The Measure of Man   

He was the capo di tutti capi of the modern civic intellectual.  He represented a side of civic discourse that has virtually disappeared in the mainstream.  He made an art out of being simultaneously merciless and respectable.  He had class in a time where very few of us could claim the same adherence to the trait as he did.

Will we ever return return to a place in our society where we can debate the issues of the day as he and his guests did on Firing Line?  As a young man I fear that we will not.  However, as long as we have the legacy of Mr. Buckley to inspire us perhaps the wisest among us will insist on it one day.

God Bless you, William F. Buckley, Jr. The most important life lesson you taught me was that a great measure of a man lies not in how professional adversaries feel about you when the cameras are on, but how they feel about you when the cameras are off.  If we could all live that way we'd be much happier.
Joshua Larson

02/29 04:51 PM