Molly Ivins, 1944-2007

This just hit the wires...

Syndicated political columnist Molly Ivins died of breast cancer Wednesday evening at her home in Austin. She was 62 years old, and had much, much more to give this world. She remained cheerful despite Texas politics. She emphasized the more hilarious aspects of both state and national government, and consequently never had to write fiction. She said, "Good thing we've still got politics -- finest form of free entertainment ever invented."

As a Texan and a progressive/liberal the passing of Molly Ivins will be noted not in what is said but in what won't be said in the final years of the Shrub's residency in the White House. My one regret is that Molly cut Bush so much slack in the past five years that we will never get to read her cutting him to shreds. Not that the resident in chief would understand the venom that was beginning to show up in her columns...Molly you will be missed.

Source: AlterNet: Molly Ivins, 1944-2007

Asked once whether she saw herself as courageous for speaking out for progressive causes and against the tide of Republican leadership, Ivins said no. "I've always been surprised that sometimes people think that. I'm convinced that can you stand up and say what — whatever you think.

"What happens is that people are afraid to do it. And what happens when you do it, when you stand up and you say something that the majority doesn't agree with or that everybody's going to be shocked and outraged by, you stand up and say it, and you find out an incredible number of people agree with you."

Lord, take that fear of speaking out away from me and let me try, I say, try to speak out in her memory.

Source: Molly Ivins, queen of liberal commentary, dies