Vicarious grief is not my thing. Grief is very personal, and reserved for those you knew, loved, and lost.
And I didn’t know Andrew Breitbart.
Still, though, I have fought tears all day. He was one of my heroes. I don’t have many. I’m late to this whole conservative blogosphere party, but I understand and appreciate the fact that this “party” would not exist without certain key outliers. Rush Limbaugh, Neil Boortz, Matt Drudge, Glenn Reynolds, and Andrew Breitbart are prime examples.
Breitbart.
The “Big” voice.
I dunno if you’ve noticed, but my tagline is “just one voice from the rabble.”
This tagline is meant to emphasize the smallness of my voice. Insignificant. No one of any import.
Well. As a typical average nobody, can I just say? It’s awesome when a bigger voice speaks for you. And that’s what Andrew Breitbart did. When nobody-ol’-me attended the Code Red anti-Obamacare rally, and promptly got accused of terrible racism, what good would my little tiny voice have done?
Not much. Enter Andrew Breitbart, who offered $100,000 to anyone who could provide evidence of this supposed outburst of racism. Of course, no such evidence existed. Because it was a lie.
Andrew Breitbart helped us to feel comfortable with calling out the lie. Most of us have a hard time even believing that folks want to lie about our beliefs and motives. Many of us want to help “The Left” to understand us. We want to assume the best from people. Maybe they misheard. Maybe they misunderstood.
Andrew Breitbart helped us to remember that many people don’t mishear or misunderstand. They hate us. They do not deserve the benefit of the doubt. They do not deserve respect.
So yeah. Go ahead and point out the fact that Andrew Breitbart disrespected the memory of Ted Kennedy. Cry me a river. But don’t expect me to swim in it. Ted Kennedy was a bad actor, and the best one can say is that he was reckless, not premeditated in the death of Mary Jo.
Does Andrew Breitbart have a Chappaquiddick in his past? Duh, no.
He does, however, leave a grieving widow and four children behind. I pray that they find comfort and healing in the upcoming days, months, and years of grieving.
Not that grief ever goes away.
I’m glad that I was willing to defend Andrew Breitbart in the past. I’m glad that he inspired so many of us. I intend to embody his spirit in the future. The Happy Warrior lives on, if we happily fight his battles. A lot like the Smiling Soldier.
Tagged: Andrew Breitbart
I agree with your points except one, and I’m even later to the party. That one little insignificant voice thing, each of us don’t reach many but, it’s like that pebble in the pond thing, it just goes on from there.
I was thinking the same thing this morning and then I stumbled across a link that paralleled a post of mine yesterday from a Colorado blog that I’d never heard of, that had four non linked hits from the Executive Office of the President. What we do matters, we’ll probably never have the hit counts of the “Big” sites, but it still matters. And besides as the ripples spread out from our posts, they get to a lot of people.
Blog on, my Friend.
Here is a spooky one for you: I had the same type of hits you mention, and then about a week after receiving one of them, an e-mail to a field office of the FBI arrived in my e-mail. I did not open it. There are no doubts in my mind that there are folks and the federal level, surfing the blogs every day.
In all truth, they’d be fools if they weren’t. It would be much the same as a cop walking down a street with his I-pod blaring in his ears. It isn’t necessarily anything we need to fear, keeping their knowledge of how we feel current is part of their job. The problem is that this administration seems to have trouble understanding what is legal and what isn’t.
Until they create a law making what we are saying a crime. This is where I think it is heading. This is why I have a huge problem with the government defining what is considered “hate speech.”
I agree.
The tribute at Day By Day is quite good — and I instantly thought of you. You’ll see why:
http://www.daybydaycartoon.com/2012/03/01/
Best wishes, my friend.
===|==============/ Keith DeHavelle
Breitbart’s message, to you: don’t be apologetic. Good lord, woman, you are running a household with 2 boys and a husband, and homeschooling those children, and blogging, and believe me, you deserve all the respect we can give you.
Andrew Breitbart was an amazing person, but the lesson you take away today is… so are you!
Andrew Breitbart will be missed, he was more than a man of words, he was a man of action who wasn’t afraid to back up what he said. He will be sorely missed, it is a very sad day.
And thanks for the link.
Thank you for including my link in your beautiful post. May Andrew’s legacy live on in all of us.
Breitbart was a fearless patriot.
As for what he said about the Admiral of Chappaquiddick, this much is certain (and admirable, IMO): Breitbart was consistent. No crocodile tears from him. He despised Kennedy and didn’t turn him into a saint after death.
Supposedly, those films that Breitbart recently spoke of will be released in 7-10 days.
I know how you feel. When I heard that he had died, I was dumbstruck. How could it be possible? His book and his appearances at CPAC so crisply defined our message. He courageously pointed out that this is a fight for the soul of our country and as Goldwater said “I would remind you that extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice!”. He was a valiant and vocal fighter for preserving America as it was conceived. His presence, his honesty and his voice will be sorely missed on the ramparts of freedom.
Amen.
Are we now the Army of Andrews?
[...] No one of Any Import: Well. As a typical average nobody, can I just say? It’s awesome when a bigger voice speaks for you. And that’s what Andrew Breitbart did. When nobody-ol’-me attended the Code Red anti-Obamacare rally, and promptly got accused of terrible racism, what good would my little tiny voice have done? [...]
Breitbart was and is just what we need now.
A fearless individual willing to take on the monolith that has become the US Government.
Well done Andrew, R.I.P.
May God bless.
He fought for all of us, for our freedom. He will be missed.
Aw, Nebraska, well that pebble idea is true alright. It’s why I wear the “nobody” tag with such pride. You are right, it’s why we are out here.
Level Head! Glad to see you. ha ha ha ha, oh yes I know why that comic reminds me of you. You’re the real “most interesting” man, you know.
Heather, your words are kind. Thank you. I didn’t mean this post to sound apologetic for my “smallness” though. I wear it like a badge of honor. Don’t know what I’d do if I actually got a wide audience. Probably freak out, LOL.
Stevie D, Zilla, you are welcome. Breitbart’s legacy certainly lives in the two of you.
AOW, you are right. He was consistent. He didn’t “play nice” just to earn bogus points for bogus civility. And he got hate spewed at him in life, and reveled in it by retweeting with glee. I doubt he’d be surprised about hate getting spewed at him in death.
Vincent, welcome to my blog! Please come back any old time. Your poignant words and commiseration comfort me.
Missy Former London, yep. Or maybe we are an army of George Baileys.
AFVET: you make a good point. I don’t think about how important a guy like Breitbart is, until he is gone. But now that we recognize his importance, well then we recognize our own.
Hey Missy S, he surely did fight for us all.
Thank you for your thoughtful expression of how we must all feel about losing his voice and his ‘damn the torpedoes, all speed ahead’ attitude. The strenght of his beliefs came across with the fluidity born of confidence in the message. His unfettered criticism of the left and the hollowness of their beliefs, were a tonic for those of us who despair for the future of this great country. What a gift to have that talent, that ferocity and at the same time have a face that could smile an smile that came from a man at peace with his life and his mission.
I hope the organization he built honors him by swearing to carry his torch with the passion he had.
Until Obama started dismantling the country I loved, I voted and that was just about it.Then I knew that had to change, so my friend and I started to attend Tea Party events locally and in Washington DC. Then we started our own blog to try to get the word out to anyone who would listen.
I love your blog, you and many like you are nowhere near ‘no one of any import’.
Visit my blog and let me know what you think of it and how we may improve it,
http://www.weloveamerica.org.
You speak for many of us when you admit that you want to think the best of people. But as we see more and more, many of those on the left could care less about Truth, its all about the quest for power by any means.
BreitBart is an inspiration to all patriots. Speak the truth loudly. You don’t know if it may be your last opportunity to do so.
[...] V: No One Of Any Import has some important thoughts. Well. As a typical average nobody, can I just say? It’s awesome when a bigger voice speaks for [...]
Great piece, mi amiga.
It’s gonna be hard to follow in Andrew Breitbart’s footsteps, but follow we must.
Yeah, me and Donal were stunned at the news too. What a huge loss to the conservative movement.
Our side has definitely lost a good fighter, may he rest in the peace he has earned.
[...] NoOneOfAnyImport: The Big Voice Goes Silent [...]
A beautiful post. His death haunts, me, too, as does the large family. Too young.
Reblogged this on theconservativehillbilly.
Thx, Vincent, PJ, and HillBily. I’ll be round to yours shortly. Thx everyone for the comments.