Tim Russert

With the passing of Tim Russert this past weekend the US media have taken their arrogance to a new level. Instead of eulogizing Mr Russert they are using his death to talk about the importance and relevance of the media in North America. Sadly his passing has given them a vehicle to immortalize their own self interests.
When I think of Tim Russert I think of his fabulous book " Big Russ and I" where he writes about his relationship with his father. If you read this book you will get an insight into Tim Russert that you wouldn’t get by watching him on TV. His father was one of the "amazing generation" who lived through the great depression, won World War II and then returned home to build the richest and most successful country in the world. His father worked two jobs to support his family while not once whining or complaining about his country or its government. He understood he was entitled to nothing but the opportunity to succeed. He also knew that hard work was the pathway to success and he proceeded to do what was necessary to get there. In an interview during the book promo tour Tim said he wrote the book not only to illustrate his relationship with his father but also to pass on the life lessons he received from him. These lessons would be beneficial to all and should be a must read for our younger generation. Finally when someone asked him what was the one word he would use to describe his father’s life he said “sacrifice”. This is a word not well understood in this day and age.