Farewell — Bob Herbert’s Last NYT Column

Bob Herbert has spent years writing about lives and challenges of those increasingly voiceless and often invisible in our society.   He has been a fiercely moral voice writing about the immorality of torture, killing, institutional injustice against the poor, or working people or minorities — always making the case that you can’t be a great nation by demonizing and dehumanizing those who aren’t so fortunate.  There is alot to commend about his career — I probably remember best his writing against torture and his dogged effort to not let the people of Tulia targeted by law enforcement out of control get out of our sight.

For a few years now, I have been amazed that Herbert has been able to hang on to his space on the NYT editorial page.  They’ve been turning over their real estate to frivolous and dodgy writers for sometime now, but it was good that his singular project survived.  But this column- called Losing Our Way – is the last, at least at the New York Times.  It begins:

So here we are pouring shiploads of cash into yet another war, this time in Libya, while simultaneously demolishing school budgets, closing libraries, laying off teachers and police officers, and generally letting the bottom fall out of the quality of life here at home.

And makes a key point:

The U.S. has not just misplaced its priorities. When the most powerful country ever to inhabit the earth finds it so easy to plunge into the horror of warfare but almost impossible to find adequate work for its people or to properly educate its young, it has lost its way entirely.

You should make a point of reading the whole thing, the entire indictment. Then think of how our State Government and NCCo government are looking to their employees to bear the brunt of financing the cost of closing budget gaps. And think of how our local media is actually cheerleading this bit of injustice instead of calling for leadership to put their Big Boy pants on and come up with a more sustainable — more grown up approach.

You’ve probably read the accusation that Democrats all too often govern to be well regarded in the editorial pages of the leading papers. Too bad that Herbert wasn’t the one whose favor they wanted.

Bob Herbert says at the end of this column that he will be doing other work, but still working on his advocacy for the poor and working people. He also leaves an email address where he can be reached — take the time to think him for his work today.

Thanks, Mr. Herbert. I’m hoping we don’t have to live without your moral clarity for too long.