Miss Molly


Both Paul Krugman and Jim Shea pay tribute to Molly Ivins this morning, and both single out the same attribute for praise: her courage. Here's Krugman, after pointing out how prescient she was about Iraq:

Was Molly smarter than all the experts? No, she was just braver. The administration’s exploitation of 9/11 created an environment in which it took a lot of courage to see and say the obvious.

Molly had that courage; not enough others can say the same.

And Shea, along the same lines:

It wasn't so much what she wrote about George W. Bush that distinguished her; it was when she did it.

There was a time in this country after the start of the Iraq war when it was very uncomfortable to publicly criticize the president and his policies, and those who did so were often attacked and labeled unpatriotic. Remember the Dixie Chicks?

While much of the mainstream media cowered on the sidelines during this time, Ivins remained fearless and passionate and loud.

That is what I will always remember about her.

Krugman reminds us of what she would be writing about now, and what the timid mainstream, once more, prefers to ignore:

And it’s not over. Many of those who failed the big test in 2002 and 2003 are now making excuses for the “surge.” Meanwhile, the same techniques of allegation and innuendo that were used to promote war with Iraq are being used to ratchet up tensions with Iran.

Now, more than ever, we need people who will stand up against the follies and lies of the powerful. And Molly Ivins, who devoted her life to questioning authority, will be sorely missed.
Posted: Friday - February 02, 2007 at 06:49 PM          

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