In honor of Hunter Thompson who died 7 years ago today

[Bonobo]

Here is one of HST's last and most prophetic bits of analysis:

"The towers are gone now, reduced to bloody rubble, along with all hopes for Peace in Our Time, in the U.S. or any other country. Make no mistake about it: we are At War now - with somebody- and we will stay At War with that strange and mysterious Enemy for the rest of our lives.

"It will be a Religious War, a sort of Christian Jihad,fueled by religious hatred and led by merciless fanatics on both sides. It will be a guerrilla warfare on a global scale, with no front lines and no identifiable enemy. Osama bin Laden will be a primitive "figurehead"- or even dead, for all we know- but whoever put those all-American jet planes loaded with all-American fuel into the 110-story-high Twin Towers and the Pentagon did it with chilling precision and accuracy. The second one was a dead-on bull's-eye. Straight into the middle of the skyscraper....

"...We are going to punish somebody for this attack but just who or where will be blown to smithereens for it is hard to say. Maybe Afghanistan, maybe Pakistan or Iraq, or possible all three at once. Who knows? Not even the Generals in what remains of the Pentagon or the New York papers calling for war seem to know who did it or where to look for them.

"This is going to be a very expensive war, and Victory is not guaranteed-for anyone, and certainly not for a baffled little creep like George W. Bush. All he knows is that his father started a war a long time ago, and that he, the goofy child-President, has been chosen by Fate and the global Oil Industry to finish it off."

[GobBluth]

1. I honestly can't believe it's been that long. RIP. nt

[Warren DeMontague]

2. Rest In Peace, Dr. Gonzo.

Actually, though, Peace would probably be too boring. Perhaps managed technicolor craziness.

[Relentless Bitch]

7. Didn't he kill himself?

He should have stayed and kept writing great stuff like the OP.

[Bonobo]

9. People have a right to check out when they want to.

He had his own reasons and I don't think it's anyone's right to question him since they were not inside his skin.

His life and living work should be celebrated and his death left alone.

[TheWraith]

10. Yes. Self-inflicted gunshot wound. nt

[Kaleko]

3. Awesome.

You don't have to be a prophet to see through the charade. Just unafraid of what you'll find behind the curtains.

Thanks for posting this piece.

[Bonobo]

4. He wrote that on Sept. 12, 2001. The very next day. nt

[Major Hogwash]

5. He didn't die, he committed suicide.

Pretty big difference there.

[Bonobo]

8. Really? Committing suicide usually results in death if done right...

What's your beef, hog?

[Major Hogwash]

11. He blew his brains out with a 45.

You make it sound like he had a heart attack and keeled over while he was casually munching on a English muffin.

[Bonobo]

12. All I said was he died.

No need to be a nitpicking asshole about it.

[Major Hogwash]

14. Are you upset about it??

I must have upset you in order for you to make a remark like that.

[Bonobo]

16. Sort of.

You mae a really irrelevant and pointless comment on a thread that was about a great writer who died.

Your comment was stupid and it doesn't upset me so much as irritate me.

Like seeing someone didn't flush their turd fully.

[Major Hogwash]

18. My comment was a fact, jack.

Your comments thus far about it are irrelevant.

[Bonobo]

20. You mean the "fact" that committing suicide does not result in death?

[fishwax]

13. I don't think "died 7 years ago today" implies a peaceful death or one of natural causes

[JVS]

21. He died from lack of football.

I know the feeling.

I really wish we could get some kind of Spring football league going. Something like the XFL but not geared toward total morons.

[fishwax]

22. yeah, that could do it

I'd go for some spring football too. USFL, World League -- anything to fill this football-shaped hole in my Sundays.

[Kaleko]

17. Rejoice! The man ain't dead after all!

His fans will be so pleased to realize the huge difference you point out.

[Warren DeMontague]

24. People who commit suicide don't die?

Maybe some people who attempt suicide. But the ones who actually succeed? They die.

[Blecht]

25. Truly an idiotic statement

If somebody successfully commits suicide, they die.

[Nostradammit]

28. I see where you get your name.

[spanone]

6. i remember reading fear & loathing on the campaign trail...what a trip!!

love the doctor and his sidekick ralph steadman......

[Tsiyu]

26. I started re-reading it last night

And now you've made me go pull out my copy of The Joke's Over by Ralph Steadman.

The next re-read.

RIP old Hunter

[fishwax]

15. yeah, he nailed it with that column

I still remember reading it at work when it first came out.

Cheers to HST

[Ohio Joe]

19. K&R - nt

[Lint Head]

23. I remember reading this then. I felt like he read my mind.

[RainDog]

27. great quote n/t

[Snarkoleptic]

29. Buy the ticket, take the ride.

HST's wit and incisive commentary would be greatly appreciated to call out the republiclowns in these bizarre times.
One of my fave DVD's is my Criterion Collection of Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.