As is no surprise, Christopher Hitchens died a few hours ago. I say no surprise, not because of the severe and aggressive cancer that he was diagnosed with. I say it was no surprise because we all will die. Still, reading about it while listening to one of his speeches didn't make it easier for me to take. In the news are the cold, black and white words. In my ears is his voice, somehow clearer and defiant, pushing back against death even after the battle is lost.
I loved Christopher Hitchens. He was a writer and orator of such might that his slightest efforts put to shame my greatest triumphs of wordplay. I am not secure enough in my manhood to admit that I wept at the news of his passing. He inspired me to actually follow through on the things I believed. He forced me to rethink my stern opposition to the Iraq war. He made me cringe when he would lay down a Hitchslap. I always felt sorry for his opponents.
I know there are a lot of people who are as sad as I am for his passing. I know there are many who will delight in the death of one of atheism's finest warriors. As much as I would like to either wallow in sorrow or rage against the hypocrites, I cannot. There is a Hitchens-shaped hole in the dialogue now. There is an empty chair at the debate. There is a voice missing from the discussion about what is good, what is beautiful, what is noble, what is pure and what is true. My own meager efforts may have to be multiplied a million times before that hole is filled. I will do my best and hope that a million more will as well.
Tonight we will drink for him. Tomorrow we will remember him. I hope that the day after that, we will all carry on the cause that he so cherished.
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beautifully said. he was such a great man, and i regret that i will never get to meet him. the world got a little bit worse today :(
ReplyDeleteEven though Hitchens was primarily known as outspoken critic against God and religion, I will always remember his razor sharp wit regarding hot button topics like the death penalty, inequality, and government. One of things I can say about Hitchens is that he was highly intelligent, motivated, and consistent- right up until the very end. I actually heard that he was churning out copy just days before his death (if that doesn't motivate you...nothing will!)
ReplyDeleteEven though I'm a Christian I take no pleasure in the death of a great mind. In this life I have found that our differences, mostly regarding belief, have thrown a wrench into the cog of the human experience. In the process of advocating for or railing against the "invisible forces" we beat each others backs raw with the verbal strap of vitriol and inconsideration. Oh what fools we can be!
I will end with a quote from Hitchens himself on the subject of death:
"I do not especially like the idea that one day I shall be tapped on the shoulder and informed, not that the party is over but that it is most assuredly going on - only henceforth in my absence... MUCH more horrible, though, would be the announcement that the party was continuing forever, and that I was forbidden to leave."
This weekend I will be having a few drinks while thinking about many things CH said and wrote. I did not agree with them all...but I admire his tenacity and conviction.
well said, my friend. as usual.
ReplyDeleteI keep hearing about this Hitchens fellow. I don't know if I would classify myself as an Atheist or a Believer. I guess I would fall more along the lines of "Don't know, Don't Care." Lately, I've opened the bible just to see what's in it and I'm not particularly sold. Maybe I should add this Hitchens fellow to my list of research material.
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