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Tag(s): Activism Anti-War; Activism Anti-War; Age Related; Antiwar; California; Canada; Death; Disaster President Made; Earth-Gaia; European Union; (more...) Los Angeles Metro Area; New York; Progressive Values - Issues; San Diego Metro Area; San Francisco Bay Area; Sonoma County; USA United States Of America; United Kingdom; War Mongers; World Issues (less...)
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April 14, 2007 at 18:19:14

KURT VONNEGUT / A FORCE OF NATURE

by Allen L Roland Page 1 of 4 page(s)

www.opednews.com

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The mainstream obituaries are emphasizing Kurt’s "off-beat" career and the "mixed reviews" for his books. Don’t believe a word of them. Kurt Vonnegut was a force of nature, with a heart the size of Titan, an unfettered genius who changed us all for the better. He was possessed of a sense of fairness and morality capable of inventing religions that could actually work: Harvey Wasserman

As I scanned the obituaries regarding the death of Kurt Vonnegut ~ I was looking for the one that would capture the true essence of this unique man, the one that would capture his spirit and vitality that was, quite literally, a force of nature.

Who else but Vonnegut could write this ~ "If I should ever die, God forbid, let this be my epitaph: 'The only proof he needed for the existence of God was music.'"

My patience was rewarded when a friend, Sandy Mitchell, sent me this piece by Harvey Wasserman.

Excerpt: " It took a breathtaking psychic freedom to merge the interstellar worlds he created from whole cloth with the social imperatives of a changing age. It was that combination of talent, heart and liberation that gave Vonnegut a cutting edge he never lost... leaving us in his eighties, Kurt also leaves us decades of anecdotes and volumes of writings—and doodlings—about which to write. But lost in the mainstream obituaries—including the one in the New York Times—is the ferocity with which he opposed this latest claque of vicious war-mongers."

Enjoy ~

Allen L Roland http://blogs.salon.com/0002255/2007/04/14.html

Peace Be With You, Kurt Vonnegut

by Harvey Wasserman

http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2007/04/13/492/

As the media fills with whimsical good-byes to one of America’s greatest writers, lets not forget one of the great engines driving this wonderful man—he HATED war.

Including this one in Iraq. And he had utter contempt for the men who brought it about. Kurt Vonnegut was a divine spark of liberating genius for an entire generation. His brilliant, beautiful, loving and utterly unfettered novels helped us redefine ourselves in leaving the corporate America in the 1950s and the Vietnam war that followed.

Having seen the worst of World War II from a meatlocker in fire-bombed Dresden, Kurt’s Sirens of Titan, Cat’s Cradle, Slaughterhouse Five and God Bless You, Mr. Rosewater, cut us the intellectual and spiritual slack to seek out a new reality. It took a breathtaking psychic freedom to merge the interstellar worlds he created from whole cloth with the social imperatives of a changing age. It was that combination of talent, heart and liberation that gave Vonnegut a cutting edge he never lost.

Leaving us in his eighties, Kurt also leaves us decades of anecdotes and volumes of writings—and doodlings—about which to write. But lost in the mainstream obituaries—including the one in the New York Times—is the ferocity with which he opposed this latest claque of vicious war-mongers.

Vonnegut gave his last campus speech in Columbus. He and I met here many years ago, after another speech.

Not knowing me from Adam, he was gracious enough to give me his home address.

Out of the blue, I sent him a book-length poem about the passing of my parents. I was shocked when he called me on the phone about it. I asked for his help in finding a publisher. He said to publish it on my own, and gave me advice on how to do it, along with a blurb for the cover.

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4 comments

I am a simple man of eclectic interests and tastes with no particular academic credentials. I still perceive, think, read and write somewhat. Writing music is a hobby of mine

banned for abusive email to an editor
"Hoss" David P.I am a simple man of eclectic interests and tastes with no particular academic credentials. I still perceive, think, read and write somewhat. Writing music is a hobby of mine

banned for abusive email to an editor

Easy to See

Of course the MSM is going to characterize Kurt Vonnegut as "off beat". His "beat" doesn't pound the war drums.

Thanks for the links in your article. I am going to check them all out.

by "Hoss" David P. (51 articles, 5 quicklinks, 14 diaries, 338 comments) on Sunday, April 15, 2007 at 10:44:19 AM

Allen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on Conscious talk radio www.conscioustalk.net
Allen L RolandAllen L Roland is a practicing psychotherapist, author and lecturer who also shares a daily political and social commentary on his weblog and website allenroland.com He also guest hosts a monthly national radio show TRUTHTALK on Conscious talk radio www.conscioustalk.net

EASY TO SEE

Your welcome, it's always easier to see when you take the blinders off ;-)

Allen L Roland

by Allen L Roland (907 articles, 7 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 355 comments) on Sunday, April 15, 2007 at 2:33:01 PM

I've played music 40 years across this country, and have met a wide variety of folks. I guess this a another way to expand my horizons while saving energy (gas) and still meet people. Haven't traveled much lately due to health, but am still trying to keep busy writing and recording music, mostly traditional blues, country and light rock.
TLeeI've played music 40 years across this country, and have met a wide variety of folks. I guess this a another way to expand my horizons while saving energy (gas) and still meet people. Haven't traveled much lately due to health, but am still trying to keep busy writing and recording music, mostly traditional blues, country and light rock.

Mr. Vonnegut

I ran into Kurt's works about 30 years ago, and immediately searched for what I had already missed, and awaited impatiently for new writings. The ones of us who will really miss him are probably small in number, but great in spirit. We've lost probably one of the last real Good Guys. I am going to re-read all I can find again, one of those things I have put off due to my stupid procrastination.

Thomas M. Brook, tleemusic@excite.com

by TLee (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 7 comments) on Sunday, April 15, 2007 at 2:39:28 PM

GOOD IDEA

I refer you to Verlyn Klinkenborg's great article in the New York Times entitled REVISITING KURT VONNEGUT ~ AND YOURSELF.

Her point was the same as yours ~ " He is not only entertaining, he is electrocuting. You read him with enormous pleasure because he makes your hair stand on end. He says not only what no one is saying, but also what- as a mild young person - you know it is forbidden to say. No one nourishes the skepticism of the young like Vonnegut....... perhaps it is time to go back and revisit that earlier self, the one who seemed, for a while, so interwoven in the pages of those old paperbacks of Vonnegut."

Allen L Roland

by Allen L Roland (907 articles, 7 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 355 comments) on Sunday, April 15, 2007 at 3:06:57 PM