I wasn’t really a reader of Christopher Hitchens, who died last week. I more often heard him commented about. Whether it was his outspoken atheism or his surprising support for war in Iraq, he demanded the attention of the punditry. He may have embodied Oscar Wilde’s maxim that “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” But for my experience of Hitchens, it was mostly just the talk.
With his passing, many fans are posting favorite Hitchens’ articles. One caught my attention as it was written about Wisconsin. Despite the disappointing copy error stating Fighting Bob LaFollette attended ‘Madison University’ rather than UW, Hitchens’ knowledge of Wisconsin’s Progressive Party history and politics is impressive.
During all the tumult of the protests and the ongoing attention given our state during the recall efforts, it’s been interesting to see who in the national media ‘gets’ Wisconsin. I’ll give Hitchens a pass for the careless Madison U error and respect for his historical knowledge. And as for his cheeky line that Wisconsin is “Minnesota au gratin,” now I may understand his appeal and the loyalty of his fans.
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