Still working through torrential grief at the needless loss of the tremendous Tom Waters to the U.S. government’s utterly inept, negligent and even intentional mishandling of Covid-19.
Tom was a childhood friend who by the age of 13 had turned me on to more lifelong everlasting books, music and social justice concepts than even many elderly Beat Generation luminaries would a full decade later. Imagine a couple twelve year old boys ensconced in a hot, humid summer attic listening to Leadbelly, Robert Johnson, Charles Mingus and Thelonious Monk while reading Friedrich Engels and Hunter S. Thompson.
Instead of using his highly unusual genius, sensitivity and intelligence to make the easy millions he would have in industry, Tom dedicated his life to non-profit and the viciously embattled housing rights of the downtrodden. He is an example to us all to fight mightily against greed and corruption, as this must-read remembrance reveals:
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