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« Donald's Art Book of the Year | Main | Elsewhere »

December 14, 2007

 Lester's Dad

Michael Blowhard writes:

Dear Blowhards --

Lester Hunt shows how to write a beautiful, clear-eyed tribute to someone who sounds like an irascible and challenging man. Lester doesn't shy away from the larger thoughts that accompany such moments either. Lovely passage:

If only there were some way to just download all that experience and pass it on to others through a cable! So much of it just goes to waste.

Lots of sympathy to Lester.

Best,

Michael

posted by Michael at December 14, 2007




Comments

I read Lester's tribute to his dad and I just wanted to shout at the son:

"It doesn't matter whether you agreed about politics with your father!"

How does this delusion take such hold of humans? I've been guilty of it, too.

As the years pass, I've switched allegiances in the eternal battle between Meathead and Archie Bunker. Meathead really was... well, a meathead. Archie's values really were better. Archie was far more likeable than Meathead, too.

I'm tired of my generation's dumb pride in their "tolerance."

Myrna taught me to accept some very bitter things about people. She grew up in the middle of violence, terror and war. If (probably when) everything breaks down again into total violence and chaos... we will all instantly remember how to tell friend from foe by the old markers.

Posted by: Shouting Thomas on December 14, 2007 2:12 PM

ST -- Yeah, I mainly agree. What does it matter if *anyone's* political opinions jibe with yours? Me, I'm happy to swap notes with a few friends and blogbuddies, but generally speaking I'm hoping to get through the day in one piece, and I assume that's pretty much how most people feel, at least once older than 25.

There are those people, though, and even some dads, who just won't let it alone, don't you find? I had an uncle, for instance. And whether or not you wanted him to (and I didn't), he'd launch into political diatribes. (Radical when young, reactionary when old.) There was no getting away from it, and no changing subjects. I wonder if Lester's dad was like that, just forcing his p-o-v on people ... They're tough people to manage!

Posted by: Michael Blowhard on December 14, 2007 3:43 PM

Michael, thanks for the kind words and the link, which I didn't see until just now.

Thomas, I'm not sure why people tend to assume that my differences with my Dad were political. I never actually said that. For a while we were both members of the Libertarian Party, as a matter of fact. I think of the differences as moral rather than political. Which is different.

Posted by: Lester Hunt on December 17, 2007 2:10 AM


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