in private life and here on FR.
Posted on 08/20/2010 6:45:10 PM PDT by DollyCali
Thanks to FReeper libbylu
Congressman Billybob has died.
ACRU Mourns the Passing of John Armor
John Armor”John was a great American, a dear friend and a champion of liberty,” says Susan Carleson, CEO and Chairman of the American Civil Rights Union. “He will be sorely missed.”
On August 20, 2010, ACRU Senior Legal Counsel John Armor passed away in a North Carolina hospital, following cancer surgery. He had appeared to be in full recovery, so his death was a shock to family and friends.
Armor, a graduate of Yale University and the University of Maryland School of Law, had a long and distinguished career, practicing before the U.S. Supreme Court for 33 years and authoring eight books and hundreds of articles. His latest book, These Are the Times That Try Men’s Souls: America Then and Now in the Words of Tom Paine (ACRU 2010), is being released in early September.
“It was a blessing that he got to see it, hold it in his hands,” Carleson said.
These Are The Times That Try Men’s Souls A favorite at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) and Tea Party events, especially in North Carolina where he lived, Armor dressed in colonial garb and impersonated Benjamin Franklin, explaining the origins of American liberties to 21st Century audiences. Some of his performances can be seen on YouTube.
“John was one of the first people that my husband Bob [Carleson] brought on board at the ACRU when there was no money, just great spirit,” said Carleson, who met Armor when they worked together on the National Commission of the Bicentennial of the Constitution in 1986. “He has been a delight to work with and will be sorely missed. This is a deep loss to his wife Michelle, to his children, his friends and his colleagues at the ACRU.”
Armor, who was one of the few attorneys to write an amicus brief in the presidential election case in 2000, was a well known legal scholar of American politics, particularly third party movements. He represented Eugene McCarthy during the Minnesota Senator’s challenge of Lyndon Baines Johnson’s presidency in 1968.
“John was also the first to figure out the constitutional basis of recalling federal officials,” Carleson said. “That led to the ACRU’s current campaign, RecallCongressNow.org, to educate Americans about the laws in 11 states that allow for recall as a way to ensure greater accountability.”
For the past several years, Armor wrote the weekly “ACLU Outrages” feature for the ACRU’s Website. “John had his finger on the pulse of the ACLU, tracking their misdeeds and writing amusing and disturbing accounts,” Carleson said. “He said he never worried about finding material, because the ACLU’s absurd stances came as reliably as ‘the rain falling on the fields of Ireland.’”
Susan Carleson, Chairman, CEO
condolences and prayers
Dolly, I’m trying to locate the post which related the story of how John and his wife met after so many years and married which I read last night. It’s such a charming story—I wanted to pass it to a friend—but I can’t find it. Don’t remember the number. I’m sure it was before their wedding photograph because I was so pleased to see them together. I hope it isn’t one that was removed.!
Thanks again for all the time you have spent putting this all together.
Lord, we ask Thee to rest the soul of Thy servant John.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost, amen.
It was post 246 & it was pulled.
I have written to the author of the post requesting the link in PM. I will share with you then.
RIP sir, I feel honored to have known you and blessed that I got to see you speak as Ben Franklin last fall. You will be missed.
thnaks... I bookmarked it in case this one also disappears
(((((onyx))))))
It wasn’t a bad dream. :-(
I can’t begin to say how many messages I have received from CBB. May he rest in peace. Now NC FREEPERS it’s up to us to keep up the fight! LET’S ROLL!
I thought he was getting better.
What happened?
Post operative infection?
His heart ‘just quit’?
Any info at all?
This is.. weird.
Deepest condolences to Mrs. Armor and their family. Rest in peace, Mr. Armor.
Likewise.
((((( Protect the Bill of Rights )))))
I know. Still very sad today, but the shock has subsided. Prayers now for his grieving family and his sweet soul.
What an incalculable loss; not only for Free Republic, but for the country.
RIP, Sir, you will be sorely missed.
RIP Cong. BB
You know once he got settled he looked up Tony and told him how much we miss him. ;-)
I imagine “complications” means anyone of a number of unexpected events happened. Sometimes unrelated health issues seem to come out of the blue.
As a nurse, the human spirit has never ceased to amaze me. I think of his last column and I know, without reservation, he was saying goodbye. He may not have known it on a conscious level, but his soul knew he was leaving this earth soon. I have seen it over & over again. God has a way of putting the peices together.
Prayers for his family. May God wrap our prayers around his family for comfort and strength.
Deepest sympathies to his family.
RIP, BillyBob.
Great post. Thanks from all of us.
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