Yeoman's in the Fork Blog

I sometimes find myself wondering what Hunter Thompson would think. It is sad to me that his take on the politics of the last six years will never be known. He had a way with words that, perhaps, no other journalist will ever capture again. He had a unique perspective and one, I feel, that many Americans could relate to in one way or another. Thompson came into my mind, especially strong, recently as the tragedy in Arizona took place. To be sure, Hunter would have had a lot to say about the shooting. Palin and Beck have largely escaped the scathing way with words that a Hunter Thompson could wield. Perhaps Hunter could have explained to us all how one can use words in a clever way and still adhere to some sense of civility. He did. I could just see Hunter Thompson now out at his farm in Colorado firing his guns as he sits down for an interview to discuss the lack of civility and the use of gun metaphors by Sarah Palin. The only thing that is missing from my imagination is the words that he would use to explain the obvious. It is not ok to be irresponsible with words, but to be a lover of freedom also carries with it a responsibility to use words in a constructive way. Do we have the right to speak hate? I guess so. Is it American? I hope not. I have to believe that Hunter Thompson could be that walking contradiction because he always was. Hunter was a man who was truly a believer in the founding ideals of America, a progressive at times and a conservative at times. He seemed to be a realist and a pragmatist, yet an idealist. That his life ended by his own hand speaks to how he lived his life by his terms. That he used a gun is, I guess, ironic in some sense, but also somehow strangely fitting.

The following is a partial transcript from an interview by The Book Report in 1997.

Question: How do you reconcile your liberal politics with gun ownership? Is that not a contradiction?

Hunter Thompson: I think George Washington owned guns. I've never seen any contradiction with that. I'm not a liberal, by the way. I think that's what's wrong with liberals. I believe I have every right to have guns. I just bought another huge weapon. A lot of people shouldn't own guns. I should. I have a safety record. Guns are a lot of fun out here.

Bookpgsara: As somebody who likes guns and has taken part in his share of violence and anarchism. What do you think of Timothy McVeigh?

Hunter Thompson: Oh boy. Well, if he did that --- apparently the jury has spoken --- if I were him, I'd prefer the death penalty. If he blew up that building and killed that many people, we have to accept that, just like we had to accept that OJ Simpson was declared not guilty. I'd rather be hung or shot or executed than spend my life in prison. If he did that he deserves to die. I can't conceive of doing that kind of damage.

If only we could summon Hunter to speak out once again... What would he say about this Tucson shooting, the loss of innocent life, gun-control and above all at this point - what the heck do we do with Loughner if indeed found guilty??? Hunter is remembered by many as good, by many as bad, by many as crazy and by many as a literary genius. I just want to hear him rant once more my friends!