He died today - if you’ve never read him, think of an Oscar Wilde witicism, rolled into a sharp point, dipped in lemon juice and jabbed in your eye.
In his words:
“Liberals claim to want to give a hearing to other views, but then are shocked and offended to discover that there are other views.”
“I won’t insult your intelligence by suggesting that you really believe what you just said.”
“Even if one takes every reefer madness allegation of the prohibitionists at face value, marijuana prohibition has done far more harm to far more people than marijuana ever could.”
“I get satisfaction of three kinds. One is creating something, one is being paid for it and one is the feeling that I haven’t just been sitting on my ass all afternoon.”
“Idealism is fine, but as it approaches reality, the costs become prohibitive.”
“There is an inverse relationship between reliance on the state and self-reliance.”
“I would like to electrocute everyone who uses the word “fair” in connection with income tax policies.”
“I profoundly believe it takes a lot of practice to become a moral slob.”
“Liberals, it has been said, are generous with other peoples’ money, except when it comes to questions of national survival when they prefer to be generous with other people’s freedom and security.”
“I’d rather entrust the government of the United States to the first 400 people listed in the Boston telephone directory than to the faculty of Harvard University.”
“The academic community has in it the biggest concentration of alarmists, cranks and extremists this side of the giggle house.”
“Truth is a demure lady, much too ladylike to knock you on your head and drag you to her cave. She is there, but people must want her, and seek her out.”
“I would like to take you seriously, but to do so would affront your intelligence.”
“Life can’t be all bad when for ten dollars you can buy all the Beethoven sonatas and listen to them for ten years.”
“Does baloney fear the grinder?”
“Some of my instincts are reprehensible.”
Thanks for a great collection of quotes from a complex man. I put a link to you on my blog — thanks for the resource.
Awesome! Thank you for the post, for the laughter, the contemplation and the memories.
Excellent. My favourite was: “Liberals, it has been said, are generous with other peoples’ money, except when it comes to questions of national survival when they prefer to be generous with other people’s freedom and security.”
“Everyone detected with AIDS should be tatooed in the upper forearm, to protect common-needle users, and on the buttocks, to prevent the victimization of other homosexuals.”
http://www.nytimes.com/books/00/07/16/specials/buckley-aids.html
Good riddance to him.
These are some great quotes. Buckley was one of the great thinkers and writers of our time!