Sometimes it seems there ain’t no justice in this world. Molly Ivins died Wednesday. The greatest contemporary political satirist and rabid bleeding-heart liberal, a real American freedom fighter, succumbed to breast cancer at the age of 62. She was nothing if not politically incorrect–the best kind of liberal–and knew how to cut to the heart of the most maddening and spiteful of situations with humor and hope. And not just a little bit of bitingly true, painfully funny criticism of American politicians of all persuasions.
She was my heroine. Of all the columnists, and pundits, and social commentators today decrying the War in Iraq and the “Shrub” administration, not to mention various and sundry governmental follies over the past three decades, only Molly’s words consistently left you with the unshakable and optimistic feeling that you had just mined a vein of truth. And occasionally made you want to wet your pants or weep from her down-home, backwoods Texan, unadulterated wit.
With every word I’ve ever written on Chicago Carless, I’ve thought to myself, “How would Molly say this?” Whatever she wrote was simple, and direct, and candid. No room for subject-dancing, no patience for soft-shoeing, no remorse for sensibility-offending.
She spoke her mind with no excuses and no apologies and she did it because she cared about the world we all have no choice but to live in together. She spoke her mind because she cared deeply about us, her fellow citizens. Should they ever designate a bodhishattva of American politics, look no further than here.
Good-bye, Molly. I will miss your words dearly. Thanks for helping me find mine.
I know somewhere up in heaven, Ann Richards is setting a special place at the dinner table this week.
Categories: Politics
Mike Doyle
I’m an #OpenlyAutistic gay, Hispanic, urbanist, Disney World fan, New York native, politically independent, Jewish blogger in Chicago. I believe in social justice, big cities, and public transit. I write words and raise money for nonprofits. I’ve written this blog since 2005. And counting...
My Bio | My Conversion | My Family Reunion
Follow My Socials: linktr.ee/mikedoyleblogger
Contact Me: mikedoyleblogger@gmail.com
Thank you, guys. I just couldn’t let this one go quietly.
Literally.
I’ve never commented here before but read you often. You expressed my thoughts exactly when I learned Molly died. My first thought was ‘how awful, we need her so’ and then ‘First Ann, then Molly’ They make us proud to be liberals!
Thank you for that lovely image of Ann Richardson setting another place at the table for Molly Ivins. What a great reunion that will be!
She gave us a lot of hope in some very dark days. No matter how gloomy things looked, you had to think that if she could live in Texas and still have hope, who were we to give up?
Thanks again.
Mike, your eulogy is lovely. Molly would be pleased. We’ll have to step up and fill and the voice void left by her …