Norton Statement on Passing of William Raspberry

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today released the following statement on the death of Washington Post columnist William Raspberry.

"American journalism has lost one of its sages, but the District of Columbia has lost much more with the passing of Bill Raspberry. Bill wrote about the world and about life, but he also often wrote about the city he called home. Bill Raspberry loved this city, but he never coddled us. He managed to make us listen even when we did not want to hear.

I did not see as much of Bill and Sandra as I did before my mother, who was a longtime neighbor on their street, died, or when he used to pop up at receptions to tease and provoke. Still, his passing leaves us with the empty sense of loss when a friend leaves much too soon. In the District, we can find some comfort in remembering that although Bill's esoteric brilliance allowed him to roam and tackle whatever subject entered his fertile mind, he often stopped close to home, leaving with us some of the most memorable thoughts ever written about his hometown."

Published: July 20, 2012