Christopher Hitchens Tribute

Christopher Hitchens 1949 - 2011

One of my fave clips of Christopher Hitchens. Hitchens died today. You are already sadly missed.

Thank you!

DJ

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[manthasagittarius1]

@njcurmudgeon I don't think he would have argued we should police the world even in his advocacy against totalitarianism. Iraq and his support for that conflict in particular is of a piece with the recognition that religious fanaticism coupled with a totalitarian theocratic philosophy and practice of government is the most dangerous thing there is, and won't ultimately stay within its own borders. You can disagree, but the logic is not off, nor wass he self-aggrandizing in talking about it.

[manthasagittarius1]

Three books by Christopher Hitchens that had gone out of print will be revived in paperback and e-book, the publishers of the titles said. Twelve, an imprint of the Hachette Book Group, will release the three books on April 10. The titles are “The Missionary Position,” a study of Mother Teresa; “No One Left to Lie To,” a best-selling examination of Bill Clinton; and “The Trial of Henry Kissinger.”

[njcurmudgeon]

@Necroloke While I disagreed with Hitchens on the war in Iraq - as if that mattered to him - it was really not intellectually inconsistent of him in so much as he made a career out of opposing totalitarianism, be it religious or secular. My argument has been, from a strictly practical standpoint, we (the US/West) can't afford to be the police of the world. And it is arguable if we should try. He wasn't "liberal" nor "conservative" though both sides adopted him when opinions aligned.

[Necroloke]

This is just my opinion, and I have no basis in fact for it, but it's worth a thought. I think that it is possible that Hitch my have compromised his liberal views on war and such because he thought it was worth it to have a US presence in the heart of radical Islam. Not to say that Iraq is the heart of it, but that it's a somewhat central point in the middle east. Kind of like punching a bully in the nose when others want to coddle the bully. But hey, what do I know?

[SportPacific]

@streetsofsouthphilly

Very well. Opinion noted. I think this is where we cease corresponding or start flaming each other. I really don't like the latter so I think I'll opt for the former.

[streetsofsouthphilly]

@SportPacific He was a warmongering chickenhawk who got off on Americans dying for a war that he believed he was too superior to fight himself. There's nothing commendable about that.

[streetsofsouthphilly]

@SportPacific So far as I can tell Hitchen's strongest conviction was "IT'S ALL ABOUT ME AND FUCK EVERYBODY ELSE." Copernicus disproved the theory that the Earth was the center of the universe, however Hitchens believed HITCHENS was the center of the universe.

[streetsofsouthphilly]

@SportPacific No, the WMDs were destroyed back in the 1990s. Saddam's neighbors didn't seem all that worried about him. The WMDs were an excuse to get the public fired up for war. Iraq was supposed to be low-hanging fruit before the big prize of Iran. Instead we stayed in Iraq for 8 years, and it started imploding the day after we left. No one benefited more from the fall of Hussein more than Iran.

[SportPacific]

@streetsofsouthphilly

I'm saying that he was a man of good intention, and the pursuit of truth and knowledge and the advancement of society. Is this not commendable?

[SportPacific]

@streetsofsouthphilly

I also alluded to Iraq's self destructive capacity by saying it was partially why he supported the war. You're perfectly entitled to your negative opinion on Hitchens, I mean I doubt he'd wish anyone to provide his honour any protection against such criticism since he probably knew this was coming, but the way you conclude your judgment of Hitchens seems as though you completely ignore the man's strongest convictions, namely the theme of this very video......