For Molly Ivins (August 30, 1944 – January 31, 2007)

[sonias]

Cheers and Jeers: Rum and Coke FRIDAY!
Friday Mollyblogging

Molly Ivins died two years ago tomorrow, dammit. She was 62 and that was too young by at least 40 years. Effing cancer.

I can only imagine how she would've sliced and diced the '08 campaign (She'da spun Sarah Palin and Joe the Plumber into comedy gold, that's for sure). Or Blagojevich. Or the vanishing species known as Republicanus Moderatus. Or the contrast between Obama and her frequent (and oh so easy) target, "Dubya."

We humans are so greedy. Always wanting more more more. Even though she delighted us last year by releasing a new book posthumously, I still want more Molly. I'm very upset that I can't have it. But I'm grateful for the decades of snark, sass, satire, sarcasm and sense she left behind, of which this is just a fraction:

"Next time I tell you someone from Texas should not be president of the United States, please pay attention."

Texas Observer 1/31/09
What Would Molly Think?


(snip)
She lives in everyone who took courage in who they are and what they thought when they read her columns and books, and knew they weren't alone and weren't crazy. She lives on in The Texas Observer (Texasobserver.org) and the ACLU (aclu.org), to whom she left a large portion of her estate.

In a letter for the ACLU, she says: "I don't have any children, so I've decided to claim all the future freedom-fighters and hell-raisers as my kin. I figure freedom and justice beat having my name in marble any day. Besides, if there is another life after this one, think how much we'll get to laugh watching it all."

Ken Bunting, an old friend of Molly's who's now associate publisher of the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, said of Molly on Election Day, "I'm not much of a believer, but I think our friend is looking down and smiling right along with Barack's grandma." You know, I think he is right.

Molly we sure do miss you. We celebrate your life.

Mary Tyler "Molly" Ivins (August 30, 1944 – January 31, 2007).

Rest in peace, Molly. We've changed course and we got us a brand new Captain of the ship USA. A bright guy you met once.



:fistbump:

Sonia

[Why Syzygy]

1. I'm so confused.

I was working in a flower shop in Austin when Ann died. I did flowers for her service. wiki gives her dod as 9/06. Of course, Molly followed shortly thereafter.
But I SWEAR the year I worked at that shop was 2007. How can this be? :freak:

Great pic, btw. It always gives me chills just to read about her. Ditto, Ann.
They both make me proud to be a Texas lady.

[sonias]

3. It was a long sad year - both deaths seemed very close

We were just dying inside as a country. Our whole soul was suppressed under the bush years. One year spilled into the next in a never ending nightmare of uncertainty. I can understand your confusion.

Reminds me of one of my favorite Babylon 5 speeches. It was the darkness of our soul lost its way:

Citizen G'Kar: G'Quon wrote:
It was the end of the Earth year 2260, and the war had paused, suddenly and unexpectedly.

All around us, it was as if the universe were holding its breath . . . waiting.

All of life can be broken down into moments of transition or moments of revelation. This had the feeling of both.

G'Quon wrote, There is a greater darkness than the one we fight. It is the darkness of the soul that has lost its way.

The war we fight is not against powers and principalities – it is against chaos and despair. Greater than the death of flesh is the death of hope, the death of dreams. Against this peril we can never surrender.

The future is all around us, waiting in moments of transition, to be born in moments of revelation.

No one knows the shape of that future, or where it will take us. We know only that it is always born in pain.

Ah but the good news is we did not surrender and our dreams and hope did not die. We have always been here...

Sonia

[Why Syzygy]

6. That is breathtaking.

During that time span, I had some personal milestones that should clearly mark the timing of events.
I'm sure it will sort itself out.

Thanks for the opportunity to remember.

[MagickMuffin]

12. Babylon 5 was my all time favorite Sci-Fi series

There have been so many similarities between that show and what we have been going through.

[Why Syzygy]

14. Very long year ..

It finally came to me.
It was "Lady Bird" Johnson's (December 22, 1912 – July 11, 2007) funeral which we did while employed at the shop.
What a year indeed.

[Jane Austin]

2. Aw, thanks for this post, Sonia.

Is that Carlton or Colin Carl in the picture with Molly and Barack?

I'm thinking it's Carlton, but it's been forever since I've seen either one.

[sonias]

4. Carlton Carl

The photo is from this Texas Observer article
Barack, Molly, and Me of Little Faith 11/05/08

Sonia

[Jane Austin]

8. Thanks! .................n/t

[Baby Snooks]

5. Maybe he heard her banging the pots and pans in heaven...

He did just appear out of nowhere. The proverbial "long shot" that no one took seriously. Maybe he heard Molly banging the pots and pans. And maybe others heard her as well. She was banging the pots and pans when he was elected. And again as he delivered his inaugural address. Particularly when he banged the pots and pans in George W Bush's face which no one else could have as he did. Molly and her pots and pans. The one real legacy of hers. Speak up, speak out, speak loudly.

[sonias]

7. I hear ya.

Pots and pans to remember Molly today! We've never been a crew to hold our tongues and we've certainly found our voice again.

That Barack is a sharp one. He can give you a lashing and quite elegantly too. It went right over the bush boy's head at the inauguration.

Sonia

[Baby Snooks]

9. Or through it...

Some suspect there is not much between his ears except some wiring and a speaker system.

[tbyg52]

10. Thank you, Molly!

Just saw some doodads she would have enjoyed:
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=221&topic_id=118127&mesg_id=118127

[MagickMuffin]

11. Molly was definitely a Texas and National Treasure

I so wished she could have been here for ALL the great fun of last year. Actually having Presidential candidates coming to our state. Since when has that ever happened, it has been a long long time, I think Bill Clinton might have been the last time a Presidential candidate bothered coming here.

I bet she would have a few shoes for the Mad king Boy George to dodge. He's one of the best dodgers around these parts. Shoes, Iraq, Pat Tillman, Torture, Sinking Economy, Election Theft, boy can that Boy dodge anything and everything.

At least Molly had the opportunity to meet our NEW PRESIDENT, Barack Obama.

:fistbump:

[Jakes Progress]

13. Texas Triumvirate

A group of us working for Democrats back in the day used to wish we could be a fly on the margarita pitcher on those nights by the pool when Ann and Molly and Barbara Jordan would confab.

Lost jewels, every one.