Lawrence Auster Died Today

One of the Last Photographs of Lawrence Auster, March 2013

Lawrence Auster, author of the blog "View From the Right," has succumbed to pancreatic cancer.  He died early this morning in a hospice in West Chester, Pennsylvania.

His blog, View From the Right, will remain online but no author will succeed Larry.  His friend, Laura Wood,  wrote a post there today telling of Larry's death.  She writes:

Only extreme incapacitation could have brought that career to a close. For many of us, it was a marvel, a form of essential daily food. No man gave more to his readers. No writer responded more energetically to the people who took in his words and either approved or rejected them. No thinker, except perhaps Plato, jousted more ably with his students or left such an elegant and finished record of philosophical conflict and resolution. He was philosopher, journalist, guru and cultural psychoanalyst in one. And no writer on culture and politics had sounder judgment about the world around us, or more brilliant observations.

The relationship between Mr. Auster and the hundreds of often-anonymous correspondents who wrote to him over the years was like that between a boxing coach and his fighters. He trained his followers in the art of intellectual combat — and the price was a staggering workload as he edited the debates that have appeared here over the years. He paid tireless tribute to the fight for truth. But, as he insisted, he wasn’t a hero. He was just doing what came naturally. He was doing what he had to do.

Sadly, as of today, View from the Right, except for an entry about his funeral and possibly more on his death, will become inactive. He wanted it that way. VFR could not continue beyond Mr. Auster’s death because it is the creation of an utterly unique personality and mind.

Indeed, Larry was often my mentor, correcting my grammatical errors, giving advice on how to approach a subject.  I came to love him as a big brother, and what he taught me was to be ruthlessly independent in thought, to never subordinate my judgment to others...not even to him.  We agreed on much and occasionally fought like hell over certain subjects.  I changed his mind about the innocence of Amanda Knox, and he changed mine on many other subjects.

My last email to Larry was on February 18, 2013.  He posted it on his blog, along with many other reader comments.  I wrote:

A Young Lawrence Auster In 1973

Larry,

I have enjoyed your plain, outspoken truths and have learned much from you. The best thing, though, was your insistence on writing the truth as you see it, unhindered by popular opinion (which is often wrong).  You have often gone against the grain, without consideration for the social ostracism it often brings, even from other conservatives who wish to adopt and preserve liberal fallacies about race, feminism and other pop ideologies.

Now when I fear writing something that I know will annoy other conservatives, I always think of you. What would Larry do? Then I do it. Austerism is the antidote for group-think, the latter being the most effective obstruction in any search for truth.

Because of your massive moral backbone, by own backbone has been strengthened. Your example has not been overlooked and will never be forgotten. What have you taught me? It is the real meaning of an old maxim: Be True to Yourself.

I love you, Larry.

Stogie

A funeral mass for Lawrence Auster is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 2 at Church of St. Michael the Archangel, located at Holy Cross Catholic Church, 140 E. Mount Airy Avenue, Philadelphia PA.  Check View From the Right for any changes.

My good friend Rick Darby at Reflecting Light has also written an excellent memorial post for Larry:  Lawrence Auster Dies...and Lives.