RIP Bill Buckley, you will be missed.
William Buckley was often described as a witty man who loved a good argument or discussion. But also a man who was extremely friendly and displayed a love of life that was contagious. He had close friends on both sides of the political aisle and his intellect was renowned among them all. I can truly say that this is the kind of person that I want to be.
He is sometimes called the founder of Conservatism. But I think that's somewhat of a misnomer since conservatism is based on a way of life and what motivates people. It is not an intellectual philosophy that dictates how we act and think; it's rather the other way around. Bill Buckley was the first one to articulate conservatism and it's motivations as a complete intellectual platform. So I think the best description for him would be the Father of the Conservative Movement. I miss him already.
Rush Limbaugh shares his memories of Bill:
Bill Buckley is indescribable. He's irreplaceable. There will not be another one like him. And although that's true of all of us, once you take the time to learn about Buckley and his life and look at what all he did with it, he did not waste a moment, did not waste a moment. He was able to pursue, as he called it, his sybaritic delights, his pleasurable delights, such as sailing around the world numerous times, traveling the world with his work. He was prolific in output, but it was his intellect and it was his good humor that was literally inspiring to me.
Norman Podhoretz: WFB and his mighty pen.
An NOR Symposium on the life of WFB
John McCain: Bill was a great American
I would like to take you seriously, but to do so would affront your intelligence.
We are so concerned to flatter the majority that we lose sight of how very often it is necessary, in order to preserve freedom for the minority, let alone for the individual, to face that majority down.
I would like to electrocute everyone who uses the word "fair" in connection with income tax policies.
All that is good is not embodied in the law; and all that is evil is not proscribed by the law. A well-disciplined society needs few laws; but it needs strong mores.
