July 23, 2012 : In Memoriam : Alexander Cockburn
RIP, Alexander Cockburn
: We don't normally dawdle or get sentimental but today this space
acknowledges its debt to one of its literary “founding fathers”
who passed over the weekend - without the world knowing he was sick,
working right up to the end. UWS Digital News mourns the passing of
long-time “Beat the Devil” journalist/literary provocateur and
former Village Voice/Nation/and lately of Counter Punch writer
Alexander
Cockburn and directs readers to the numerous appreciations
available online beginning with NY
Times.
It is perhaps appropriate to acknowledge both Cockburn and his long-time (albeit continuously belittled) Nation rival Christopher Hitchens both passed within a relatively short time of each other. Indeed their different passings speak to both men's legacies and their decidedly different approaches to life and journalism.
Hitchens, his profile no doubt boosted from years of being Vanity Fair's in-house wag, received much coverage of his illness and death, where Cockburn merely continued to work, covering Occupy and related topics til his untimely death of cancer at on July 22 at age 71.Columns of this sort would not occur with such regularity without Cockburn's initiative and example, as well as his life-time commitment to calling attention to and defending unheard voices in mass media.
Coverage of Cockburn's passing, as well as his feuds with Hitchens, and life/literary accomplishments are notably available via NY Times and Huffpost, with appreciations online from former colleagues and friends such as CounterPunch co-editor Jeffrey St. Clair, and, from the other end of the ideological spectrum, Michael Tomasky
Occupy Wall Street posts a link to user generated i.e., non-official content acknowledging the passing, which not only shows what menschs they are, but no doubt would have delighted Cockburn's ironic sense, as they officially declare him dead a mere two weeks after he declares them so.
Finally we close today's space in acknowledgement of the death and disaster that occurred over the weekend in Aurora, Co, offering condolences to both victims and their suffering friends and families. Widespread online coverage is available. We will cover any attempts made by Occupy in Colorado to work toward preserving the memories of the victims' lives and work, as well as any efforts made to prevent such tragedies/massacres in the future.
Submitted by M-Bed for UWS Digital News
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