You know, I find this a bit odd. Quite often, they will do toxicology to see if there were drugs in a person’s system which contributed to their mental state that led them to commit suicide. HST supposedly said that he’d take himself out if he had a terminal illness.
You were born with a Lust for Truth, and a sense that the World was Mad.
Bye, Doc.
We’ll miss you. 
Agreed. Aren’t toxicology tests pretty much standard for suicides? I suspect that the coroner was probably afraid of what he’d find.
I spent this entire past weekend–holiday included–feeling utterly miserable. Now I know that I had a good reason.
I just heard today about Hunter’s death. The news has brought me close to tears. Another of my heroes is gone. I always wanted to write like Thompson; certainly to write as well as him. That’s a fool’s dream, of course. Talent like that doesn’t get doled out to just anyone.
I’m shocked, but I can’t say I’m surprised that Hunter took himself out. He could see the writing on the wall, and read it with far more comprehension than anyone else. These days are Ugly, and they’re getting uglier, and I don’t blame him in the least for saying, “Enough is enough.”
Of course, I’ll have to re-read F&LiLV as soon as possible. Now would be a good time to savor Thompson’s genius once more. I can’t think of a better way to send him on his way.
And I would like to thank everyone for posting their feelings about losing HST. It’s comforting to know how many others are touched by his passing. There are few “celebrities” whose death would make a mark on me–HST is one.
And I’ll always carry with me the lesson I learned from Thompson, the one I learned from reading his scathing indictments of all the evil greedheads who seek to ruin the world for the sake of their petty desires, the words I repeat to myself whenever the disgust and hatred–and yes, the fear and the loathing–threaten to overwhelm me: “Today’s pig is tomorrow’s bacon.”
May all the bastard fry. Soon. And may Hunter finally find what he was always looking for.
Sorry. That last line should have been:
May all the bastards fry. Soon. And may Hunter finally find what he was always looking for.
I think that it depends upon local laws, but given that there’s a wide number of meds out there which put people at risk for suicide, one would think that they’d want to check. Unless, of course, this wasn’t a spur of the moment thing on Hunter’s part.
Or, in HST’s case, the lack of meds could have put him at risk. Imagine if his toxicology test turned up nothing?
I’m surprised that they’re forgoing toxicology, since I assume it is S.O.P., however, I think it is safe to assume that if Hunter Thompson were the type of person who could be driven to suicide by a drug, he would have been gone a looooong time ago. The coroner’s decision is both brave and just.
A new Superfund site, perhaps?
Since no one’s linked to it. here’s Ralph Steadman’s thoughts on Hunter’s passing.
Perfectly twisted and perfectly logical. It explains a lot that HST thought like that–who else would have even come up with such a concept? What a magnificent motherfucking mind!
That wouldn’t be a pinch from Sabatini, would it, Bosda? “He was born with a gift of laughter, and a sense that the world was mad.” Rafael Sabatini, Scaramouche.
Rather, a paraphrasing.
Thanks Labdad for putting the link to the nixon obit; truly amazing writing.
I had a thought today while listening to a piece on Malcom X. They were talking about how Malcom was evolving and changing as a person, and how that’s what got him killed. The last thing of Hunter’s that I read was Hunter’s statement that he’d be voting for Kerry. Of course, this isn’t surprising, I mean Satan’s got a better chance of getting his soul back from Rove and Cheney than Bush getting Hunter’s vote. I expected a wonderful tirade against Bush by Hunter, like the one he did when Clarence Thomas was being considered as a SCOTUS justice, instead there was this rambling, incomprehensible piece which made no sense at all.
It was like Hunter was trying to convince himself that if Kerry somehow got elected we wouldn’t be just as fucked as we are now. He couldn’t do it, and I think he knew that. He also knew that if he spewed his usual dose of vitrol over Bush and Kerry (as he no doubt wanted to), then he’d be seen as a traitor to his ideals. I think that Hunter knew that the world had changed, and that if he changed as well (as is only natural), then some misguided nutjob was going to kill him. So Hunter, not wanting someone to end his life in a manner and time not of his own choosing, killed himself.
Yes, in America, if you criticize politicians, you are killed.
No, in America, if you are a political figure, and seem to change who you are, you’re killed.
The Air Force publishes a magazine called Airman. When Johnny Cash died, they ran a tribute with his old AF picture: “Before he was the Man In Black, he was a man in Blue.”
Something tells me that Airman won’t be doing the same thing for Hunter. Pity.
I am reading Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas,
Uh… it’s happened, but it’s not like it’s a matter of routine.