The Harkness Bell Tower above
William F. Buckley, Jr. died today at the age of 82. Born in 1925, he invented the conservative movement in America.
After he graduated with honors from Yale University, Buckley made himself famous with God and Man at Yale. Yale was born conservative, as Roland Bainton, wrote, but the Left worked its way into the faculty and board. George H. W. Bush was on the Yale Board. Both men were members of Skull and Bones, the secret society and birthplace for many a CIA agent.
The faculty did not like Buckley's book, so they challenged him to debates. He won the debates and the invitations stopped.
I was disappointed that his magazine, National Review, caved on important issues. Buckley was yet another celebrity who promoted marijuana. Nevertheless, Buckley's circle became the center for conservative thought in America and did much to help Reagan become president.
Buckley was the commencement speaker when I finished the MA at Notre Dame, 30 years ago. I skipped three graduations in a row, including that one. PM Trudeau spoke at the doctoral commencement. He spoke past us to the world at large, but no one was listening to him.
