Food for thought as we reflect on what once made this country great. Are the efforts of our forebearers relevant when we have allowed the work to fade away?

This is a long time coming.

Just think of all of the potential technological advances we missed out on because of simple fear and bigotry. May we all get better at handling each other’s differences.

Some follow up on Pete Seeger’s passing, including this obit from our local NPR music station.

Also, this old Fresh Air interview from longer ago than I would like it to feel.

America lost a voice of the people today. Pete Seeger passed on early today. I remember my father and grandfather teaching me about him and the Guthries and the voices who kept those fighting for their rights a reason to unify, and sometimes to smile. They told the stories of our nation, often in the only way folks would listen to them.

Start here. They keep adding stuff over at the Maddow blog and there hasn’t been a bad piece yet.

If you still can, read the New York Times obituary.

Also read this from PRI.

Some backstory on Seeger and his fight against censors and the hate-filled boogeymen like Joe MacCarthy.

And, a rememberance, from a contemporary.

Let us wrap up with this from the Nightly News.

CBS video

Here’s how to honor a man better than most will ever be.

And here is how conservatives think of him.

A few interviews with Colonel Hadfield to pass along.

The first, from PRI’s The World program is a nice round up of the story as you’ve probably already heard it.

Here’s one from what is apparently the Aussie version of 60 minutes. Who knew, right?

And, of course, audio from the game show “Wait, Wait…Don’t Tell Me”.

I love how age has only made John Lewis all the stronger. Here he is on Bill Moyers’ show (and why the hell are they cancelling that?) a few months back.

More painful to listen to is this interview with Krista Tippett, who for my money is probably the most horrid interviewer alive.

Even so, Lewis prevails through her constant interruptions and pithy BS and gives a hell of a discussion.