Wednesday, June 6, 2012

May Fights of Eagles Wing Thee

One of my heroes died today.  Ray Bradbury is gone at the age of 91.

And for those of left behind, I'll post some profound words he graced us with:

"The point is obvious. There is more than one way to burn a book. And the world is full of people running about with lit matches. Every minority, be it Baptist/Unitarian, Irish/Italian/Octogenarian/Zen Buddhist, Zionist/Seventhday Adventist, Women's Lib/Republican, Mattachine/Four Square Gospel feels it has the will, the right, the duty to douse the kerosene, light the fuse. Every dimwit editor who sees himself as the source of all dreary blanc-mange plain porridge unleavened literature, licks his guillotine and eyes the neck of any author who dares to speak above a whisper or write above a nursery rhyme." - Ray Bradbury 1920-2012

I write because you gave me courage.  And I write because your vision of a world where people burned books scared the shit out of teenage me and your vision of a world where people wouldn't care if intellect was silenced scares me still today.

Goodbye, Mr. Bradbury.  May flights of eagles wing thee to thy rest.

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