On Howard Zinn: There has been no one in my life since the historian Howard Zinn, left wing professor, at Boston University in the late 60's who had a more profound influence on me than he. I truly loved this man for over 40 years and remained in touch via email. I call that generation of the late 1960's the greatest generation as the values of peace it promulgated and the hope it engendered for me has gone unmatched.

Although he is gone, I will continue to re-listen to his lectures, re-read his book, and try to keep his spirit alive in my heart for the rest of my own life. I am saddened today but in my email from him just about three days ago when I felt so dispirited by the the election in Massachusetts as it seems yet again I am assaulted by the forces on the right standing on the precipice of regaining power (as if the last eight years were not enough), said that I should never lose hope, that I should always continue to remember that change comes not from the top down but from the bottom up. He said I should never give up my passion for justice and change. He lived that fight up even up until his death yesterday, January 27, and said there can be no change without hard work and that it is, as iterated in his recent documentary for the History Channel, the people who truly speak. I will always remember him.