The Death Of An American Icon.

Yesterday (Wednesday,) the day of President Obama’s first State of the Union address, saw the passing of a man who I consider to be one of the most important voices in the American Story.

Howard Zinn, father, educator, author and historian, died in California at the age of 89.

Dr. Zinn’s seminal work, A People’s History of The United States, earned him the respect and acclaim of social progressives the world over, and the unending ire of the power elite.  In it, he dared to challenge the history of America as written by the victors of our many conflicts, casting instead common people as heroes and telling the story from their points of view.

He was an early and forcefully vocal critic of the Viet Nam “Conflict,”  and in fact movingly posited that “There is no such thing as a just war.”

A professor of political science at Boston University since 1964, Zinn’s extensive body of writing, as well as his considerable library of lectures and interviews available through Alternative Radio.org, are eye-opening, thought provoking, and well worth seeking out for True Patriots with the courage to question the paradigms which have informed our ideas of politics and society since our earliest memories.

If there’s a Heaven, Howard Zinn is in it.  Few have done more to promote social justice and decry the horrors of war than this brave and brilliant man.

Good night, Howard.  A piece of my heart goes with you.