Goodbye Molly Ivins

I am sure that many of you heard about the passing of Molly Ivins. She was a brilliant women who was proud and outspoken about her Smith education. At a 2002 round table during Pres. Christ's inauguration she said "...the biggest gift I got from Smith: It wasn't that Smith taught me that women can do anything. Smith taught me to simply assume women can do anything! And as I went forth to conquer the world in 1966, I didn't yet realize what a great gift that [concept] was. It took me a long time -- and I'm still grateful for it."

From President Carol Christ this morning...
I was greatly saddened to learn of the death of Molly Ivins '66, someone I've long admired. Molly was courageous, and she was funny. Those two qualities may not seem related, but, in her work, they were. Through her writing, she gave her readers the boldness to see hypocrisy and absurdity and the resilience to laugh at it. She was one of our country's great political satirists, and she was a gracious, generous lady to boot. The Smith community, and the nation, have lost one of our most insightful and authentic voices.
-- Carol T. Christ, President

Her Last Article: Stand Up Against the "Surge"
Smith College Press Release
2000 Profile on Salon.com
2003 Interview on Salon.com
Remembering Molly Ivins
NY Times Obit
Boston Globe Obit
Texas Observer

Some other great Ivins quotes which only illustrate her ability to balance humor and passion.

"The first rule of holes: when you're in one, stop digging."

"What you need is sustained outrage...there's far too much unthinking respect given to authority."

"I believe that ignorance is the root of all evil. And that no one knows the truth."

"It is possible to read the history of this country as one long struggle to extend the liberties established in our Constitution to everyone in America."

"Politics is not a picture on a wall or a television sitcom that you can decide you don't much care for."

"I believe in practicing prudence at least once every two or three years."

"I still believe in Hope - mostly because there's no such place as Fingers Crossed, Arkansas."

On Texas: "I dearly love the state of Texas, but I consider that a harmless perversion on my part, and discuss it only with consenting adults." (Fort Worth Star-Telegram column, March 1, 1992)

On Camille Paglia: "Christ! Get this woman a Valium!" (Mother Jones, 1991)