William Buckley Didn't Yell (Except at Gore Vidal)

I never met him, but I did go to a lecture of his in the '70's when I was in college. He was witty, quick, brilliant, devastating when squashing some budding leftist in the audience - pretty much all of the things people who knew him say that he was. And I watched him on Firing Line from time to time, and marveled at his quick mind and grasp of issues. But I was also fascinated, then and now, by his ability to remain friends with people whose political, social or cultural opinions he opposed. It's an ability that so many of us lack.

What passes for social discourse often degenerates into the shouting matches that infest television or the one-sided jeremiads of the radio talk show hosts. And I think it has infected us all. There can be passion and commitment without anger or ad hominem attacks. There can be, but there usually isn't, and that's sad.