The Death of a Conservative Icon

William F. Buckley, RIP

Editor's Note: Thomas's commentary is in blue and Marcie's is in purple.

On 27 February, conservatives were shocked to hear the news that William F. Buckley, Jr., the founder of National Review, died at his home in Connecticut. He was found at his desk. While they haven't stated how he died, but it's known that he was suffering from diabetes and emphysema. We're sure that that is exactly how he would've wanted to go as he was always working, even in "retirement." This is, quite literally, the death of an American icon. Had he not created National Review, the modern conservative movement wouldn't be alive today. With the creation of the magazine, he created the tent with which all conservatives are under. The man, in short, made the "conservative" family. We know that family might be the right term. In fact, we're pretty sure that Bill Buckley could find a better word than that. But it can't be denied that the man who occasioned himself as an "on and off" libertarian/conservative had given all of a home where we were welcomed, and one in which we could plan and brainstorm. Face it, in the post-World War II era in American politics, we were watching a cavalcade of collectivism from the liberal intelligencia.

In 1955 when he founded National Review, with $100,000 at the age of 29, it was a bold move. The talking points ports were dominated by a media that was certainly far more favorable to the Left than the Right. The idea of any sort of serious intellectuals even considering a conservative ideological view was a rarity. Mr. Buckley bucked the system, and did exactly that. The mission of National Review was to "stand athwart history yelling Stop," and that is precisely what he and his magazine did. He declared war on the liberal establishment and its continuously encroaching ideology across America. And that war carried over the magazine to "On The Right", his biweekly syndicated column carried in over three hundred newspapers. Lord knows why the papers would have brought him on board. Many people have seen him debate on television, and they know that he loved being on the short end of the odds. Recall the infamous feud with Gore Vidal where Mr. Vidal continually called him a "pro-war, crypto-Nazi." Mr. Buckley's infamous retort is still relevant today with his feisty, quick-witted nature: "Now listen, you queer, stop calling me a crypto-Nazi or I will sock you in your goddamn face, and you will stay plastered."

Words were his weapons, much like they are ours. He could launch a scathing indictment of liberals, or their bass-ackwards beliefs, leaving most of the stuttering and stammering even as they used the dictionary to figure out what exactly they were called. And what's more interesting is that English wasn't his language. His first language was Spanish, and his second language was French. This lent to the idiosyncratic, erudite English he used. Some called him snobbish because of his accent and his voluminous vocabulary. One reader at National Review's The Corner commented upon hearing the news of his passing "I'm sure the Good Lord told his angels "Bring me a dictionary. Buckley's coming." And even those that he eviscerated, either through the pen or through the spoken word, had respect for him. Norman Mailer is no fan of his beliefs, but even he said the man had an excellent stage presence. He even delighted in taking flak from critics. Arthur Schlesinger remarked that he was "the scourge of liberalism." Rumor has it, he sent a thank you note to Schlesinger. If the story is true, we're sure Mr. Schlesinger was befuddled by the note. "Thank you for referring to me in this fashion. While I could have found a better idiom, I accept your statement. And I pledge that I shall endeavor to do better so you will not forget me. Sincerely, WFB."

The man wrote more in a lifetime than most politicians or federal judges do. Indeed, almost 4.6 million words of his 5600 columns, "On The Right," would fill over forty-five medium sized books. He did not simply take on liberals though. He took on conservatives that he believed would seriously damage the stated goals of the movement. He lambasted Robert Welch of the John Birch Society at the time when Barry Goldwater was mulling over his Presidential run. He published a review of Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged by Whittaker Chambers. She never forgave him for it, going so far to leave any room he would enter in a theatric fashion. Heh. Some people simply cannot handle criticism. The New York Times posted an obituary of this man which was more than fair. After reading it, we skimmed though the comments and noted something very interesting. While many were liberals, most said they had read him and they respected him. A far cry from what we know of liberals today who deride conservatives, and wish them nothing but malice.

He was not just contained to political writings. He had a mildly successful series of spy novels, first published in 1976 (twelve novels in all), and an additional eight novels done separately. The Corner was quite somber on that Wednesday morning with the majority of the pundits sharing their condolences, but more importantly they spoke of the man himself. They didn't dwell on his death as though it was their own, but rather they celebrated his life, in an almost wake-like way. Forget the astute and lofty record he racked up over a lifetime of conservative activism. They all agreed that no matter how bad things looked in the world, even their own little worlds, Bill Buckley was always smiling and upbeat. He was kind and gentle to all who knew him, and was always there when someone needed help. I'm sure liberals are astounded to find a conservative that doesn't fit into their talking points, and Buckley never did quite fit their stereotypes. Above all, he was a deeply devoted man to his wife, to his family, and to his "family." He was always working to improve the world he lived in, not just for himself, but for future generations to come. In fact, he did more in a lifetime than most elected officials did, and he was certainly more influential than most presidents in the last sixty years.

They say you can judge a man by his life's works. If that is indeed the case, then the choirs of angels shall surely sound the trumpet when Mr. Buckley enters the heavenly gates. No one man has done more for the good of a nation than he did. Truth be told, had it not been for Mr. Buckley it is conceivable that we would not have had a Ronald Reagan. And old story goes that he is said to have told President Reagan that he wouldn't accept any sort of position in his administration. But President Reagan quipped that he had considered making him ambassador to Afghanistan (then under Soviet occupation), to which Mr. Buckley replied he would accept but only if the President provided him with ten divisions of bodyguards. That was William F. Buckley. Quick with his wit, and quite thoughtful. We owe this man so much, and it is a debt we are wholly unable to repay to him. We owe him everything for creating the groundwork for the New Media. While a good amount of people will mourn his passing openly, a silent majority will do privately; a vast and enduring legacy that cannot be tarnished. All we can do is send our condolences to his family, and pray that he is reunited again with his lovely wife, who passed away last year. The conservative movement has truly lost one of it's greatest leaders. But we still soldier on because Mr. Buckley would have preferred that. He never gave up, and neither should we. God bless you, Mr. Buckley, and Godspeed.

He is a scholar of history, especially American history, and the United States Constitution. She has finished her undergrad studies, graduating with a BA in English and history and will move onto law school this fall where she will specialize in Constitutional Law. Together, Thomas and Marcie form the vanguard of conservative opinion at Hamilton, Madison, and Jay -- a blogging site devoted to advancing the conservative cause by challenging the liberal lies and deceit spread by the media, and espoused by the Left in general. Both are expert debaters, and have beaten many liberals into submission with their collective wit, and unmatched knowledge. The pair is married, and resides in Arizona

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