RIP William F Buckley

The New York Times and Fox News Channel are reporting that William F. Buckley passed away today at the age of 82. According to National Review online, he was at home in his study in Stamford, CT, at the time of his passing. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends and colleagues.

http://corner.nationalreview.com/post/?q=MTE4NGRlOGM1NmYxYjdmNjk1MjliOTE2MTYxOWZkZjc=

My mother was a huge fan of William F. Buckley. She was a loyal subscriber to National Review and voraciously read his books both fiction and non-fiction. When I was around 10 years old or so, she bought me my first "grown up" book to read -- "God and Man at Yale". I became an instant fan -- both of the ideas presented and the way those ideas were expressed. There is no doubt that the clarity and genius of Buckley's writing influenced me tremendously as a conservative. For several generations of activists, he defined the meaning of conservatism and to be frank, the loss of Mr. Buckley at this time is yet another blow to the movement.

Although perhaps now, with his passing, those who were once devotees of his ideas but perhaps who strayed from the cause may now have an opportunity to review the body of his work as his life is examined in the coming days. Perhaps those stray lambs will come home to the principles that once made the conservative movement great.

One can only hope.