Damn it, Hilzoy, you're one of the best. I'm happy for you, believe me, but this is a huge loss for the liberal blogosphere. You're one of the most insightful and incisive bloggers out there. Your perspective, not to mention your incredible knowledge, have been utterly invaluable. When it comes to the ethical and moral questions, I don't think there's anyone who's done more to help us come to grips with the really tough issues, who's really made us think. And you did it with a wicked sense of humor.First, I'm going to Rwanda this weekend, on vacation. I'm looking forward to it immensely, especially since I discovered that the Bare-Faced Go-Away Bird, which topped my list of Best Bird Names Ever nearly five years ago, lives there. (And did you know that the name 'Watusi' comes from the Tutsi? I didn't.) If anyone has any great suggestions for things I might not think to do, etc., please let me know.
Second, I'm taking this opportunity to retire from blogging. I'll be here through Friday, but after that, I won't. (I'll still hang out in comments, though, after I get back.) I'm not sure it would be possible for me to stop if I weren't going off to central Africa without my computer, but since I am, I will.
[snip]
That said, it seems to me that the madness is over. There are lots of people I disagree with, and lots of things I really care about, and even some people who seem to me to have misplaced their sanity, but the country as a whole does not seem to me to be crazy any more. Also, it has been nearly five years since I started. And so it seems to me that it's time for me to turn back into a pumpkin and twelve white mice.
Good luck to you. And if the madness returns, I hope you will as well.
Hasta luego, amiga. Salud.
Damn! I hope he gets itchy and the keyboard calls out to him...
ReplyDeleteI think Hilzoy's a "she", George.W.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yes, she will be missed. That's particularly because, while it may seem a little less insane than it was, from my perspective it's still insane, and the long term trends don't look good.
Thanks Cujo. Hilzoy is awesome. I hope she gets itchy and the keyboard and all that :-)
ReplyDeleteThis is part of a somewhat worrisome trend. I for one do not have any illusions that right-wing insanity has been miraculously conquered and will never again be a threat, just because Our Guy won this round and the Republican Party seems to have collapsed past some kind of Stupidity Event Horizon.
ReplyDeleteI'll be greatly relieved if my fears turn out to be mere paranoia, but I think there's plenty of evidence that the insanity is still out there, waiting to be tapped. The dogged and unapologetic persistence of people like Mike in continuing to defend "conservative" positions and promote the accompanying talking-points is, I should think, a big red flag that the ideological-protectionist mindset is still very much rooted in American society, and is just looking for the right shepherd to flock behind.
They will be back in force sooner or later, wiser from having learned what they were (and weren't) able to get away with last time.
We need to be correspondingly more prepared and organized than we were last time, too.
Woozle, "collapsed into some kind of Stupidity Event Horizon" is sheer genius. Thank you for it.
ReplyDelete