The Unsinkable Molly Ivins
Molly Ivins, one of this generation's commentators, died yesterday. She lost a valiant fight against breast cancer. She was just 62.
We live in a country where the great icons of each generation include those who make us laugh. Among our country's greatest assets is its sense of humor. It's almost a requirement to get through a day. Great humorists fall into one of two categories, comedians or commentators. In an interview, Molly Ivins once described the difference, saying "There are two kinds of humor. The kind that makes us chuckle about our foibles and our shared humanity and the other kind holds people up to public contempt and ridicule. That's what I do." She did it well and with vigor.
Commentators watch politics and politicians through different kinds of eyeglasses. Some wear serious lenses. They watch history unfold from a sober analytical point of view. Others, like Molly Ivins, wear Groucho glasses with a big nose for sniffing out the absurd and bushy brows raised in wonderment. Political humorists such as Molly are important. They cut to the heart of the obvious and bring relief, insight, and much needed challenges to think and act. I suspect this is why we relish their words and honor their memories.
There is no shortage of material. As Mark Twain said, "The political and commercial morals of the United States are not merely food for laughter, they are an entire banquet." Nor does the passing of time dull the edge or blur the vision of their wit. Consider Will Rogers' frighteningly relevant statement, "If stupidity got us into this mess, why can't it get us out?"
Molly Ivins was a proud Texan. Of her state she wrote, "I dearly love the state of Texas, but I consider that a harmless perversion on my part, and discuss it only with consenting adults." When the Texas Legislature was about to convene she wrote,"....our very own dreaded Legislature is almost upon us. and they'll all be here, leaving many a village without its idiot.."
I'd like to think that the Good Lord is watching what we're doing to this world right now and felt the need for a couple of new commentators, so Molly Ivins and Art Buchwald were drafted. Yes, I would very much like to think that..
Related Tags: politics, commentary, molly ivins, humorists
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