One of the great lights of our discourse died today. There was no prequel, only the announcement that William Safire had died in a hospice in Maryland of pancreatic cancer.
To me for the past several years there was only one last reason left to read the New York Times, and it was Safire. His common sense, his gift for the English language, and his conviction in the common sense of most of us were a beacon in a world driven by emotion, by the volume of rhetoric, and by self interest. He truly believed in the greater good.
I sometimes did not agree with him, but I delighted in his arguments. Logical, well stated, and always a joy to read. Truth be told, he and Buckley and Wolfe have been the best that the OTL (Other Than Left) have had over the past 40 years.
His columns on language in the Times Magazine on Sundays were always illustrative and helped us in a world that has lost touch with our original principles. He was a touchstone who helped us better ourselves. He said something a long time ago that made complete sense. “Knowing how things work is the basis for appreciation and is thus the source for civilized delight”.
Safire understood that depth is critical to perception. In todays society we seem to only study surfaces and even then only according to preconceptions. It is the height of dishonesty when the Journo-list dictates media talking points. Safire lived his life with open eyes and common sense and an incredible perception and joy. His ability to translate this into words was unparalleled. We should all hold ourselves to his standard. The world would be a better place.
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