William Buckley
Reading over the various liberal eulogies to William F. Buckley today, it occurred to me that there's probably a generational divide between those on the left who reflect upon Buckley fondly and those, like me, who find in his wake an unfortunate legacy. I had only ever read about Firing Line until I saw some clips of it on YouTube, and was only modestly impressed. I was aware of his talents, but also aware that he had a propensity to call people "faggots" and threaten to beat them physically. Buckley may have been more genteel and intelligent than his successors, but barely so. And he ushered in those successors with abandon, while actively nurturing their vitriol.
Matt Yglesias writes: "I think anyone in the ideological journalism business has to give the man his props." And maybe so. By the same token, though, anyone in the online journalism business owes a great debt to a man by the name of Matt Drudge, who won't meet with kind words from very many people on the left when, at some point, he dies too.
Comments
I can't believe you would write this about a dead man. You are a monster, Mr. Beutler. A monster and a fraud. For shame, for shame, for shame.
The man's body is not yet cold! Can't you find something nice to say about the dead? For shame, Brian!
Really, Brian. This is too much. Unbelievably over the line. Must you crap on the dead man's grave?
I'm left without words. I'm a liberal who grew up in the 60s and 70s -- was a radical in my day -- and even I can appreciate that Mr. Buckley was a worthy adversary. He was a fundamentally decent man, which is more than can be said for the Right today. Does that count for nothing? Even on the DAY OF HIS DEATH?
Compare Buckley to Bill Kristol -- even you, Brian, can acknowledge that there is decency deficit there. One was intellectually honest and respectful of his ideological enemies. One is a hack.
Let's see some evidence of Buckley actively nurturing the current conservative movement's vitriol.
I demand an apology!
Jesus Christ, dude. Way to be way too harsh. The man just died! His body's not even cold! You really do need to apologize.
What is going on here? The worst Brian said about the guy is that he left an "unfortunate legacy," and in truth, his legacy is worse than "unfortunate." I suspect Brian was trying to temper his criticism because it is the day of the man's death. Let's all take a deep breath.
What is going on here?
Honestly, Jonathan. Do you -- of all people -- really pretend ignorance of the connotations of the phrase "unfortunate legacy." I am appalled Beutler and his ilk. He should condemn himself in no uncertain terms.
"Now, listen you queer, stop calling me a crypto-Nazi or I'll sock you in the goddamn face, and you'll stay plastered."
Posts like this just make rue Buckley's death all the more, as they seem symptomatic of the loss of longstanding mores that Buckley championed. I can guarantee you that, if he'd been alive, William F. Buckley wouldn't have written a post like this about the death of William F. Buckley.
De mortuis nil nisi bonum.
Buckley was a hero to conservatives. If he didn't inspire an outpouring of hatred by liberals, then his life would indeed have been in vain.
This whole 'let's not criticize the dead' thing is silly.
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