Here are six letters regarding the passing of my friend Walter, and my responses.
Block, Walter E. 2020. “RIP Walter E. Williams, a great economist and friend.” December 8; https://www.ocregister.com/2020/12/08/rip-walter-e-williams-a-great-economist-and-friend-walter-block/;
Link: https://cafehayek.com/2020/12/some-links-1696.html
Block, Walter E. 2020. “A great loss of a free-market African American columnist.” December 7; https://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/opinion/article_7a7cb95a-38a2-11eb-9802-479cdbeb6b4a.html
Letter 1
Dear John:
Well and truly said. When I first heard of his passing, I felt so sad, empty. He was a great man.
Best regards,
Walter
—–Original Message—–
From: John McClain
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2020 7:17 AM
To: wblock <[email protected]>
Subject: RIP the Great Walter Williams
Dear Professor Block,
Thank you for a heart-felt, well written eulogy for one of the truly great men of our age. I listened to him much of my life, got to meet and speak with him, as a Marine recruiter, pursuing officer candidates at George Mason, and enjoyed the half a dozen times I got to speak with him at some short length.
He was the only fill-in for Rush, that was more informative with hard data, than Rush, he showed his remarkable spirit, attitude, and nature, with every word, gesture, the whole of his body spoke, when he was before a crowd, and he always enervated people.
I count myself fortunate to have met a man I held as a hero, not far off from Ron Paul, and in similar regard to his mentor Thomas Sowell. I grew up a “navy brat” two years in Barcelona, then two in Naples, learned enormously from the stone structure masons building the apartment next door, in Barcelona, and more with brick structure masons, apartment next door in Naples. I got state-side, New York Harbor, at six, in 62, was completely shocked by the “non-republic” I found, and have never in my life, truly understood racist notions, having learned basic premises from home-spun wearing, sandals, masons, and how could I regard anything but their brilliant wisdom?
Dr. Williams was one of many who proved out my understanding, anyone who wants to, can be educated, no one actually gets educated without intent. I listened to Walter probably from late teens, to the last piece he wrote, never doubting he was among the foremost thinkers in the world, in economics, freedom, and liberty considerations, all intimately tied together. I have been tending toward the Orthodox in the past couple years, as a born again Christian, and it’s because they still hold the notion, everything is intricately tied together, nothing happens in a vacuum, and Dr. Williams well described this aspect of life, trying to get across the fact education is entirely personal, I don’t know how many times I heard him speak of the inspiration to pursue learning, that was given to him so young, and he left with all his “beloved students”. I will miss him dearly, the world will miss him, perhaps more so than most will ever know. Thanks for a beautiful description of the difference he made.
God Bless you and yours,
Semper Fidelis,
John McClain
Letter 2
Dear Al:
The libertarian movement is the poorer with his passing.
Best regards,
Walter
From: Alan Holoubek
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2020 10:05 AM
Subject: Walter E. Williams
Dear Dr. Block,
I truly enjoy your words in Lewrockwell.com, regarding Dr. Williams. I was sadden to hear of his pasting which I found out through Thomas DiLorenzo’s article. Dr. Williams was a great man. I admired him so much. His plain and simple way of illustrating an issue, and making it have so much meaning and accuracy. We’ve lost a great man. I only hope that God can give us another like him.
Take care,
Al Holoubek
Letter 3
Dear David:
Walter was indeed magnificent and inspirational.
Best regards,
Walter
From: David Cheney
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2020 10:59 AM
Subject: Dr. Williams
I am a long time fan of Walter Williams writings. Every article he wrote for LRC was a gem. Each day, when I went to the LRC site I would look for the list of essays and if he had an article to read it was the first I opened.
Having lived in Philly for a time I am familiar with the area he grew up in. I admire the courage he showed to rise from that life.
I will miss his writings, insight, intellect and his wit.\
I wish I had told him how much his words meant to me.
David
Letter 4
Dear Richard:
Thanks for your kind words. With Walter’s passing, we have lost one of the important leaders of the libertarian movement.
Best regards,
Walter
From: Richard Conboy
Sent: Friday, December 11, 2020 9:23 AM
To: Walter E Block <[email protected]>
Subject: PLEASE CONTINUE
I have read many of your articles over the years, but for some reason, no so many lately. Perhaps I have raced too quickly through available articles.
However, with the loss of Walter Williams, we all need you more. Intelligent articles, by intelligent authors (black, white, or otherwise) are hard to find. Please keep up your usual good work.
God bless, and have a great day,
Richard Conboy
Mountain Home, Arkansas
Letter 5
From: Walter Block <[email protected]>
Sent: Thursday, December 10, 2020 12:01 AM
To: ‘paul dawson’
Subject: RE: Unfortunately, I didn’t know Walter
Dear Paul:
Well said.
Best regards,
Walter
From: paul dawson
Sent: Wednesday, December 09, 2020 11:39 PM
Subject: Unfortunately, I didn’t know Walter
My sweet wife and I made him a sympathy card when his wife died. And he is a symbol that all blacks should revere instead of the thugs and rappers that they use as a guiding light.
BEST,
Paul
Letter 6
Dear Marlene:
I see your point.
Here’s what I see as a reductio against it: it logically implies compulsory bi sexuality. Heteros and homos of both sexes are discriminatory, as you use the term; only bi sexuals are not.
Well, maybe, I exxagerated too much. Let me try again: it logically implies that only bi sexuality is “based on particularly good data.”
Lots of people think it is perfectly acceptable to be “discriminatory” in persoal relations such as sex. But not in business. I don’t see any such bifurcation as legitimate. Either is is justified to discriminate, or it is not, and this should apply to all realms.
Best regards,
Walter
From: Marlene Friis
Sent: Tuesday, December 08, 2020 9:21 PM
To: Walter Block <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: Thanks for your tribute to Walter E. Williams
Sure, I guess the last column I read was the one about discrimination and prejudice. It read like he was purposefully using discrimination as being discriminate as opposed to discriminatory, which felt a bit forced, even intellectually dishonest. Just because we have developed expedient ways to make decisions doesn’t mean that these decisions are based on particularly good data.
Marlene
On Tue, Dec 8, 2020 at 9:05 PM Walter Block <[email protected]> wrote:
Dear Marlene:
Thanks. May I ask on which issues did you disagree with him? His views and mine are VERY similar.
Best regards,
Walter
From: Marlene Friis
Sent: Tuesday, December 08, 2020 9:04 PM
Subject: Thanks for your tribute to Walter E. Williams
Dear Walter,
Thanks for your tribute in the paper today; I wouldn’t have known of Walter E. Williams’ passing otherwise. I didn’t always agree with him, but I appreciated his viewpoint.
I’m sorry you lost a colleague and a friend.
Best wishes,
Marlene
4:01 am on December 12, 2020
