Some Thoughts on the Passing of Andrew Breitbart

I did not know Andrew personally though I was introduced to him at CPAC a few weeks ago and shared a brief exchange. However I was keenly aware of Andrew as a conservative blogger and a major force in the modern media, and I admired him for his unabashed manner and motivation to effect change.

Andrew was passionate about what he did, and while many found his aggressiveness unsettling, he was always willing to stand-up and be held personally accountable and responsible for his actions. As all my social media profiles espouse, “I detest apathy, ignorance & sloth and respect personable accountability & responsibility”. To that end I greatly respected Andrew Breitbart.

Too many people live their lives trying to find a middle-ground where they avoid confrontation and eschew the courage it requires to take a position and fight for it, regardless of what others may think. Andrew was not such a person and for that I held him in high regard.

What I do find troubling, as I watch my various social media timelines fly by, is the celebratory attitude from some that Andrew has passed away. Anybody who intones such a message paints themselves as being a lesser person than was Andrew, and they should be castigated for their actions.

Whether you’re conservative or liberal, Democrat or Republican, or intimidated by Andrew’s journalism there is no place in this country for the celebration of the death of anybody who sought, in their own way, to provoke and stimulate our collective consciousness.

Our founding fathers expressly wanted our society to participate in civil discourse because they knew that is how minority opinions are heard, and civil discourse that leads to compromise is how genuine progress is made. In his own inimitable way this what Andrew pursued on a daily basis, maybe not always civil in the classic definition as he could certainly be acerbic, but it was his quest.

My thoughts and prayers go out to Andrew’s family, friends, coworkers and all of us who were touched by his passion. Godspeed Andrew Breitbart and may you rest in peace.