Rest in Peace
Sat, Nov 23
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1981—R. Reagan signs a secret directive creating the [illegal] Contras.
1976—Jerry Lee Lewis is arrested outside Graceland for waving a pistol and
demandin...
1 hour ago
Peace be with him! I did not know he was being operated on but he did not look healthy last time I saw him or able to recover from an operation like that.
ReplyDeleteI have no idea who he is / was.
ReplyDeleteI presume he's dead.
Never mind. It comes to us all...
RIP whoever you were...
@Four Dinners,
ReplyDeleteinteresting guy, he had a career of extremes. When I was a kid he was largely considered a corrupt politician due to the ABSCAM investigation (This seriously stunk to high heaven).
But by the time I was in my thirties he'd turned into one of the articulate few voices of conscience in the US Congress who confronted the military establishment he was long a dutiful part and supporter of and steadfastly stood (for a time almost entirely alone) against the Iraq war and the Bush Administration. (He'd voted for it's approval initially)
He was attacked viciously thoughout the 2000s with the usual aplomb by hawks on the Right, Fox "News" analysts, Rush Limbaugh et al, in short many of war supporters who never served in War when they had the chance, but had no problem questioning Murtha's patriotism even though he was a decorated veteran of the Vietnam war.
I'll defer to any further details, corections by Vig on the guy.
-SJ
I have so little time, passing by, this day only once. I admired this imperfect man. I will miss him forever.
ReplyDelete@Vig,
ReplyDeleteHe was tough and principled. Someone also told me he served in Korea as well yesterday which I'd never knew.
The guy had real backbone and came at policy from an informed and just posture. I marveled at how he didn't back off after 2003 not just on the Iraq war, but everything.
-SJ
Well I wasn't a fan of the Congressman from Johnstown,but my thoughts go out to his family and love ones.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lot of folks don't know is that Murtha steered a lot of money to his hometown and district Johnstown,Pa.Militarty consultion contracts not needed and the biggest airport east of Pittsburgh for a town of 50,000.
ReplyDeleteI know about his earmarks, BigMac. He was not perfect....
ReplyDeleteWe all hate earmarks unless they come to our districts. Those ones are just examples of government working correctly.
ReplyDeleteSJ - I like him already. Only the good die young eh?...or just die....big loss methinks
ReplyDeleteI very much respected his principled opposition to the Iraq War. I respected somewhat less his addiction to pork and the way that he threw those soldiers (calling them cold-blooded killers) under the bus. Pretty much of a mixed bag, as we/they apparently all are.
ReplyDeleteSJ, u stirred my memories...
ReplyDeleteyes, Vig... RIP.