OPOL has moved on

I just read this dreadful news on daily kos.

Although he hasn’t blogged here in a long while, and I too have mostly been a lurker for many years, I felt I had to come here to share the sad news that OPOL has passed away suddenly after a massive heart attack. I learned the sad news of Randy’s passing on Facebook.

As usual I am at a loss for words so I will leave you with what
srkp23 wrote:

He was a man of great force and charisma; a passionate and compassionate, uncompromising warrior for justice; a devoted father; a vet (iirc); an artist; a person who had lived a lot of life and drew insight and love from all of his experiences. He sometimes burned with righteous rage; he was alive and real and honest. And now he is no longer with us.
We’ll miss you, dear brother OPOL. You were a hell of a human being, Randy. May you rest in peace and power!

BOHICA posted this video of OPOL's thoughts on writing for a blog.

Link to OPOL's page if anyone wants to peruse his diaries on DK that were so full of passion.

I imagine that Native, RiverLover, divineorder and OPOL are having a hell of a party in the great beyond right now and giving the universe hell.

15911743689_646596acae_o.jpg

I believe this is a photo of OPOL that I found on one of his diaries.
Thanks, OPOL for touching my life the way you did.

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enhydra lutris's picture

he will be missed.

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That, in its essence, is fascism--ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power. -- Franklin D. Roosevelt --

thanatokephaloides's picture

Although I always say nihil umquam in oblivione est (nothing is ever forgotten) when mourning a death, it is truer of OPOL than of many others as he made damn sure he would never be forgotten amongst us.

We lose the best ones too soon.

Give rose

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9uyMjzmT3k]

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@thanatokephaloides

to fill the air.

Damn, I will miss him.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

wendy davis's picture

about his son having taught him about fasting for health, but this seems appropriate:

[video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RvGVuqq8lIk]

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Anja Geitz's picture

I will always remember his forceful and righteous spirit during a time where it was much needed. His message emboldened me and made me re-think some of my social, political, and healthwise ways of living. Such sad news. Between this news and the news of Bernie's hospitalization, it's been a solemn morning of reflective thoughts. Life certainly has a way of making the rest of us pay attention...

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

for the community of hope in the fight for peace.

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I only interacted with him personally a few times over at the t o p / g o s. His writing there and to a lesser extent here were always inspiring and insightful. A life well lived. Rest in Power OPOL.

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Shahryar's picture

I don't think he'd mind my expressing it that way. He was one of us and would understand.

Life is precious, let's enjoy every second.

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Anja Geitz's picture

@Shahryar

None of us knows. When I turned 50, I told myself I did not want to die living in New York and working down on Wall Street for investment bankers. So, I moved back to California, simplified my life, and took a huge pay cut. I'm not saying that kind of change is for everyone, but I couldn't be happier with my life, what I'm doing, and where I plan to go.

Impermanence is one of the most basic teachings of Buddhism. This also extends to living an authentic life, which we cannot do until we accept our mortality.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Not Henry Kissinger's picture

Yawn you f**king idiots

I'm not saying that government is inherently bad and we don't need one. I'm no libertarian. I'm saying our particular government, dominated and owned as it is by the 1%, is bad to the bone, lies through its teeth and supports all the wrong people doing all the wrong things - and that we desperately need a new one. We need a government that does the right things for the American people, the earth and all the other people of the world. We need a government that respects our rights and our privacy. We need to live in a country where dissent is possible and the government doesn't inspire the rest of the world to want to kill us – which is the only thing that will ever keep us safe from terrorism (though, as pointed out above, statistically not that much of a problem). Manufacturing terrorists all over the world by taking anything we want by force and ruthlessly fucking over anybody who gets in our way hasn't worked out so well. Blaming the Security State on those who object is a pretty slick and cynical trick though.

Dissent, which has been called the highest form of patriotism, may well be on its last legs in this country. It is now impossible to organize any kind of opposition, no matter how innocent or righteous, without government spooks breathing down your neck. Surveillance quashes dissent...all dissent. Just remember who the government thinks is a threat: peace activists, dissidents, kids who dare object to the raw deal being crammed down their throats

A lot of people want desperately to believe that our government is a bunch of really good guys simply doing their best to keep us safe from the terrorists. It's understandable that people want to believe that but pretty fucking outrageous that anyone actually does.

Nobody ranted better than OPOL.

Nobody.

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The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?

Anja Geitz's picture

@Not Henry Kissinger

I remember reading OPOL's rants during the 2016 primaries back at TOP. They were a thing of beauty in a cesspool of bottom feeders.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

@Not Henry Kissinger !
Thank you for posting this! I wish we could fly it as a banner over the whole country today!

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snoopydawg's picture

@Not Henry Kissinger

I have been reading some of OPOL's older essays on DK and man could he write. He talked about so many issues and opened our minds to how we were being screwed 6 ways to Sunday. If anyone has some time on their hands and wants to reacquaint themselves with is writing I posted a link to his page. OPOL's voice will be missed.

7760894636_b380ac87f7_o.jpg

Indeed OPOL!

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

https://www.dailykos.com/blog/One%20Pissed%20Off%20Liberal

So NOW people on that site are praising him? They treated him like shit. I hate the hypocrisy.

He came to my rescue several times. Sorry to hear that a very much needed voice is gone.

Peace to his family.

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"Without the right to offend, freedom of speech does not exist." Taslima Nasrin

Anja Geitz's picture

@Fishtroller 02

Since I left in 2016, and that jumped out at me as well. Laurence Lewis expressing his condolences, and others of his ilk, commenting that they didn't always "agree" with him but....., reminded me of a bunch of bloody vultures masquerading as "doves of peace" because its advantageous for them to do so. But since this isn't the place or the time to elaborate, I'll leave it at that.

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Lisa Lockwood's picture

@Fishtroller 02 @Fishtroller 02 yeah....Markos even dropped a sad face in the RIP diary...the self-unawareness is just stupefying.

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"When the powerless are shut out of the media, we will make the media irrelevant" ~Anonymous~

snoopydawg's picture

@Lisa Lockwood

That was the one that made me laugh. Sure, kos, tell us how sad you are when it was your decision that anyone who didn't kiss up to Herheinous was told to leave the site and that was why OPOL left.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

thanatokephaloides's picture

@snoopydawg

That was the one that made me laugh. Sure, kos, tell us how sad you are when it was your decision that anyone who didn't kiss up to Herheinous was told to leave the site and that was why OPOL left.

Kos really had no choice, any more than the others of his ilk over at TOP. Denying OPOL his props would result in the summoning, stirring, and calling forth every ex-Kossack from here to go over there to eat face. And come we would have, in force!

It would not have been a pleasant experience for Markos.

Hence, the socially acceptable condolences.

Bad

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"US govt/military = bad. Russian govt/military = bad. Any politician wanting power = bad. Anyone wielding power = bad." --Shahryar

"All power corrupts absolutely!" -- thanatokephaloides

snoopydawg's picture

@thanatokephaloides

OPOL got timed out for his diary after kos made the decision and thumb came here asking for people to go there and support him. And come they did. This thread is long so I can imagine how long the whole thing was. Lots of names that I haven't seen in quite awhile and lots of names that kissed up to kos that I'm still seeing. Apparently 40 people were banned just before OPOL wrote that.

kos Mar 29 · 02:15:11 PM
Heh, so I guess this is the “how far can we push Markos” strategy? Congratulations! You did it by explicitly violating the “malicious criticism” rule

You don’t like the restriction, it’s a big internet! This is the time when someone will come in and offer links to Reddit and other sites. If this is the sort of shit you need to get you through the day, then I heartily recommend you follow those links and stay at those sites, because I refuse to let this site become a cesspool for anti-Clinton (or anti-Sanders) hatred. That that fucking shit elsewhere.

Someone posted this without comment in response to kos. How anyone could watch it and still support Herheinous is beyond comprehension. This was a great example of Hillary's being a windsock.

I have spent too much time today reading his essays here and over there. Lots of great stuff by OPOL. His voice will be missed.

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Which AIPAC/MIC/pharma/bank bought politician are you going to vote for? Don’t be surprised when nothing changes.

Not Henry Kissinger's picture

@Lisa Lockwood

is for all the traffic he lost.

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The current working assumption appears to be that our Shroedinger's Cat system is still alive. But what if we all suspect it's not, and the real problem is we just can't bring ourselves to open the box?

Anja Geitz's picture

@Not Henry Kissinger

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There is always Music amongst the trees in the Garden, but our hearts must be very quiet to hear it. ~ Minnie Aumonier

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@Fishtroller 02

in continuing to speak of people the same after they have died as you did when they were alive.

OPOL walked in integrity. It's just too bad for Markos he doesn't do the same.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Daenerys's picture

(Saw the other essay first as I read top-bottom.) He will be greatly missed.

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This shit is bananas.

Raggedy Ann's picture

He went the best way possible. I had a husband go that way and I've been grateful for no suffering, no oss of quality of life. He lived hard and died fast. Way to go, OPOL. I will miss him terribly. Pleasantry

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"The “jumpers” reminded us that one day we will all face only one choice and that is how we will die, not how we will live." Chris Hedges on 9/11

sad sad news. I noticed he was logged in for a while just yesterday.

He liked using the term "big medicine". Go in peace and with Big Medicine, my brother.

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JekyllnHyde's picture

He was a wonderful person, one who actually believed in something. And very supportive of the work that others did. A terrible loss for all who believed in fairness, justice, and accountability.

RIP Randy. You touched a lot of lives.

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A riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma

He was a strong advocate for his fellow prison inmates.
He was a good man, and a good friend.

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"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." ---- William Casey, CIA Director, 1981

Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

@on the cusp

that he lived precisely as he wanted to live, and he wanted to live in peace and justice. To the extent that he could make that happen, he did.

I will miss him.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

I am just one of the many lurkers here and for a short time at top but I always looked forward to to any and all of his essays and will miss all of the insight I have gained from reading them. my condolence to his family e will be missed by everyone he touched.

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zett's picture

I hate this. I'm so sorry. I will miss him.

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I read the earlier post and commented there but I think Not Henry Kissinger summed it up perfectly, no one could rant like OPOL. Did enjoy all his essays both here and at TOP. He and DO loved to think of themselves as Dirty F##cking Hippies and had many a conversation about things going on that bothered them. If there is a place on the other side, hope the two of them are sharing their love for all that has gone before them. Sad that such a wonderful voice as been silenced. Peace out, OPOL.

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Life is what you make it, so make it something worthwhile.

This ain't no dress rehearsal!

pecanlandman's picture

Rest in peace brother, the fight continues.

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Michael Apperson

OPOL my brother.

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travelerxxx's picture

Took losing OPOL to get me to log in to the GOS.

That place doesn't deserve him. Paid my respects and logged out.

The loss of some people leaves a hole that can't be filled.

Sadness.

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Cant Stop the Macedonian Signal's picture

I imagine that Native, RiverLover, divineorder and OPOL are having a hell of a party in the great beyond right now and giving the universe hell.

May it be so.

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"More for Gore or the son of a drug lord--None of the above, fuck it, cut the cord."
--Zack de la Rocha

"I tell you I'll have nothing to do with the place...The roof of that hall is made of bones."
-- Fiver

Jen's picture

I didn't know him personally, but I know his writings. Once I found out that he was no longer writing at TOP, I stopped lurking over there. At that time, I didn't know where everyone had migrated to. I was lost for over a year. I was on Reddit when I found one of his essays with a link to here. I cried tears of joy when I realized that essay led me back to "my people". I wasn't lost anymore.

There's this road sign in Oak Ridge that makes me think of him every time I see it.

I will miss his righteous rants so much. Peace out, OPOL.

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Is it great yet?

gulfgal98's picture

Like most people here, I never met OPOL in person and yet I felt like I knew him. Years ago, he was scheduled to come to meetup in Asheville. I was so excited to finally get to meet him, but unfortunately, he was unable to come. All of us autographed a copy of his book which RandallT sent back to him.

OPOL lived an incredible life, both good and sometimes not so good. Many of his early life experiences were what contributed to his beautiful vision of what the world could and should be. And we were graced with his incredible ability to paint a picture of his vision with us.

There are many wonderful memories that I have of OPOL. I remember his righteous outrage against injustice. I remember his wonderful prose that always read like poetry. But most of all, I remember how proud he was of his son, Daniel. My heart goes out to Daniel and the rest of OPOL's family and I thank them that you allowed us to share him with you.

May your journey into the next plane be as beautiful and colorful as the one you had in this mortal plane, Randy. I will miss you very much. Nancy

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Do I hear the sound of guillotines being constructed?

“Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable." ~ President John F. Kennedy