R.I.P. Bark

I don't know what else to say.

I met Bark once, and, distracted, didn't take full advantage of the opportunity. So I don't know what kinds of conversations or mischief we might have found ourselves in, had we gotten to know each other better.

I regretted, almost immediately, that I didn't speak to him more. But I comforted myself with thoughts of "Next time".

There was no next time.

Some people's activism is easy to see. They write books, or give speeches, or create songs that inspire others. They lead protests or go off to live the simple life, and share their successes and failures so others will benefit. Whether they like it or not, whether they want it or not, by the actions they choose, they get noticed by others.

Other people's activism can be very difficult to see, particularly if the person makes little effort to be noticed, or actively tries to avoid notice. The guy who's always in the back row, always quiet -- but who donates generously to help the visible activists when they have an Imperial Entanglement or otherwise run into hard times. The coder who puts together the cool web site for the forum or the store front for the author's books. The tech guy who keeps domain names renewed, servers going, software updated. It's easy for many to look past these contributions, and the people who make them, in order to catch sight of the more visible activists. But without them, how well could we see those visible ones?

If not for Bark, and his work with Elias in creating The Mental Militia's first web site, I would never have met Elias. So many fun memories with Elias! Like "stealing" Porta-Potties ... drinking some damn fine scotch and kicking around good ideas with other good friends. And all the good people I've met through my friendship with Elias! If not for Bark and his work creating and maintaining The Claire Files Forum, I would not have met and exchanged ideas with other pro-freedom people -- too many to count, but among those who'd be recognized here are Kirsten, Herself, and Jac, whom I consider friends. Nor would I have had my thinking challenged and subsequently improved. All from just one person quietly doing his thing.

Thank you, Bark, for having created such places, and for enriching my life through your work. Thank you, Elias, for being his good friend, and for allowing us to help him and you during his illness. You gave us the opportunity to recognize what Bark had contributed to our lives, and to acknowledge our appreciation -- and our debt to him. Above and beyond everything else each of you did, you've shown what true friendship is.

Bark will be missed in person, but his legacy -- the understated legacy of many "invisible" activists -- will ripple through generations of liberty-loving individuals.