Do you have an online BFF? I did. Kevin Zeese.
He wrote me, at first, about some issue and I don't even remember what it was. I do know that I responded the way I've learned to respond when men write -- I defended myself in very loud terms. That's because they tend to bully and try to bully. Christine's husband at the music site, for example, who couldn't deal with the fact that, while I like Dylan, I don't consider Bob to be God. There was the newspaper music critic who tried to bully me about Wilco -- and apparently missed the praise I'd given that group. There was the idiot at COUNTERPUNCH who tried to bully me into retracting the words that Ike Turner was a terrorist who terrorized Tina Turner.
On and on and on.
Kevin's response was "WOAH!" with a smiley face. That was the beginning of a long and lengthy correspondence. His e-mails were always kind and were always thought provoking.
He was a great penpal and I felt like I knew him.
It's weird to think that I won't hear from him again.
He was the best voice the Green Party had. He wasn't ashamed to be a Green. He wasn't content to live in the shadows of the Democratic Party -- the way a certain couple is, remember when they used to present as Greens -- they've moved away from blogging and are INSTAGRAM now and they're not Greens -- big surprise.
Kevin was a Green and he could tell you why and he could tell you why he believed the Green Party was the future of America -- had to be the future of America. Between him and Betty, he got me voting Green in local and statewide offices. In 2012, I voted for Jill Stein. Had Bernie been the nominee in 2016, I would've voted for Bernie. Instead, I voted for Jill again.
I was already planning to vote for Howie Hawkins this November but now that vote will also be to honor Kevin who was the national press secretary for Howie's presidential campaign.
I will always remember Kevin as a strong but gentle voice, a compassionate one and someone who always had hope. His e-mails touched me.
I am so sorry for Dr. Margaret Flowers who has lost her husband. I can't imagine what she's going through but she is in my prayers. Kevin's passing is so unreal to me and to others who encountered him. I can't begin to grasp what a loss it is to Dr. Flowers who lived with and loved him.
I am so sorry for her loss. Her loss is very deep and very personal.
But Kevin's passing is a loss for all -- he was an important voice.
Over at THE COMMON ILLS, C.I. has the following up about Kevin:
- Kevin Zeese: Irreplaceable (David Swanson)
- Remembering Kevin Zeese means being honest (I'm lo...
- Hawkins Press Secretary and Activist, Kevin Zeese,...
