This is another Andrew Breitbart tribute. But… Then again, it’s not. By now, you’ve read many great things by many people who knew Andrew, who have waxed poetically (and correctly) about what a great and powerful influence he was is. They’ve shared stories and given quotes and truly honored the man who has inspired many of us.
I’m not qualified to be among their ranks, and I’m certainly not qualified to be among his. But I have feelings and opinions and things to say, despite that adamant truth.
Andrew Breitbart was is a man who could stir great passions. Whether it’s self indulgent bloggers who claim happiness in his death, or the tens of thousands of citizen journalists that he inspired to mobilize, Breitbart was is a man who people had strong feelings for. And you know what they say… “Hatred is not the opposite of love; indifference is.” Andrew Breitbart was is not a man who inspired indifference. On that, I think most would agree.
I never met Andrew, but I can tell you that I loved him. I loved his fearlessness. I loved his grasp of the big picture. I loved his willingness to wear his heart on his sleeve. I loved that he didn’t hide behind false pretense. I love that he was inclusive. An ivory tower is not where this man dwelled. I love that he knew that truth is the greatest defense. He didn’t hack Anthony Weiner’s Twitter account, and he didn’t stare frozenly into the headlights while his opponents falsely accused him. He FOUGHT. Truth was his weapon, and he wielded it to devastating effect. A lot of Conservatives will let the spaghetti stick to them. Andrew would burn down the kitchen before he let that happen, and I loved love him for that.
I wish I could tell you a story of how he talked to me at a rally or a conference or even at an airport while waiting to catch a flight, but I can’t. I didn’t know the man. But I can tell you that it felt like he knew me. I think a lot of us felt like that. I think a lot of us saw him on our TV’s and said, “YES. Finally, someone is saying what needs to be said. Someone is finally fighting our fight. Someone is FINALLY disproving the lies that our elected leaders seem helpless to deflect. Someone has finally gotten it right.”
Andrew loved us, and he loved this country. Some would say he even loved his opponents. That is a distinction that many of his naysayers cannot claim. Many of them seem to sustain themselves off of hatred. Andrew wasn’t like that. He saw the big picture, and hatred is just a limb on tree in a forest in a country on a continent on a planet. Hatred is wasted energy for those with great minds. And Andrew’s mind was among the greatest we’ll see in our lifetimes.
I can’t say as to whether or not we’ll have another Breitbart, but I can tell you that he strove to make sure we wouldn’t need one. And that is a testament to how much he loved us. And you know what, Andrew, we love you too.
R.I.P. Andrew Breitbart
1969-2012
