I just now learned that Jon Swift has died. I’m typing those words and I can’t even believe it.
The great Jon Swift has died. That’s the “blogging” angle to a personal tragedy. In reality, the voice of Jon Swift – the hilarious faux conservative blogger whose talent and passion were evident in every post – belonged to Al Weisel, a sweet and good-natured journalist who happened to be the college roommate of my once-and-future collaborator Jason Chervokas.
I knew Jon’s blogging (I can’t call him Al; I didn’t even know his real name until now) from my own earliest days as a blogger. He was a contributing writer at Shakesville at the same period of time that I was. Jon ran an annual blogging event designed to raise awareness of less-well-known bloggers; he would ask other B-listers (like me, with my blog Liberty Street) to contribute what we felt to be our best posts for that year, and add other lesser known but well-deserving bloggers to our blogrolls.
If this post seems a little disjointed, it’s because I am just absolutely felled by this news. I can’t believe it. I know it’s true, but I just can’t believe it.
Jon was so young and so talented and such a fine person. I can only hope his family and other loved ones find strength to carry on without him, and some sort of peace, eventually.
Rest in peace, Jon. You were very special.
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