Rest in Peace Andy Rooney

Last updated on: November 7, 2011 at 12:35 pm by Dave Griffey

Rest in Peace Andy Rooney 2011-11-07T12:35:00-04:00 Dave Griffey

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Andy Rooney as I knew him, and will remember him

I was sad to hear of Andy Rooney’s death. There was something almost literary about it, like Charles Schultz dying on the day of the last Peanuts cartoon strip. I don’t know why, but when I was in high school, I was addicted to Andy Rooney. No matter what, I tried my best to make sure I was home in time to see his little curmudgeonry on cue at the end of 60 Minutes. Of course, back then, 60 Minutes was the News, and the News was (T)ruth. It never dawned on me one way or another what Mr. Rooney’s views were, his beliefs, his ideals and stances on this or that position. It was the early 80s, and that meant Liberalism. That meant we listened to people we may not always agree with, people we could still respect even if they held different beliefs. It was the great movement to a society of tolerance, diversity, respect, and live and let live.

And nobody pushed the limits of that ideal more than Mr. Rooney! Even then, he could say things that would boil my blood. He could set my parents on evening long diatribes explaining just how wrong he was. He could cut to the quick, piss people off, and generally step on as many feet in an evening as possible. And yet, we still went back for more. Sure, it’s because as often as not, we agreed. But I think it’s because at that stage, we were still in the days when liberalism was ironically trying to do what already was.

I mean, nobody cared if Andy Williams was a this or that. Nobody held some ideological yardstick up against Sinatra and said unless he conformed he was the enemy. Nobody felt the need to qualify their respect for Mr. Rooney despite failing to hold to orthodox dogmas of diversity. The age that liberalism promised was already there. Ironically, it became liberalism that would do the very things it promised against. When Rush Limbaugh entered the airwaves, it was calls for censorship and boycotts all the way! When Charlton Heston died, sure Civil Rights leaders had to admit he walked with Dr. King, and was a strong proponent of Civil Rights. But what mattered is that he disagreed with them, held differing beliefs, advocated things, such as the NRA, that they were against. That is what dominated the memorials around Mr. Heston. How times have changed.

Be that as it may, I will miss him. I liked him enough that for Christmas one year, my parents bought me a couple of his books. I still have them and have gone back to them a time or two over the years. But mostly, I prefer to remember him as the product of a time when we judged the person, the whole person, not his stance on this issue, how he voted on that, what his sexual preference happens to be, or any such thing. We simply looked to the person and said we did or didn’t like him because of all he was. And with Andy Rooney, when I looked at all he was, I admit I liked him a lot.

Réquiem ætérnam dona ei Dómine; et lux perpétua lúceat ei. Requiéscat in pace. Amen.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

November 7, 2011

In more tolerance news

Next Post

November 7, 2011 China and Russia give high-fives over their limiting of Western influence in Asia

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Atheism Awesome things Bigotry for the hip American Blogging Books Catholic Catholic Teaching Catholics on the Internet Christian Persecution Christian Unity Christianity and America Christianity in the Post-Modern World Christianity in the world Culture of Death Culture of Life Current Events Decline and Fall of the Christian West Defending Liberty Fun Stuff Global Warming Good Causes Good News Gun Control Health Care History Holidays Homeschool Humor Important things Inspiring Stories Interesting Insights Interesting Stories Islam and the West Liberal "Tolerance" Liberal observations Life in a post-Christian world Memorial Movies Musings News Other Blogs Our Big Politically Correct Bother Politics Popular Culture Post Modern Values Prayers Pro Life Promoting LGBT Protecting Liberty Racism in the world today Scientism Social Observations Sports Strange Stories The Boys The Catholic Church and the Left The Decline and Fall of the American Dream The end of liberty The Faith and the Left The Faith and the Right The Family The Greatness of God The Internet The Leftist Juggernaut The LGBT Question The Media The Pope The post-liberal Left The Power of Propaganda Tributes Twilight of the American Experiment Uncategorized Uneducating Postmoderns When the Church is wrong Why learn from history when we can repeat it instead Wisdom in the Post Modern Age World Events

Select a Month August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Who was the father of John the Baptist?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Joseph Zechariah Simeon Nathan