Four years: in memory of FredHJr
[BUMPED UP]
This post probably won’t mean much to newcomers to this blog. But I bet most of the oldtimers remember, and still acutely miss FredHJr, one of the most memorable and prolific commenters here.
It hardly seems possible that four years have passed since his tragic and untimely death on June 26, 2009. The loss to this community has been a great one; we could sorely use a large dose of his wit and wisdom.
The loss his family feels is far greater, and I am thinking of them this week and hoping they have found comfort in the memory of his love and faith.
And now I will reprise some words I wrote when I first heard of Fred’s death:
Even though none of us actually met Fred in the real world, most of the regulars here knew FredHjr as I knew him””a brilliant mind containing knowledge of unusual depth and breadth, and demonstrating a rare ability to articulate his thoughts with precision, grace, and logic; a staunch patriot and passionate defender of liberty who never pulled his punches; a “changer” who had been a Marxist in his youth and held a vast storehouse of expertise on how the Left thinks and operates; a seeker of truth with an almost inexhaustible interest in the world around him; and a man of strong religious faith and great and abiding love for his family.
The news of his extremely untimely and tragic death comes as a great shock. It’s also a reminder that people here can become an important part of our lives; we feel as though we know them, even though our knowledge of them is only of the virtual sort. But minds meeting minds is a very powerful thing nonetheless.
As I did last year, I think it might be interesting to look back at some of Fred’s comments and post some appropriately prescient ones here. Good ones are not hard to find; it really doesn’t take very long, because the quality of his insight was so high.
On March 7, 2008, very early in the Obama campaign, Fred wrote:
But, maybe the under-40 crowd in this country needs a hard lesson in the unreality of socialism. I’m convinced an Obama presidency would be beset with crises and failure. Perhaps even worse than Carter’s. My generation needed to learn from the Jimmy Carter experience in order to appreciate Ronald Reagan and our country. Let’s hope that the kiddies who may put this pair in office can learn from failure and mistake. The even deeper question: are they capable of disillusionment?
Here’s one from about a month later, April 2, 2008:
Barack Obama exhibits two very ugly qualities that we must never allow to be close to the office of POTUS: cowardice and dishonesty. I would at least have some respect for him if he had the courage to proclaim exactly what he stands for and identify with the policy planks of Euro-Socialism. He has no respect for us. Even if I were a Leftist, I would lose respect for him because of his deceitfulness.
And here’s one of Fred’s comments from June 11, 2009, about nine months before HCR was signed into law (and only about two weeks before he died):
I get the sense that government run health care is going to happen. There just are not enough votes to defeat it. That’s the bottom line. And the people who are ramming this through do not care how this is going to impact providers or patients. Their goal is to dismantle capitalism, one brick at a time, and for them to become the new nomenklatura in a social democratic state.
RIP, FredHJr.
[NOTE: I send links to these memorial threads to Fred’s widow.]
FredHJr was a brother to us. I do not recall any disagreement from any of us with his points of view.
And four years later, no question that his thoughts were Right On. I cannot think of an exception.
Where does that leave us today, four years later?
I am and have been full of despair. We are powerless to fix what’s broken, we sink further into the morass.
We are fine diagnosticians, but where is the treatment?
Neo,
Thanks for the reminder!
I wasn t around for Fred, but I read all the postings & certainly would have been, mostly in agreement with him.
Such unfortunate circumstances for Conservative
Voices. I think of the loss of Breitbart. (Everybody over 40 needs to take a Fish oil capsule, even if you have a heart attack having fish oil on board protects you from an arrhythmia
(abnormal heart beat) in most circumstances the fatal arrhythmia is what kills you.)
Don carlos , as for what we can do ! (sigh)
It is daunting isn t it ?
Contend for the Truth as much as we can, I try to engage folks out there about it, in a non strident kind of way. I told my on the fence dental hygienist that “the dems call themselves liberals but that only means sex & abortion otherwise they want to take away rights from everybody & give jobs to their friends”
It seemed to resonate with her but she did say she is just too busy (has school age kids) to pay much attention to politics.
Perhaps a seed was planted.
Excellent posts. The kids didn’t learn well enough for 2012.
It gets me to thinking about legacy. What is the legacy of our age? I think we’re a rather frivolous people now. Serious thinkers like Fred are few and far between.
Has it really been 4 years? Where did the time go?
FredJr had BHO pegged, right on the nose. I recently read an op ed in the local newspaper, from the left no less, where the author explained that he’s lost faith. Seems he can no longer trust BHO. I had to laugh…
What amazes me is how many Democrats think that Obama is a Democrat, himself.
http://astuteblogger.blogspot.com/2008/09/obamas-real-father-connecting-dots.html
It’s old news, hereabouts, but Barry is a Marxist — if not a Maoist.
For those viewing the link:
BHO’s blood type was revealed by the British press. It’s AB
Bary was conceived upon the defeat of Nixon — election night 1960. The timing was perfect for a three-way in Hawaii.
That Stanley Ann was still sexually involved with FMD in early December 1960 is evidenced by the photos at the above link.
She’d spent that Summer in Chicago as an au pair… (to some Leftist, wealthy, politically active locals?)
=======
I certainly miss Fred. His pen was brilliant.
Thank you, Neo, for this reminder. Now I also will go back and search for some more of FredJRs ‘golden’ words.
“Everybody over 40 needs to take a Fish oil capsule, even if you have a heart attack”
Say that again. I take both fish and flaxseed oil capsules during the day. Can’t be too careful.
Thanks for the reminder. I wish I could take credit for having seen through Obama right from the start, but the truth is that insights from FredHJr like the comments you quoted were a significant part of the reason that I — nowhere near as perspicacious, well-read or articulate as he was — managed to see what was there to be seen when so many others chose willful blindness. FredHJr earned the deep respect of all and is still missed. I hope he’s up there someplace having a fine old time with Breitbart.
Good Lord Fred, has it really been four years? seems it was only yesterday.
A Persian poem says: Hargiz namirad onki dilash zinde shod be Ish’q.
Never shall he die whose heart was molded with love.
RIP.
[NOTE: I send links to these memorial threads to Fred’s widow.]
Well, I didn’t have anything new to say about Fred, but I’ll add my two cents to note how much he was appreciated around here.
It’s often said that once something is posted on the internet, it never goes away. So Fred’s thoughts still exist on various servers (and maybe the NSA database as well). 😉
Newton, so glad you are pro active re your health!!! but you have slightly misunderstood me.
The actual rendition is *take fish oil capsule daily and even if you are so unfortunate as to actually *have* a heart attack you ll have a better chance of surviving it because fish oil stabilizes the heart beat, what most often kills someone who has had a heart attack is a *lethal irregular heartbeat*. Having fish oil on board in your body reduces cardiac irritability, this cardiac irritability is the genesis of the unstable irregular heartbeat.
I just remember being so bummed & upset about Andrew that I even lamented to my husband, “Why wasn t he using Fish Oil!” Silly I guess but still such a loss for Conservatism!
James Gandolfini, him too, not such a smart guy after all !
I remember Fred H. Jr. And think of him. And ea. time you remind us of the anniversary of his unfortunate accident, I can’t believe another year has passed. He was passionate about what he believed in, plus he had an ability to verbally substantiate with facts such beliefs. And I wish we saw that more in the political arena. Especially on the lib. side. Maybe it’s my personal bias (yeah, maybe), but I’m so tired of being told that this is the way things need to be “just because” or “because I say so” with what I call the “holier-than-thou” attitude so ubiquitous on the Left. (perhaps best exemplified by Nancy Pelosi quote, ““don’t believe in” Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, clean air, clean water, food safety, public safety and public education?”)
Like Neo, like myself, and like many other commenters at this blog, FredHJr used to be on the left. I also miss his cogent comments.
Search the site and in between these moments, you find me occasionally saying i miss him.
I’ve been having computer problems and have missed much of the last few days.
Cannot believe it has been four years since FredHJr, passed on. He was so very well informed about financial issues. Things have been in such turmoil in the markets these days, I have nearly thrown up my hands in despair. I would very much appreciate Fred’s input on where the H*** we are going. I’m sure he would have some valuable insights.
To Fred’s family: Words are scant comfort, but I wish you the solace of God’s peace as you go forward.