Rest Gently, Ellen Willis

Ellen Willis' funeral is being held next door to me today as I write. (The funeral home next door also had Jerry Orbach's funeral and is known as the place to be for the important secular Jewish dead.) I didn't know enough about her before she died, but in reading all the obits and tributes to her, I realize how much I have missed and what a big hole she is leaving in the world.

Her excellent article about Israel, human rights, the American left, and self-hating Jews is fantastic. I feel the same way, but obviously write about it far less eloquently. (She doesn't use the word "fuck" or any derivation of it.) She also wrote many wonder ful articles about feminism and porn, and is a belated role model for me.

I am so sorry I missed her while she was alive.