Hitch

I have been aware of Christopher Hitchens for some time though hadn't thought about him much until the recent well publicised debate with Tony Blair 'Is Religion a force for good in the World'. I was very impressed with his oratry and command of language combined with an almost faultless grasp of an argument. Blair, the dominant British politition of his generation was very good. I hadn't realised how good till I watched this debate. His timing was down to the minute and his words off the top of his head. Hitchens ran over at times but slaughtered him, Blair knew this and seemed to accept defeat, faith intact. The closing question on which of the others arguments did they find most convincing was a good one, Hitch actually provided a couple of arguments that Blair hadn't thought of that were the best pro faith arguments. Being in a weakened state due to cancer of the oesophagus and lymph nodes and subsequent chemo therapy Hitchens performance was all the more commanding. I came to wonder if this may be Hitchs' last stand. I hope not though became inspired to find out more about him.
Hitch 22 is a fascinating memoire though not for the faint hearted. It follows a path that reveals that Hitchens  is his political convictions. His unusual upbringing and fortune to financially just scrape in to a top school set him on course to debate with those at the very top. He was there at many pivotal points, pulling things towards what he saw as right. A tireless campaigner. His religion arguments are more than a decade in thinking so it is no surprise he trounced Blair. In this he has spent his time wisely, on the most important question.
Having now seen all footage I can find, a few clips stick in my mind. The brave stand against the cult of Mother Theresa is a treat for any who havn't seen this. Some hillarious clashes with right wing Americans. Last night I watched the Question Time from around when Blair handed over to Brown who was enjoying a brief honey moon period. His brother Peter, the right wing writer, Boris Johnson, Shirley Williams and Ian McNulty were his fellow panelists. They dscuss Salman Rushdies knighthood and Afghanistan. What shocks is how recent this seems and how well he looks.
More upsetting footage is the Newsnight interview with Paxman who clearly has deep respect for Hitch. There are more of these type of clips where he has been diagnosed. The ones that upset me were where interviewers asked him if he thought he could stick to his aetheist convictiions on his deathbed as if it were a choice to believe or not. Some take a kind of glee in his suffering. I have seldom been so disgusted by the line of questioning. What is more, and this will give you an idea of what he has fought, is there are internet sites dedicated to praying for Christopher Hitchens death. These are Christians, Muslims, people who claim to know good from evil.
From my recent period studying his books and the more trivial television clips I have grown to feel a warmth for him. There is always a danger in attaching emotion to someone you have never met however, though, along with him, I didn't take part in the pray for Hitch day, my thoughts and feelings are with him. I feel glad to have found his work, even if in his later life, it has changed how I understand many things, there will always be things to disagree with him on. What I was left with after his books was something I have often pondered. He changed his views as time passed. This most natural of things is still derided in political circles. It is called learning.
Hitch, Skreeworld is with you.