up his views better than anyone has.

When I read Miles Gone By I recall putting it down and thinking that Buckley lived his life the way we all should. He had the kinds of debates and conversations we all should have. He gave conservatism the kick it so needed and one we need even today. Nobody will ever replace him, but his words and his writings will always be there.
Gregory L. Vince, Lansdale, Pennsylvania

03/07 12:48 PM