Christopher Hitchens - In Memoriam - 1949-2011
I have no idea where I should begin with this post, so I’ll just let it flow freely.
Hitchens was an amazing character. Loved, hated, despised, cherished, banned, embraced. Even contrarians such as myself had trouble stomaching him at times. His prose was always grappling with the inner struggle that we might have, whether he knew it or not. His take on war was not embraced by the left or right. His take on religion and faith was not easily swallowed by the masses. His propensity toward conflict and toward The Path Less Taken was something even Robert Frost may have declined.
He was amazing. He showed countless Pilgrims the path toward logic and self-fulfillment. He pointed me personally toward many avenues in my life I feel I might not have found on my own. Through his writings, lectures, books, essays, and videos, he showed me that snark was a tool for learning, questioning was a step-stool toward reality, and solidarity in thought was a foundation for truth. Logic was his Bible, and so be it. Rarely does one single man affect me in this way.
The world is more sad for his loss, but he would want this to be a stepping stone toward his goal: To not accept the status quo, be it religious, political, or otherwise, as reality. Let us forge ahead in his memory and build new platforms on which to proclaim these things. He is not to be revered as a “god”, or as many revere the Founding Fathers, or other nonsense…but as a mere man who rang out as a bell of truth against the din and clamor of humanity in the hope that a few would hear his clang.
Thank you Christopher. Thank you for being what so many of us could not be. Be at peace.
In memoriam…my initial post on this site: