Truthout.org Eulogy for William Rivers Pitt written by his co-editor

[hlthe2b]

https://truthout.org/articles/william-rivers-pitt-dared-to-hope-for-our-future-lets-do-right-by-his-memory/?fbclid=IwAR0XlgqxlfnqiMpXt_rkULvlnIg0ZP-9A2m7friu0sU9LefvDnplj6W541E

In sitting down to the impossible task of memorializing William Rivers Pitt, Truthout’s illustrious and brilliant lead columnist whose work I edited for 15 years, I’m suppressing the urge to grab my phone and call Will.

“I don’t know how to begin your eulogy,” I would say.

“Easy!” he’d reply. “Lead with a trusty classic. You know the one.”

And I’d know what he meant — the Irish blessing Will often shared with our staff in tough times. This is Will’s slightly adapted version of that old prayer, whose author is unknown:

May the road rise up to meet you.

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face;

May the rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God (or Whatever) hold you in the palm of their hand.

I love the blessing because it captures something about how Will connected with his readers: He saw the act of writing as an act of care. In his columns, even as he condemned Trump and excoriated complicit Democrats, even as he spoke out against imperial war and corporate greed and racism and the destruction of the environment, he made his audience understand that they deserved the warmth of the sun and the nourishment of the rain, just by virtue of being human.

Even as he raged against evil, Will loved humanity, and the Earth itself, with an even greater fervor.

More of this eulogy at the website link above.

[Aristus]

1. Wow. Okay.

I hadn't cried since I heard the news, but I'm tearing up now.

As a Celt (mixed Welsh, Irish, & Scots blood), the Irish benediction has always meant a lot to me, and they even used to sing it in church when I was a kid. So...


Wonderful, wonderful, wonderful, still more wonderful, and yet again: wonderful...


I'm going to go cry now...

[COL Mustard]

4. And may you be in Heaven

Half an hour before the Devil knows you're dead.

Slainte!

[Aristus]

6. In some versions, it's forty years.

Either way, if there's no whiskey, I'm not going; Devil or no Devil.

[Celerity]

34. Powers John's Lane 12 Year Old Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey 💚💚💚💚💚

https://www.powerswhiskey.com/en-us/product/johns-lane

superb for the price

Tasting notes

Nose
An abundance of earthy aromas, leather, tobacco with layers of charred wood, dark chocolate and treacle toffee.

Taste
Full bodied spice front followed by vanilla, honey and dried apricot.

Finish
Lingering honey sweetness on toasted oak.

[Aristus]

43. And we'll drink a full measure in honor of WRP.

[Pinback]

20. "Be happy while you're living

because you’re a long time dead!”

[COL Mustard]

21. I love that one!

And the Guinness doesn't hurt, either.

Irish women used to be told to drink a pint a day while they were pregnant since it has iron in it. Gotta love the Irish!

[hlthe2b]

23. Folic Acid--more than any other beer!

[Lucinda]

2. ❤️ ✿❧🌿❧✿ ❤️

[FarPoint]

16. Our hearts are shattered.....

[The Blue Flower]

3. Will's love of humanity always shone through

He always made it crystal clear that we deserve goodness, truth, and justice from our government and every other institution.

[TheProle]

17. A worthy legacy.

[H2O Man]

5. Thank you!

Recommended.

[demmiblue]

7. K&R

[Autumn]

8. Thank you for posting this. Nobody can use words like Will did.

Such a loss.

[Tom Yossarian Joad]

9. ...

[dalton99a]

10. Kick

[nolabear]

11. That was good. Thank you. I hope Lola reads all these someday.

[Nevilledog]

12. Perfect

[senseandsensibility]

13. This captures his essence

and is a beautiful tribute. I guess I'm going to have to accept that it is true, then. Good-bye, Will. Thanks for turning me on to DU and giving me lots to think about, my friend. to a life well lived.

[Evolve Dammit]

14. I read his articles for years and was always impressed by his truth and insight. I had no idea he

was even sick. Used to read Truthout every day. Kept me sane during the Bush/ Cheney years and after. He will be truly missed, and I am saddened to hear.

[tavalon]

45. He wasn't sick.

He had a massive heart attack.

[Evolve Dammit]

48. Thanks for that. So young. A real voice and great writer.

[UpInArms]

15. The world has lost a true warrior for goodness and grace

and it has become a smaller and less bright place …

[mntleo2]

18. I met Will at Andy Stephenson's wake in Seattle

...He was single at the time. After the wake, we went drinking at this fancy hotel across from Seattle's Town Hall. Andy's partner was there, Will, Andy's so very nice husband, Julie Blackwell who was pilloried as our voter registration secretary while trying to fight against voting machines that could be hacked. WA State eventually (mostly) fixed that problem, but not before ruining Julie's job and her hard work. Julie WAS a Repug., but is a Democrat and active in our state party.

We all had so much fun that night. I have *never* been at a wake that was so joyous, funny, fun and full of positive and loving people. As it was a fancy hotel where a lot of weddings and receptions were performed, there were a lot of beautiful brides maids going through the hotel and I kept elbowing Will and saying, "How 'bout that one?" He would just laugh and say they were, "not his type."

...Will, I will miss you. I also read your words and because we are a pretty large distance to the left, I found it comforting to read what you had to say. No judgment, no fear I might "say something wrong." Even if you disagreed you responded with kind and very helpful information that I truly heard with a desire to have open conversations. I never felt strained by that fear I might get kicked off the site without knowing what I had even said or done. I will always remember that!

May the wind be at your back indeed!

Love, Cat in Seattle

[Generic Other]

35. I was there too

Here's the song another DUer sang at the memorial. I always associated it with us all.

Peace in the Valley

She spends too much time with herself every night
Fooling around with her fears.
In the morning she mourns the decline of her mind
Drowning in a bottle of beer.
It's too dangerous just to think about what she might
have been
If she'd sung for salvation, if she'd danced on her
dreams.

But there's gonna be peace in the valley tomorrow
Lord, 'cos tonight she's gonna blow it all away
She feels so twisted, she ain't ever gonna fix it,
She's just waiting for the light to shine on a brand
new day.

He don't know if he's a communist, a hedonist or a
whore
Spent too much time ridin' on a white line to find the
door
If he did and he opened it, he'd find those letters in
the hall
He's too blind to read between the lines
'Cos the writing's on the wall.

But there's gonna be peace in the valley tomorrow
Lord, 'cos tonight he's gonna blow it all away
He feels so twisted, he ain't ever gonna fix it,
He's just waiting for the light to shine on a brand new
day.

(Let that light shine awhile)

I got Ecstasy, but I need some company
You got that mystery; I need a plan
Lord, all I got is a compromise and a bag full of
alibis
as empty as the bottle of whiskey in my shaking hands.

But there's gonna be peace in the valley tomorrow
Lord, 'cos tonight we're gonna blow it all away
We feel so f*ckin' twisted, we ain't ever gonna fix it,
We're just waiting for the light to shine on a brand
new day.

[Tommymac]

19. God(or Whatever)speed Will.

You will be missed.

(But I thoroughly expect to see you again one day, kneeling at the feet of the BigThing and holding them sturdily over the flames.)

[LoisB]

22. A sad day.

[mountain grammy]

24. He was a wonderful writer.

I read Truthout almost daily. It's like losing Eric Boehlert all over again. Truth has been silenced for a bit, but not forever. What a shitty year.

RIP Will. Even though I don't believe in it, I hope you and Eric connect somewhere.

[GreenWave]

25. It seems the good, they die young

I just look around and he's gone.

[SaveOurDemocracy]

26. Have we heard from Will's mom, Raven? Wishing Peace and Solace to all.

[hlthe2b]

27. No, not on DU. I'm sure she is in total shock.

When she returns, I hope she sees the support that I think most of us want to extend to her and all of Will's family. I'm sure a lot of our own are donating to Will's daughter's gofundme that Truthout set up.

[Baltimike]

28. what happened? does anyone know? nt

[hlthe2b]

29. All that has been reported is that he suffered a heart attack.

Even the funeral home has not published any kind of obituary or news on funeral plans.
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/keene-nh/william-pitt-10945504?fbclid=IwAR1TpEb0_mjBuWRVgjD9Z1rqkJ7DvpxPZQQf5M1CVuZnTTzTKq8cseXQUgA

[Baltimike]

31. wow. I am four months younger than him. Thank you for this. nt

[Ms. Toad]

36. At that age, I'm wondering if he had had COVID,

since it increases the risk of heart attacks, post-COVID.

[tavalon]

46. No, he was extremely careful

He was rare in being so careful.

I had so much gratitude that he wrote so many articles about COVID since we nurses are exhausted and now, weirdly, reviled.

[Ms. Toad]

49. So was I, and I still contracted COVID.

COVID, itself, was mild - but I got pancreatitis, chronic acalculous cholecystitis (likely a mis-diagnosis based on the clinical criteria for that disease - but slow gall bladder emptying simultaneous with the pancreatitis, both caused by COVID in the assessment of a specialist in gall bladder and pancreatic disease), and immune deficiencies as an aftermath.

So being careful is not a guarantee against getting COVID, nor is it protection against COVID-induced sequelae.

[tavalon]

52. I'm a nurse

I am aware. Will checked in on me when I got it in April 2020 due to inadequate PPE provided. He would have told me if he caught it.

[Ms. Toad]

53. April 2020 is a long time ago. n/t

[LeftInTX]

37. My MIL died on July 3 and her funeral the 19th

Obituary was published on July 17th

It also alot of work to write an obituary.

[wendyb-NC]

30. That's so beautiful

What a sad, shocking, and heart breaking loss. May he R.I.P.

[TigressDem]

32. One more angel to guide our hearts toward the next correct task and help us find strength to do it.

Angel in the sense that his good ideas and kindness are an inspiration.

His truth telling was revelation upon revelation stacking up facts against crazy over and over again.

By looking at our examples of those who just kept at it day to day and made a huge difference over time....

We can find it in ourselves to keep putting one foot in front of the other and doing what needs doing.


He wasn't perfect, no one is. But perfection isn't real. Will kept at it and made so much of difference.

That is all any person can really do in the end.


I have been so sad all day about the loss of this good man from this world.

Because the media is a crap shoot, more people who SHOULD be saddened don't even know what they missed.


I hate the propaganda and lies that diminish what Will and other truth tellers do.

[calimary]

33. Farewell, Will.

Thank you for all the eloquence.

[Donkees]

38. A legend has passed this way

"I choose to listen to the river for a while, thinking river thoughts, before joining the night and the stars."



"The rivers flow not past, but through us."

[hlthe2b]

39. What a beautiful photo and message.

[gademocrat7]

40. R.I.P. Will

A good man who had a talent for life.

[The Wizard]

41. His fingers on the keyboard

felt the pulse of our community. Universal truths were his method of communicating. RIP Will.

[mahina]

42. So long mate

Wretched news. Peace to you Will. You leave an unfillable and dreadful void. We needed you more than we know.


Remember watching the Bush v Gore debate and rolling with laughter. 💧


Off to Lola’s fundraiser. Remembering when you were thinking of names for her.

[Pobeka]

44. Thank you for posting this.

We all surely fight harder, better and stronger for a truly better world because of the passion and voice of William R. Pitt.

Sail on Will.

[tavalon]

47. Many of us who formerly hung out at DU

Ended up hanging out on Will's FB page for the last 10 years or so.

One of the people has formed a new Facebook group called Will's Tavern and you are welcome to come over and reminisce and we are hoping we will be able to keep up the energy we had going on Will's page - it really was more like early DU, only Will was in charge.

[progree]

50. I read his last FB post was part of the lyrics to Landslide by Fleetwood Mac -

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100217197580

[hlthe2b]

51. Yes. Seemed almost foreshadowing...

I've always loved that song (and Stevie Nicks as well), but as I become older, it really hits home. I will now always think of Will-- and others I've lost-- when I hear it.