The November 23 edition of the New York Times has a lengthy and respectful obituary for David Nolan. The obituary is also notable for seeming to suggest that minor parties have an important influence on the free circulation of ideas, even when they are not numerically strong.
UPDATE: the Washington Post obituary also has some of the characteristics of the Times obituary.
History is quite often made by minorities – even a minority of one, two or three remarkable people. David F. Nolan was definitely a remarkable person. I knew it when I first met him over 38 years ago. I commend the New York Times for its noting Mr. Nolan’s death respectfully. And I commend Mr. Winger for his dedication to freedom for people of all political views. You too, Richard are an historic individual. I want to know that before either of us joins Mr. Nolan.
Richard:
During the past 10 years or more, has the New York Times printed an obituary about any other alternative (3rd) party founders? I’m thinking of one particular person out here in California who I know you’re well familiar with.
And of *COURSE* the media _ALWAYS_ do everything they can to make sure the ideas of alternative parties and their candidates have a chance to reach the people and gain some influence. . . .
1. My sympathy goes to his family. When I had a brief interest in the philosophy, I found an old copy of his book in a used bookstore.
2. I am not sure I had too much sympathy for his right-libertarian political beliefs, but it is nice to see a major newspaper note the, if nothing else, historical relevance of third political parties in the United States and the people who create them.
3. I suspect that many men and women in the mainstream media simply have no idea how to ethically deal with non-major party candidates. They were probably never taught any sort of useful guidelines for how to cover non-major party candidates.
Democracy NOW starting NOW in the bylaws of ALL of the third parties.
P.R. and App.V. for electing the officers of each third party.
—
Thanks to NYT for the Obit — how many party hack gerrymander Congress monsters get zero mention in the NYT — when they pass on — on the way to gerrymander statist control freak Hell ???
#2, I don’t think the New York Times had an obituary for William K. Shearer.
I am sorry to hear of his passing. The last time we talked was in a bar in Laguna Hills, CA several years back. I will
miss him.
Sincerely, Mark Seidenberg, Vice Chairman, American Independent Party.
# 2 to Charles Deemer and Richard Winger.
Maybe, Wm Shearer did not get an obiturary in THE PINK RAG,
viz., “namely all the news that was fit to print with a pink
tint”. He did got prayed for at the Western Wall of the Temple in Jerusalem every day for 11 months. I know that because I paid a Rabbi to do just that in 2007. I was with
Gary Odom in Washington, DC when Mr. Shearer died. Four days
latter I was at the Western Wall prayed for William Shearer
and hired a rabbi there to keep the prays up daily for about
11 months for William Shearer.
Sincerely, Mark Seidenberg, Vice Chairman, American Independent Party.
By the actions taken by David Nolan in 1971 to start a new political party, we can all thank him for what we are seeing evolve on the political landscape today. The fact that almost 40 years later the word “Libertarian” has become a household word is testimony to the work of David Nolan and every person who has promoted the Libertarian philosophy for the past four decades. I personally thank my friend David Nolan for giving me a political ideology to believe in. I will sincerely miss him. My deepest condolences go out to his wife Elizabeth and his family.