Robert Parry, editor and publisher of Consortium News, died peacefully Saturday evening. In this tribute, his son Nat Parry describes Robert’s unwavering commitment to independent journalism.
Robert Parry, 1949-2018
By Nat Parry
It is with a heavy heart that we inform Consortium News readers that Editor Robert Parry has passed away. As regular readers know, Robert (or Bob, as he was known to friends and family) suffered a stroke in December, which – despite his own speculation that it may have been brought on by the stress of covering Washington politics – was the result of undiagnosed pancreatic cancer that he had been unknowingly living with for the past 4-5 years.
He unfortunately suffered two more debilitating strokes in recent weeks and after the last one, was moved to hospice care on Tuesday. He passed away peacefully Saturday evening. He was 68.
Those of us close to him wish to sincerely thank readers for the kind comments and words of support posted on recent articles regarding Bob’s health issues. We read aloud many of these comments to him during his final days to let him know how much his work has meant to so many people and how much concern there was for his well-being.
I am sure that these kindnesses meant a lot to him. They also mean a lot to us as family members, as we all know how devoted he was to the mission of independent journalism and this website which has been publishing articles since the earliest days of the internet, launching all the way back in 1995.
With my dad, professional work has always been deeply personal, and his career as a journalist was thoroughly intertwined with his family life. I can recall kitchen table conversations in my early childhood that focused on the U.S.-backed wars in Central America and complaints about how his editors at The Associated Press were too timid to run articles of his that – no matter how well-documented – cast the Reagan administration in a bad light.
One of my earliest memories in fact was of my dad about to leave on assignment in the early 1980s to the war zones of El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala, and the heartfelt good-bye that he wished to me and my siblings. He warned us that he was going to a very dangerous place and that there was a possibility that he might not come back.
I remember asking him why he had to go, why he couldn’t just stay at home with us. He replied that it was important to go to these places and tell the truth about what was happening there. He mentioned that children my age were being killed in these wars and that somebody had to tell their stories. I remember asking, “Kids like me?” He replied, “Yes, kids just like you.”
Bob was deeply impacted by the dirty wars of Central America in the 1980s and in many ways these conflicts – and the U.S. involvement in them – came to define the rest of his life and career. With grisly stories emerging from Nicaragua (thanks partly to journalists like him), Congress passed the Boland Amendments from 1982 to 1984, which placed limits on U.S. military assistance to the contras who were attempting to overthrow the Sandinista government through a variety of terrorist tactics.
The Reagan administration immediately began exploring ways to circumvent those legal restrictions, which led to a scheme to send secret arms shipments to the revolutionary and vehemently anti-American government of Iran and divert the profits to the contras. In 1985, Bob wrote the first stories describing this operation, which later became known as the Iran-Contra Affair.
Contra-Cocaine and October Surprise
Poster by street artist and friend of Bob, Robbie Conal
Parallel to the illegal arms shipments to Iran during those days was a cocaine trafficking operation by the Nicaraguan contras and a willingness by the Reagan administration and the CIA to turn a blind eye to these activities. This, despite the fact that cocaine was flooding into the United States while Ronald Reagan was proclaiming a “war on drugs,” and a crack cocaine epidemic was devastating communities across the country.
Bob and his colleague Brian Barger were the first journalists to report on this story in late 1985, which became known as the contra-cocaine scandal, and became the subject of a congressional investigation led by then-Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.) in 1986.
Continuing to pursue leads relating to Iran-Contra during a period in the late 80s when most of Washington was moving on from the scandal, Bob discovered that there was more to the story than commonly understood. He learned that the roots of the illegal arm shipments to Iran stretched back further than previously known – all the way back to the 1980 presidential campaign.
That electoral contest between incumbent Jimmy Carter and challenger Ronald Reagan had come to be largely dominated by the hostage crisis in Iran, with 52 Americans being held at the U.S. embassy in Tehran since the 1979 Iranian Revolution. The Iranian hostage crisis, along with the ailing economy, came to define a perception of an America in decline, with former Hollywood actor Ronald Reagan promising a new start for the country, a restoration of its status as a “shining city on a hill.”
The hostages were released in Tehran moments after Reagan was sworn in as president in Washington on January 20, 1981. Despite suspicions for years that there had been some sort of quid pro quo between the Reagan campaign and the Iranians, it wasn’t until Bob uncovered a trove of documents in a House office building basement in 1994 that the evidence became overwhelming that the Reagan campaign had interfered with the Carter administration’s efforts to free the hostages prior to the 1980 election. Their release sooner – what Carter hoped would be his “October Surprise” – could have given him the boost needed to win.
Examining these documents and being already well-versed on this story – having previously travelled three continents pursuing the investigation for a PBS Frontline documentary – Bob became increasingly convinced that the Reagan campaign had in fact sabotaged Carter’s hostage negotiations, possibly committing an act of treason in an effort to make sure that 52 American citizens continued to be held in a harrowing hostage situation until after Reagan secured the election.
Needless to say, this was an inconvenient story at a time – in the mid-1990s – when the national media had long since moved on from the Reagan scandals and were obsessing over new scandals, mostly related to President Bill Clinton’s sex life and failed real estate deals. Washington also wasn’t particularly interested in challenging the Reagan legacy, which at that time was beginning to solidify into a kind of mythology, with campaigns underway to name buildings and airports after the former president.
At times, Bob had doubts about his career decisions and the stories he was pursuing. As he wrote in Trick or Treason, a book outlining his investigation into the October Surprise Mystery, this search for historical truth can be painful and seemingly thankless.
“Many times,” he wrote, “I had regretted accepting Frontline’s assignment in 1990. I faulted myself for risking my future in mainstream journalism. After all, that is where the decent-paying jobs are. I had jeopardized my ability to support my four children out of an old-fashioned sense of duty, a regard for an unwritten code that expects reporters to take almost any assignment.”
Nevertheless, Bob continued his efforts to tell the full story behind both the Iran-Contra scandal and the origins of the Reagan-Bush era, ultimately leading to two things: him being pushed out of the mainstream media, and the launching of Consortium News.
I remember when he started the website, together with my older brother Sam, back in 1995. At the time, in spite of talk we were all hearing about something called “the information superhighway” and “electronic mail,” I had never visited a website and didn’t even know how to get “on line.” My dad called me in Richmond, where I was a sophomore at Virginia Commonwealth University, and told me I should check out this new “Internet site” he and Sam had just launched.
He explained over the phone how to open a browser and instructed me how to type in the URL, starting, he said, with “http,” then a colon and two forward slashes, then “www,” then “dot,” then this long address with one or two more forward slashes if I recall. (It wasn’t until years later that the website got its own domain and a simpler address.)
I went to the computer lab at the university and asked for some assistance on how to get online, dutifully typed in the URL, and opened this website – the first one I had ever visited. It was interesting, but a bit hard to read on the computer screen, so I printed out some articles to read back in my dorm room.
I quickly became a fan of “The Consortium,” as it was called back then, and continued reading articles on the October Surprise Mystery as Bob and Sam posted them on this new and exciting tool called “the Internet.” Sam had to learn HTML coding from scratch to launch this online news service, billed as “the Internet’s First Investigative ‘Zine.” For his efforts, Sam was honored with the Consortium for Independent Journalism’s first Gary Webb Freedom of the Press Award in 2015.
X-Files and Contra-Crack
At some point along the way, Bob decided that in addition to the website, where he was not only posting original articles but also providing the source documents that he had uncovered in the House office building basement, he would also take a stab at traditional publishing. He compiled the “October Surprise X-Files” into a booklet and self-published it in January 1996.
Original Consortium merchandise from 1996.
He was also publishing a newsletter to complement the website, knowing that at that time, there were still plenty of people who didn’t know how to turn a computer on, much less navigate the World Wide Web. I transferred from Virginia Commonwealth University to George Mason University in the DC suburbs and started working part-time with my dad and Sam on the newsletter and website.
We worked together on the content, editing and laying it out with graphics often culled from books at our local library. We built a subscriber base through networking and purchasing mailing lists from progressive magazines. Every two weeks we would get a thousand copies printed from Sir Speedy and would spend Friday evening collating these newsletters and sending them out to our subscribers.
The launching of the website and newsletter, and later an even-more ambitious project called I.F. Magazine, happened to coincide with the publication in 1996 of Gary Webb’s “Dark Alliance” series at the San Jose Mercury-News. Webb’s series reopened the contra-cocaine controversy with a detailed examination of the drug trafficking networks in Nicaragua and Los Angeles that had helped to spread highly addictive crack cocaine across the United States.
The African-American community, in particular, was rightly outraged over this story, which offered confirmation of many long-standing suspicions that the government was complicit in the drug trade devastating their communities. African Americans had been deeply and disproportionately affected by the crack epidemic, both in terms of the direct impact of the drug and the draconian drug laws and mandatory minimum sentences that came to define the government’s approach to “the war on drugs.”
For a moment in the summer of 1996, it appeared that the renewed interest in the contra-cocaine story might offer an opportunity to revisit the crimes and misdeeds of the Reagan-Bush era, but those hopes were dashed when the “the Big Media” decided to double down on its earlier failures to cover this story properly.
Big Papers Pile On
The Los Angeles Times launched the attack on Gary Webb and his reporting at the San Jose Mercury-News, followed by equally dismissive stories at the Washington Post and New York Times. The piling on from these newspapers eventually led Mercury-News editor Jerry Ceppos to denounce Webb’s reporting and offer a mea culpa for publishing the articles.
The onslaught of hostile reporting from the big papers failed to address the basic premises of Webb’s series and did not debunk the underlying allegations of contra-cocaine smuggling or the fact that much of this cocaine ended up on American streets in the form of crack. Instead, it raised doubts by poking holes in certain details and casting the story as a “conspiracy theory.” Some of the reporting attempted to debunk claims that Webb never actually made – such as the idea that the contra-cocaine trafficking was part of a government plot to intentionally decimate the African-American community.
Gary Webb holds up a copy of the San Jose Mercury-News with his front-page story.
Gary Webb and Bob were in close contact during those days. Bob offered him professional and personal support, having spent his time also on the receiving end of attacks by journalistic colleagues and editors who rejected certain stories – no matter how factual – as fanciful conspiracy theories.
Articles at The Consortium website and newsletter, as well as I.F. Magazine, offered details on the historical context for the “Dark Alliance” series and pushed back against the mainstream media’s onslaught of hostile and disingenuous reporting.
Bob also published the book Lost History which provided extensive details on the background for the “Dark Alliance” series, explaining that far from a baseless “conspiracy theory,” the facts and evidence strongly supported the conclusion that the Reagan-Bush administrations had colluded with drug traffickers to fund their illegal war against Nicaragua.
But sadly, the damage to Gary Webb was done. With his professional and personal life in tatters because of his courageous reporting on the contra-cocaine story, he committed suicide in 2004 at the age of 49. Speaking about this suicide later on Democracy Now, Bob noted how painful it is to be ridiculed and unfairly criticized by colleagues, as his friend had experienced.
“There’s a special pain when your colleagues in your profession turn on you, especially when you’ve done something that they should admire and should understand,” he said. “To do all that work and then have The New York Times and The Washington Post and The Los Angeles Times attack you and try to destroy your life, there’s a special pain in that.”
In consultation with his family, Bob and the Board of Directors for the Consortium for Independent Journalism launched the Gary Webb Freedom of the Press Award in 2015.
The Disastrous Presidency of George W. Bush
The presidency of George W. Bush was surreal for many of us, and no one more so than my dad.
In covering Washington politics for decades, Bob had traced many stories to “Dubya’s” father, George H.W. Bush, who had been implicated in a variety of questionable activities, including the October Surprise Mystery and Iran-Contra. He had also launched a war against Iraq in 1991 that seemed to be motivated, at least in part, to help kick “the Vietnam Syndrome,” i.e. the reluctance that the American people had felt since the Vietnam War to support military action abroad.
As Bob noted in his 1992 book Fooling America, after U.S. forces routed the Iraqi military in 1991, President Bush’s first public comment about the victory expressed his delight that it would finally put to rest the American reflex against committing troops to far-off conflicts. “By God, we’ve kicked the Vietnam Syndrome once and for all,” he exulted.
The fact that Bush-41’s son could run for president largely on name recognition confirmed to Bob the failure of the mainstream media to cover important stories properly and the need to continue building an independent media infrastructure. This conviction solidified through Campaign 2000 and the election’s ultimate outcome, when Bush assumed the White House as the first popular-vote loser in more than a century.
Despite the fact that the U.S. Supreme Court had halted the counting of votes in Florida, thus preventing an accurate determination of the rightful winner, most of the national media moved on from the story after Bush was sworn in on Jan. 20, 2001. Consortium News continued to examine the documentary record, however, and ultimately concluded that Al Gore would have been declared the winner of that election if all the legally cast ballots were counted.
At Consortium News, there was an unwritten editorial policy that the title “President” should never precede George W. Bush’s name, based on our view that he was not legitimately elected. But beyond those editorial decisions, we also understood the gravity of the fact that had Election 2000 been allowed to play out with all votes counted, many of the disasters of the Bush years – notably the 9/11 tragedy and the Iraq War, as well as decisions to withdraw from international agreements on arms control and climate change – might have been averted.
As all of us who lived through the post-9/11 era will recall, it was a challenging time all around, especially if you were someone critical of George W. Bush. The atmosphere in that period did not allow for much dissent. Those who stood up against the juggernaut for war – such as Phil Donahue at MSNBC, Chris Hedges at The New York Times, or even the Dixie Chicks – had their careers damaged and found themselves on the receiving end of death threats and hate mail.
While Bob’s magazine and newsletter projects had been discontinued, the website was still publishing articles, providing a home for dissenting voices that questioned the case for invading Iraq in late 2002 and early 2003. Around this time, former CIA analyst Ray McGovern and some of his colleagues founded Veteran Intelligence Professionals for Sanity and a long-running relationship with Consortium News was established. Several former intelligence veterans began contributing to the website, motivated by the same independent spirit of truth-telling that compelled Bob to invest so much in this project.
At a time when almost the entire mainstream media was going along with the Bush administration’s dubious case for war, this and a few other like-minded websites pushed back with well-researched articles calling into question the rationale. Although at times it might have felt as though we were just voices in the wilderness, a major groundswell of opposition to war emerged in the country, with historic marches of hundreds of thousands taking place to reject Bush’s push for war.
Neck Deep was published by the Media Consortium in 2007.
Of course, these antiwar voices were ultimately vindicated by the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq and the fact that the war and occupation proved to be a far costlier and deadlier enterprise than we had been told that it would be.
Earlier assurances that it would be a “cakewalk” proved as false as the WMD claims, but as had been so often the case in Washington, there was little to no accountability from the mainstream media, the think tanks or government officials for being so spectacularly wrong.
In an effort to document the true history of that era, Bob, Sam and I co-wrote the book Neck Deep: The Disastrous Presidency of George W. Bush, which was published in late 2007. The book traced the work of Consortium News, juxtaposing it against the backdrop of mainstream media coverage during the Bush era, in an effort to not only correct the record, but also demonstrate that not all of us got things so wrong.
We felt it was important to remind readers – as well as future historians – that some of us knew and reported in real time the mistakes that were being made on everything from withdrawing from the Kyoto Protocol, to invading Iraq, to implementing a policy of torture, to bungling the response to Hurricane Katrina.
Obama Era
By the Obama presidency, Consortium News had become a home to a growing number of writers who brought new perspectives to the website’s content. While for years, the writing staff had been limited primarily to Bob, Sam and me, suddenly, Consortium News was receiving contributions from journalists, activists and former intelligence analysts who offered a wide range of expertise – on international law, economics, human rights, foreign policy, national security, and even religion and philosophy.
One recurring theme of articles at the website during the Obama era was the enduring effect of unchallenged narratives, how they shaped national politics and dictated government policy. Bob observed that even a supposedly left-of-center president like Obama seemed beholden to the false narratives and national mythologies dating back to the Reagan era. He pointed out that this could be at least partially attributed to the failure to establish a strong foundation for independent journalism.
In a 2010 piece called “Obama’s Fear of the Reagan Narrative,” Bob noted that Obama had defended his deal with Republicans on tax cuts for the rich because there was such a strong lingering effect of Reagan’s messaging from 30 years earlier. “He felt handcuffed by the Right’s ability to rally Americans on behalf of Reagan’s ‘government-is-the-problem’ message,” Bob wrote.
He traced Obama’s complaints about his powerlessness in the face of this dynamic to the reluctance of American progressives to invest sufficiently in media and think tanks, as conservatives had been doing for decades in waging their “war of ideas.” As he had been arguing since the early 1990s, Bob insisted that the limits that had been placed on Obama – whether real or perceived – continued to demonstrate the power of propaganda and the need for greater investment in alternative media.
He also observed that much of the nuttiness surrounding the so-called Tea Party movement resulted from fundamental misunderstandings of American history and constitutional principles. “Democrats and progressives should be under no illusion about the new flood of know-nothingism that is about to inundate the United States in the guise of a return to ‘first principles’ and a deep respect for the U.S. Constitution,” Bob warned.
He pointed out that despite the Tea Partiers’ claimed reverence for the Constitution, they actually had very little understanding of the document, as revealed by their ahistorical claims that federal taxes are unconstitutional. In fact, as Bob observed, the Constitution represented “a major power grab by the federal government, when compared to the loosely drawn Articles of Confederation, which lacked federal taxing authority and other national powers.”
Motivated by a desire to correct falsified historical narratives spanning more than two centuries, Bob published his sixth and final book, America’s Stolen Narrative: From Washington and Madison to Nixon, Reagan and the Bushes to Obama, in 2012.
Along with revenues from book sales, growing donations from readers enabled Bob to not only pay writers but also to hire an assistant, Chelsea Gilmour, who began working for Consortium News in 2014. In addition to providing invaluable administrative support, Chelsea also performed duties including research, writing and fact-checking.
Political Realignment and the New McCarthyism
Although at the beginning of the Obama era – and indeed since the 1980s – the name Robert Parry had been closely associated with exposing wrongdoing by Republicans, and hence had a strong following among Democratic Party loyalists, by the end of Obama’s presidency there seemed to be a realignment taking place among some of Consortium News’s readership, which reflected more generally the shifting politics of the country.
In particular, the U.S. media’s approach to Russia and related issues, such as the violent ouster in 2014 of Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, became “virtually 100 percent propaganda,” Bob said.
He noted that the full story was never told when it came to issues such as the Sergei Magnitsky case, which led to the first round of U.S. sanctions against Russia, nor the inconvenient facts related to the Euromaidan protests that led to Yanukovych’s ouster – including the reality of strong neo-Nazi influence in those protests – nor the subsequent conflict in the Donbass region of Ukraine.
Bob’s stories on Ukraine were widely cited and disseminated, and he became an important voice in presenting a fuller picture of the conflict than was possible by reading and watching only mainstream news outlets. Bob was featured prominently in Oliver Stone’s 2016 documentary “Ukraine on Fire,” where he explained how U.S.-funded political NGOs and media companies have worked with the CIA and the foreign policy establishment since the 1980s to promote the U.S. geopolitical agenda.
Bob regretted that, increasingly, “the American people and the West in general are carefully shielded from hearing the ‘other side of the story.’” Indeed, he said that to even suggest that there might be another side to the story is enough to get someone branded as an apologist for Vladimir Putin or a “Kremlin stooge.”
The PropOrNot logo
This culminated in late 2016 in the blacklisting of Consortium News on a dubious website called “PropOrNot,” which was claiming to serve as a watchdog against undue “Russian influence” in the United States. The PropOrNot blacklist, including Consortium News and about 200 other websites deemed “Russian propaganda,” was elevated by The Washington Post as a credible source, despite the fact that the neo-McCarthyites who published the list hid behind a cloak of anonymity.
“The Post’s article by Craig Timberg,” Bob wrote on Nov. 27, 2016, “described PropOrNot simply as ‘a nonpartisan collection of researchers with foreign policy, military and technology backgrounds [who] planned to release its own findings Friday showing the startling reach and effectiveness of Russian propaganda campaigns.’”
As Bob explained in an article called “Washington Post’s Fake News Guilt,” the paper granted PropOrNot anonymity “to smear journalists who don’t march in lockstep with official pronouncements from the State Department or some other impeccable fount of never-to-be-questioned truth.”
The Post even provided an unattributed quote from the head of the shadowy website. “The way that this propaganda apparatus supported [Donald] Trump was equivalent to some massive amount of a media buy,” the anonymous smear merchant said. The Post claimed that the PropOrNot “executive director” had spoken on the condition of anonymity “to avoid being targeted by Russia’s legions of skilled hackers.”
To be clear, neither Consortium News nor Robert Parry ever “supported Trump,” as the above anonymous quote claims. Something interesting, however, did seem to be happening in terms of Consortium News’ readership in the early days of the Trump presidency, as could be gleaned from some of the comments left on articles and social media activity.
It did appear for some time at least that a good number of Trump supporters were reading Consortium News, which could probably be attributed to the fact that the website was one of the few outlets pushing back against both the “New Cold War” with Russia and the related story of “Russiagate,” which Bob didn’t even like referring to as a “scandal.” (As an editor, he preferred to use the word “controversy” on the website, because as far as he was concerned, the allegations against Trump and his supposed “collusion” with Russia did not rise to the level of actual scandals such as Watergate or Iran-Contra.)
In his view, the perhaps understandable hatred of Trump felt by many Americans – both inside and outside the Beltway – had led to an abandonment of old-fashioned rules of journalism and standards of fairness, which should be applied even to someone like Donald Trump.
“On a personal note, I faced harsh criticism even from friends of many years for refusing to enlist in the anti-Trump ‘Resistance,’” Bob wrote in his final article for Consortium News.
“The argument was that Trump was such a unique threat to America and the world that I should join in finding any justification for his ouster,” he said. “Some people saw my insistence on the same journalistic standards that I had always employed somehow a betrayal.”
He marveled that even senior editors in the mainstream media treated the unproven Russiagate allegations as flat fact.
“No skepticism was tolerated and mentioning the obvious bias among the never-Trumpers inside the FBI, Justice Department and intelligence community was decried as an attack on the integrity of the U.S. government’s institutions,” Bob wrote. “Anti-Trump ‘progressives’ were posturing as the true patriots because of their now unquestioning acceptance of the evidence-free proclamations of the U.S. intelligence and law enforcement agencies.”
An Untimely End and the Future of Consortium News
My dad’s untimely passing has come as a shock to us all, especially since up until a month ago, there was no indication whatsoever that he was sick in any way. He took good care of himself, never smoked, got regular check-ups, exercised, and ate well. The unexpected health issues starting with a mild stroke Christmas Eve and culminating with his admission into hospice care several days ago offer a stark reminder that nothing should be taken for granted.
And as many Consortium News readers have eloquently pointed out in comments left on recent articles regarding Bob’s health, it also reminds us that his brand of journalism is needed today more than ever.
“We need free will thinkers like you who value the truth based on the evidence and look past the group think in Washington to report on the real reasons for our government’s and our media’s actions which attempt to deceive us all,” wrote, for example, “FreeThinker.”
“Common sense and integrity are the hallmarks of Robert Parry’s journalism. May you get better soon for you are needed more now then ever before,” wrote “T.J.”
“We need a new generation of reporters, journalists, writers, and someone always being tenacious to follow up on the story,” added “Tina.”
As someone who has been involved with this website since its inception – as a writer, an editor and a reader – I concur with these sentiments. Readers should rest assured that despite my dad’s death, every effort will be made to ensure that the website will continue going strong.
Indeed, I think that everyone involved with this project wants to uphold the same commitment to truth-telling without fear or favor that inspired Bob and his heroes like George Seldes, I.F. Stone, and Thomas Paine.
That commitment can be seen in my dad’s pursuit of stories such as those mentioned above, but also so many others – including his investigations into the financial relationship of the influential Washington Times with the Unification Church cult of Rev. Sun Myung Moon, the truth behind the Nixon campaign’s alleged efforts to sabotage President Lyndon Johnson’s Paris peace talks with Vietnamese leaders in 1968, the reality of the chemical attack in Syria in 2013, and even detailed examinations of the evidence behind the so-called “Deflategate” controversy that he felt unfairly branded his favorite football team, the New England Patriots, as cheaters.
Reviewing these journalistic achievements, it becomes clear that there are few stories that have slipped under Consortium News’s radar, and that the historical record is far more complete thanks to this website and Bob’s old-fashioned approach to journalism.
But besides this deeply held commitment to independent journalism, it should also be recalled that, ultimately, Bob was motivated by a concern over the future of life on Earth. As someone who grew up at the height of the Cold War, he understood the dangers of allowing tensions and hysteria to spiral out of control, especially in a world such as ours with enough nuclear weapons to wipe out all life on the planet many times over.
As the United States continues down the path of a New Cold War, my dad would be pleased to know that he has such committed contributors who will enable the site to remain the indispensable home for independent journalism that it has become, and continue to push back on false narratives that threaten our very survival.
Thank you all for your support.
In lieu of flowers, Bob’s family asks you to please consider making a tax-deductible donation to the Consortium for Independent Journalism.
In honor of Bob’s memory, I wanted to present this:
He had mentioned in a speech called “Fooling America” one of the defining moments during the 1980’s when he realized that the MSM was thoroughly corrupted. He realized that the politicians and his editors were meeting together to “get the story straight”.
Bob, you got through to me and a lot of other people in this country. Rest in Peace, We will not let your memory die,
Fooling America: A talk by Robert Parry (Excerpt)
Given in Santa Monica on March 28, 1993
“I came out of AP which is kind of a working class/working man’s kind of news organization so I wasn’t used to this. And we had as our guest that evening Brent Scowcroft, who had been on the Tower Board, and Dick Cheney, who was then – who was going to be the ranking minority figure on the house Iran-Contra Committee, and we’re going through this little delightful dinner, and at one point Brent Scowcroft says, he says “Well, I probably shouldn’t be saying this, but if I were advising Admirable Poindexter, and he HAD told the President about the diversion, I’d advise him to say that he hadn’t.” And being new to this whole, sort of game, I stopped eating, and looked across the table and said “General! You’re not suggesting that the Admiral should commit perjury, are you?” And there was kind of like an embarrassed little silence at the table, and the editor of Newsweek, who was sitting next to me, says – I HOPE partly jokingly but I don’t know – he says, “Sometimes we have to do what’s good for the country.”
Thank you for a magnificent tribute. We have been blessed by such a soul.
My condolences to Mr. Parry family! This is a hard lose!
I appreciate Consortiumnews investigations, they made their way world wide and helped people to understand the situations against main stream media fake lines.
My first contact with Consortiumnews was yesterday….and now I read the passing of its founder. Your description about Consortiumnews as well as your remarks about your Dad has me committed as a continuing reader.
Dearest Nat,
When I read the devastating news about your Dad’s passing, I felt lost and started to weep. He contributed a tremendous body of knowledge to me and how to examine the “news”. I am an admirer of muckraking journalists, and your Dad was one of the greatest, alongside John Pilger, I.F. Stone, George Seldes, Noam Chomsky, etc. Please trust that your Dad was much adored!
I lit a candle for him the evening I learned he had passed. He will be missed to the nth degree.
I hope you and your family find strength. I empathize with you all in your grief and support your mourning process which, I imagine, is unspeakably difficult right now. I am so pleased that consortiumnews will continue in his memory and that it has a tremendous amount of support from the readership.
Peace to Robert Parry and Peace to you and the entire family, Nat. Thanks for writing such a beautiful Memorium for your Dad.
Much respect for his efforts and condolences to his family…
I used to always say, what will happen if Bob were gone. His abilities and knowledge were without peer. In the 80s he had the courage of a lion to stand up to the powers that govern this country, jeopardizing his lively hood and his ability to provide for his young family.
To the Parry Family: I shed tears for the first time since i can remember.
I hope the gods watch over you all.
HOW AND WHY WE SHOULD ALL BE LIKE THE LATE JOURNALISTIC GIANT ROBERT PARRY
Jon Schwarz
February 4 2018, 6:54 a.m.
https://theintercept.com/2018/02/04/robert-parry-journalistic-giant-tribute/
Robert Parry is – to use a word I don’t apply often or lightly – one of our true heroes. He earned his place in the pantheon of great, investigative journalism, and among the great soothsayers of all ages.
Rest in peace, Robert. My god, how we shall miss you! My god, how we need you!!
With gratitude,
Dave Z
PS… Thank you, too, Nat, for stepping into his enormous shoes!
A French philosopher observed that the essence of great ability is knowing the true value of things. Robert Parry’s abilities were unsurpassed because he knew what was really important. He is been a beacon of light for years. My condolences to his family.
Robert Parry, Presente! With deep gratitude for his commitment, courage and love of humanity. We must continue doing the work, and I just made a donation to Consortium news. Condolences to the family, and know that there are many many readers out there who are holding you in our hearts at this time.
God Bless and go get ’em. Do as The Philadelphia Eagles did, reaching their goal by relying as group on their God, and loving to practice every day as a band of brothers.
Dear Nat, and Bob Parry’s Family,
Just finished scanning Ray McGovern’s web site and was shocked to see that your Dad had just recently passed away. Like many others I had hoped he might survive his stroke and continue his most worthwhile fight. Alas it was not to be, and the torch and burden have been passed to a new generation. Your wonderful tribute to his life and principles above reminds us that sometimes we can stand shoulder to shoulder with giants, and yet still see them as ordinary people, in Bob’s case aggressively seeking balanced truths to save a great country from itself. Thank you for understanding your Dad so well, and sharing him with us all these years.
“It’s too late to go home early”, Bob! However, it appears that you have left matters in good hands.
As Usual,
EA
You and your family have my profound sympathy in the loss of your father. He has given many, like myself, the courage of true knowledge. Especially with political things, newsmen must defend the rules of evidence and language, lest corrupt and venal men take over our world. Thank you to you and your family for keeping to the highest standards found in the Fourth Estate, for your whole life.
Nat, your essay beautifully memorializes your father’s life and summarizes his life’s work. My heartfelt condolences to you and your entire family. Like some of the other commenters I am one who immensely admired your father but did not have the opportunity to meet or exchange thoughts with him and now mourn the fact I can never do so. One always has a tendency to forget what a limiting factor time and mortality are.
Although he would probably reject the observation as too sentimental, my sense of your Dad from his writings and interviews, was that he embodied to a “t” the equanimity, values and productivity expressed in the Max Ehrmann poem Desiderata (which was popular in my youth — I am 5 years younger than Robert). It seems to have gone out of fashion, but may be of some comfort to your and your family: http://www.davidpbrown.co.uk/poetry/max-ehrmann.html .
Less sentimentally may I add here (quoting from my Facebook posting of Jan. 30) that Robert’s passing at the far too young age of 68 is a grievous loss for the cause of “truth, justice and the American way”.
If only he were the superman he seemed to be over the years of reporting (at great material cost and physical risk to himself) on much of what blighted and sullied America and the world.
I greatly appreciated his cogency (both in “real time” and over the years in retrospect) about our nation’s entire baleful involvement in El Salvador and Nicaragua in the early 1980s, which I followed daily as an intern in Berkeley/Oakland Rep. Ron Dellums’ field office during my 3rd year of law school. Robert’s reporting almost certainly played a role in deterring the Reagan-GHW Bush administration from directly invading both countries and using “contras” instead (which in turn, led to scandal and criminal convictions for several high level GOP operatives).
But literally everything Robert wrote had the ring of truth and I would venture to say (upwards of 100% of the time) the actuality of truth. Interpreting events correctly is exactly what Robert Parry excelled at: In a media landscape constituting (overall) a vast desert wasteland Robert’s morally-tinged writing formed an oasis of hydration, wisdom and clarity.
Although his life and career path led him to journalism not politics, Robert seemed to have taken to heart RFK’s speech in South Africa in 1966 including these passages:
————–
BEGINNING OF RFK SPEECH EXCERPT:
“Each nation has different obstacles and different goals, shaped by the vagaries of history and of experience. Yet as I talk to young people around the world I am impressed not by the diversity but by the closeness of their goals, their desires, and their concerns and their hope for the future. There is discrimination in New York, the racial inequality of apartheid in South Africa, and serfdom in the mountains of Peru. People starve to death in the streets of India; a former Prime Minister is summarily executed in the Congo; intellectuals go to jail in Russia; and thousands are slaughtered in Indonesia; wealth is lavished on armaments everywhere in the world. These are different evils; but they are the common works of man. They reflect the imperfections of human justice, the inadequacy of human compassion, the defectiveness of our sensibility toward the sufferings of our fellows; they mark the limit of our ability to use knowledge for the well-being of our fellow human beings throughout the world. And therefore they call upon common qualities of conscience and indignation, a shared determination to wipe away the unnecessary sufferings of our fellow human beings at home and around the world. …
“Few are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those who seek to change a world that yields most painfully to change. And I believe that in this generation those with the courage to enter the moral conflict will find themselves with companions in every corner of the globe.
“For the fortunate among us, there is the temptation to follow the easy and familiar paths of personal ambition and financial success so grandly spread before those who enjoy the privilege of education. But that is not the road history has marked out for us.”
END OF RFK SPEECH EXCERPT:
————–
Displaying unflinching “moral courage” in the face of- and thoughtfully reporting on late 20th and early 21st century atrocities, was Robert Parry’s lodestar. Establishment-oriented careerism and the financial rewards it brings was not the road history marked out for your father Nat. And upon Robert Parry’s passing, it is likewise fitting to quote from RFK’s own eulogy for his brother JFK at the 1964 Democratic National Convention, when Robert Kennedy quoted a passage from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet:
“When he shall die,
Take him and cut him out in little stars,
And he will make the face of heaven so fine,
That all the world shall be in love night.”
Now Shakespeare’s stanza applies to Robert Parry. Today and in the days just ahead “we pay no worship to the garish sun.” Hail and farewell.
My condolences to you and the Parry Family & friends, Nat. Robert Parry’s work will live on & that is a terrific memorial.
rest in peace, robert parry! thank you for all you have done!
I knew Bob at Colby. He was always an intense, deliberate thinker and writer. He was an editor of the college’s newspaper, The Echo, during 1970-1. I was in the class of 1970 that struck and didn’t attend classes (instead created teach-ins and other peaceful protests) after the Kent State killings. Bob and my then-husband, Bob Knight who died last year, were deeply committed to reporting on the actions of the administration (the US… and the college!) to discredit and denounce anti-war protesters.
I’m sorry that I didn’t stay connected to him after we had agreed that our newborns Sam and Rebecca Knight would someday marry.
Rest in peace, Bob.
Please accept my condolences for your loss which is a big loss for all of us. He was a great journalist and a great researcher.
I am so very sorry to read the news of Bob’s death. I send my deepest condolences to all the family. I admired his work so very much and was honoured to sit next to him at the Martha Gelhorn awards dinner. I treasure the memory.
In solidarity,
Victoria
I am so sorry and sad; sincere condolences from Australia.
God bless Nat, there’s a hole in my heart missing Bob’s voice to penetrate the propaganda.
I am really sad to see Robert Parry go. He was a great journalist, a go to read when I wanted the whole truth and nothing but the truth. I will miss him and his analysis of current events dearly.
Dear Nat, thank you very much for writing in memory of your father Robert Parry.
I had a brief email exchange with him as he allowed me to use one of his articles. Since then I frequently used his genuinely patriotic American opinion to advance RAGA’s goal of better, or just normal, relations with Russia. We may not always agree on everything politically, but it should not hinder anyone from admiring the late Robert Parry’s integrity. Just see the links below
Category: Robert Parry – Russia & America Goodwill Association
http://www.raga.org/news/category/robert-parry
May 17, 2014 – But this bias reflects more negatively on the U.S. press than on the people who are being insulted, writes Robert Parry. By Robert Parry …. Article is published with permission from Robert Parry. Article source: consortiumnews.com/2014/03/02/what-neocons-want-from-ukraine-crisis. Report by. RAGA News …
http://www.raga.org/apps/search?q=Robert+Parry
Today I posted Caithlin Johnstone’s memorial article on RAGA’s fb group page.
https://www.facebook.com/RAGAforPeace/
RAGA and myself agree with Caithlin: The world doesn’t need more dissociated pseudo-intellectuals and overeducated, emotionally dead idealists. It needs more Robert Parrys, Rest in Peace.
http://www.defenddemocracy.press/this-deeply-held-commitment-a-meditation-on-the-death-of-robert-parry
Vladislav Krasnov (aka W George Krasnow), president of RAGA.org
Since escaping the false reality of corporate media just over a year ago – on the day of east Aleppo’s liberation, in Syria – I have come to rely on Consortium News as one of my most valued news sources. I had previously, naively, thought that most journalists in the liberal mainstream, such as those at the Guardian, were fairly partisan and could be trusted. How wrong I was!
I suddenly felt quite lost, not knowing what information to trust, so it was such a relief to find people like Mr Parry, who truly just care about the facts, and are willing to actually question ‘official sources’ and the powers that be. If only it was possible for journalists with such integrity to work in the mainstream!
It has been so depressing following the Russiagate hysteria; seeing how easily manipulated the masses can be. Your father’s incessant debunking of every outlandish claim has been invaluable for me.
He has inspired me to always question everything, including my own judgements and conclusions. It has been a scary but enlightening journey, learning about the real ways of this fallen world, and I will continue to learn by reading the many other great journalists who contribute to Consortium News, (and will continue donating monthly).
Condolences,
James
Nat:
A deep and heartfelt thank you to you and your family for all that your father has done and my condolences on his passing.
Your father is a hero and someone who to borrow a line from the movie Gladiator absolutely epitomizes this: “what we do in life echoes an eternity”.
Thank you Robert Parry!
It’s a tough loss, for his family primarily, but also for his friends and readers alike. I know I started reading Consortium just a few years ago after having read one of Robert’s articles at another website. I really admired his ethics, principals, and integrity, and his refusal to follow lock-step in a variety of disinformation campaigns. To me, he called things as they were, based on his commitment to the facts wherever they may have led. I’m really, really sorry for your loss.
The problem with speaking truth to power is that the powerful are far more powerful than any of us realise. It takes a brave man to stand up to the invective and accusations of ‘conspiracy theorist’ levelled against truth tellers.
If Consortium News continues it should be alert to red herrings deliberately placed in its path in order to ensure bankruptcy and high legal costs – these are real conspiracies designed to hamstring truth tellers.
When sniffing out a genuine story you’ll also get sidetracked by something that looks even more newsworthy, with witnesses galore, only for it to turn out to be fake news.
Remember Piers Morgan of the Mirror newspaper in the UK? There were genuine stories galore of the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners, however the Ministry of Defence arranged for a fake photo to be sent to the Mirror under Piers Morgan’s editorship. Piers Morgan asked the MoD for a statement, they declined to comment. He then published the picture, only then did the MoD rubbish it and point out that the picture was fake. Iraqi prisoners were undoubtedly mistreated, but no other newspaper would publish the genuine story for fear of getting the Piers Morgan treatment.
We need journalists working diligently on real investigative journalism, unfortunately the establishment has its own tactics for bringing those journalists into disrepute and financial ruin.
As a South African, I am extremely saddened by the passing away of Robert Parry. He was one giant of a progressive veteran journalist. I always looked forward to reading his well-researched and thought-provoking articles. May his family and loved ones be assured of our continued support to the legacy of Parry. Thank you Nat for informing us of this sad news. May you be strengthened during this difficult time.
My heart goes out to you and your family, Nat. You have shown tremendous courage these last few weeks, and I thank you for your kindness in remembering us, and your father, in this thoughtful essay. Please rest assured that we will continue to support Consortium News and the many fine writers who contribute to our understanding of this baffling world.
I’ve written an article abou him in Portuguese, to Brazilians who live in Brazil and around the world. I’ve used the informations Nat Parry gave us. Here: https://www.duploexpresso.com/?p=87334
Boy, I will miss him.
From Stephen Spender:
Born of the sun, he traveled a short while toward the sun
And left the vivid air signed with his honor.
Thanks.
I am very sad to hear this news about Mr. Parry’s passing. He was one of the last great American truth tellers. To say how low the various forms of American news outlets have sunk since 1980 and even lower in 2000 only further highlights how important Robert Parry’s presence and contribution has been. He should be remembered, along with Gary Web, as being cut from the same cloth as Upton Sinclair, Edward R. Murrow, and Daniel Ellsberg.
I enjoyed listening to Bob Perry interviews on Flashpoints with Dennis Bernstein. Bob has always been well informed and well spoken. Since listening to interviews, I have become a regular visitor to Consortiumnews.com I think it’s important to support independent media and I will continue to do so.
RIP, Robert Parry – we are indebted to you, for all of your diligence, hard work, integrity, and adherence to best practices in journalism. I have known about Robert Parry and Consortiumnews for probably less than 2 years now, and to the best of my knowledge, nobody here had a bad word to say about him. The best way to honor Mr. Parry is to support and engage in journalism the same way he would have done so himself – to support and carry on his legacy.
I found out about his death in the most unexpected way – I fell asleep with the TV on, and as soon as Robert Parry’s death was mentioned, I woke up spontaneously – it’s as though I was automatically woken up by the news. It was one of those moments that you just don’t forget.
Thank you for this story. I will print it out and pass it around to inspire people to become more courageous and support quality journalism. Watching a video of historian Daniele Ganser today, he explained why speaking truth to power and seeking to find it is so essential to humankind and this account of why Robert Parry persisted in his attempt to find truth reminded me of Ganser’s reasoning. He said, what will we tell our children when they ask us, why didn’t you do something to stop the killing and the wars?
It’s sad that Robert Parry is no longer alive, but he is with us, those of us who seek to find the truth. My heart-felt condolences to Parry’s family and friends.
This saddens me so much. It is such a loss for all of us. I give my condolences to the family and friends of the great reporter and writer. His spirit lives in the inspiration that he gave us to strive for a just and peaceful world.
My heart with your family. We lost great man, great fighter, and the real journalist.
Robert Parry’s contributions will be sorely missed here in Oxford,UK. This city is twinned with Perm in Russia so we follow closely events connected with Russia (and have many exchange visits). We have used Robert Parry’s Consortium News articles often in our discussion group.
We offer our sincere condolences to his family and friends.
What a great man. So devoted to the truth. Will be sadly missed by all.
America has lost a stalwart proponent of the truth with the death of Robert Parry.
And when voices like his were never more needed. What a shame , when charlatetans and mountabanks rule the western news media.
Rest in peace Robert
Nat, Your article gives me faith that Consortium News is in good hands and will be able to continue your fathers work.
A beautiful tribute. I only learned of Consortium News a year or two ago. I rely on it more than any other source for news that I trust. I appreciate Robert Parry’s vision and am most hopeful that the site will continue. I send my condolences to his family and friends.
RIP Bob. You will be missed terribly
This is a huge loss, not just for me personally (Consortiumnews is one of my “top five” daily news sites), but for the whole community of truth-seekers out there. Without Parry’s pushback on crucial stories like the Ukraine coup, Syrian chemical attacks and “Russiagate”, the evil people out there would have had a much easier time of things. When a major “narrative” is promoted in the corporate pipeline, it only takes a well-written and -researched article like all of Parry’s – shared around the web to thousands – to destroy the lies and bring the light in. Rest In Peace Robert Parry, with my sincere and heartfelt condolences to all family, friends and fellow members of the Consortium .
Dear Nat and Parry family,
I’m very sorry for your loss.
I am a Brazilian journalist (woman) who used to read Bob Barry’s articles and admired him as an example of honesty and integrity. He passed away but his example will stay with us and his name will be remembered by the future generations as a model of professional and personal probity. I am sure that Consortiumnews.com will honour his memory.
I am grateful to Robert Parry, who did not “look away as history was happening in front” of him.
It is an extraordinary human being who takes a stand not only for himself but for collective society; suffers professionally and personally for it; and yet finds a way to be true to his purpose while successfully making a place for himself and others.
His death feels like the death of integrity in America. I grieve.
He lived a good life. A voice for reason and sanity.
Beautiful eulogy. My condolences to Mr. Parry’s family, friends and colleagues. I discovered Consortium News a couple of years ago and have been a regular reader since. I always looked forward to Mr. Parry’s articles. I knew I would get a well researched and well written piece. It was always quality, honest reporting. He will be missed. RIP
My condolences to his family and loved ones. He will be greatly missed.
A giant among midgets!
I have been depressed with wondering who is left among the ethical journalists.
I was very sad to hear of Robert Parry’s demise. He will be sorely missed.
So sorry for Your (Our) loss. I have followed the Consortium since it’s inception, every year I contributed what I could to support real Journalism. Robert will be greatly missed by those who seek the political truth. Peace.
Thank you Robert Parry for your decades of excellent work, for your courage to expose the facts in the face of unrelenting establishment group-think. And may Consortium News continue to be an ongoing monument to your legacy.
I’m really sorry for your loss, dear family of Parry’s. I really am. Robert Parry was a great man, a great journalist, whose legacy will live on forever. I hope we all will defend Robert Parry’s legacy against the attacks that some of the lowest form of people have already started (like the disgusting PropOrNot and some other idiots out there).
For me Robert Parry was always one of the best journalists ever. I love journalism, but absolutely hate propaganda. As we all know, the corporate media, or mainstream media, whatever you call it, has abandoned the journalism in favor of the elite and their info-waring propaganda. At these times a true and honest journalism is needed more than maybe ever before in our history. Robert Parry pretty much single-handedly showed me with his articles that a true journalism still exists in these crazy times. And for that, eternal thank you, Robert. You will be greatly missed.
VL,
Finland
When I saw the words “Robert Parry’s Legacy” in my email in box I had a terrible feeling.
We have lost . . . the most important bulwark again bullshit that we had.
I am so saddened. Like thousands of others, I had been hoping that the stroke he suffered was something he could overcome and recover from.
He was too young to leave. I have little doubt that the constant stress of confronting lies and deep duplicity of our deep state and elsewhere shortened his life.
But given our country’s predicament and his commitment to aiming his analytical laser beam at the murk and figuring out what it was hiding and how to construe the reality behind the obfuscations—it may have been his fate to burn out like a comet.
RIP Robert Parry. YOU ARE MISSED AND YOUR LEGACY WILL NOT BE FORGOTTEN.
The best way to show respect for Robert Parry now is to continue the unrelenting heat on the fake Russia-Gate BS and prove Robert right once and for all.
.
Thanks to Robert Parry for decades of crucial work. His voice, his reasoning and his compassion will be missed. My condolences to his family and friends.
Only the best wishes for the future of consortiumnews from Hamburg, Germany !
BTW Hamburg was only about 30 miles away from the frontier of the (first) cold war. Americans will newer get, what a feeling that was. But I thought, we had to fend off communism. Now we know that communism is not needed at all, to start a cold war. Now I am 63 and I feel betrayed for my whole life.
Maybe my mistake was, that I only startet reeding consortiumnews a few years ago. (It was about Syrien)
Objective news? How convenient in your diatribe no mention of the Clintons and their transgressions, some still going on today and a free pass on Obama. Seems one sided to me.
A giant of integrity, morals and truth. I stumbled upon this site just over a year ago and have been a regular reader and fan since. It’s hard watching and reading sometimes, but sites like this are where I know the truth lies. Eternally grateful to the site, Robert, it’s consortium and Robert’s family.
oh no!!! Believe it or not I really cried a bit, when I heard that he died. I’m from Europe … outstanding journalists, like Robert, travel far with their reports because they are so rare.
I’m sure, Nat, that you will follow your father’s footsteps. Thank you!
Rest in peace, Robert Parry
I am very saddened.
My condolences.
A good man, Bob will be missed by those of us still in the trenches.
Bob has been a beacon of truth in a world of deceit for a very long time. When he published a story, you read it. You were about to hear the truths that many others evaded or outright ignored. His point of view will be sorely missed. May he rest in peace.
Will be sorely missed may he RIP
I believe your Dad would be grateful and proud of this touching and useful appreciation you’ve written of his work, Nat. Figured you (and he) would appreciate a small copy edit from the crowd to insert a missing “be” before the word “attributed” in this sentence:
It did appear for some time at least that a good number of Trump supporters were reading Consortiumnews, which could probably attributed to the fact that the website was one of the few outlets pushing back against both the “New Cold War” with Russia and the related story of “Russiagate,” which Bob didn’t even like referring to as a “scandal.”
Very sad news.
Robert Parry will remain as an example of courage, as well as of intelligent and independent journalism. It may sound exaggerated, but today I feel devastated, although I never had the opportunity to meet Robert.
Condolences to his family, to his friends and to all Consortium New’s readers who probably feel like me.
Daniel Guyot
Paris
Dear Nat,
I know that you and the family are sad, but so am I. Just an ordinary reader who respected and trusted Robert Parry, a true and passionate Journalist, a responsible Human Being. As a member of the profession from other shores and a country extinguished by war more than 20 years ago, I looked up to him because I knew, from experience, that he was a relentless truth-seeker and truth-teller. Once, recently, I wrote to him, he found time to respond. That deepens my sorrow. It’s only a few times in life, even if that many, that one feels a terrible void, and infinite emptiness, an existential insecurity, when someone that really matters, passes. This is such a time.
Thank you, Nat, for this history. I, along with everyone, else, am very sad for your loss and ours. perhaps, you will get your and Sam’s pictures up on the site. I will contribute to your site. If you could, it would be great if you could make videos of the essays. Then I could do dishes or other tasks while listening. I’m sure more expense is involved. Tell us how much more. I have your site, Greenpeace, Law and Disorder, and RT up on my garage door windows, also, information from you on my information web site: informationtruth.info
.
I’m relieved that you will continue the work, but, really, really sad.
I remember when Gary Webb committed suicide.
I found Consortium News about 6 months ago and was thrilled to have done so. It is refreshing to read news with little to no political bias to it. My condolences to the Parry family. To lose your father/husband/loved one is a personal tragedy. To have it happen at 68 y/o makes it doubly hard to cope with. I am truly sorry for your loss as it is also my loss.
Nat,
Sorry for your loss.
In the 1970s I met I. F. Stone, whose motto was “all governments lie.” A few years later, I met your father at a PTA meeting at Patrick Henry ES, in Arlington, VA. I never knew his motto, but I certainly appreciated his work. He was one of the best at digging out the gritty truth and unpleasant or inconvenient facts.
Over the past few years, I talked to him occasionally as he jogged by my house or walked his dog. Sometimes he would tell me what he was working on and sometimes he was annoyed at my intrusion, as if he was walking and writing his next expose. I found him totally fascinating and knowing him was deeply rewarding.
Carry on.
Thank you. For everything. And a deep and abiding respect for your father’s life work and a job well done.
I look forward to your carrying on his legacy – what an honor it is and will be.
The truths I’ve found on here and have been able to share worldwide have given to me both hope and courage in otherwise dark and duplicitous times.
For the knowing of the fearless Guides for our time, of which your father was one, and the consistent pains-taking investigative research that is Consortium News’s hallmark across its writers’ spectrum of expertise, gives us all the true and honest, that is – actually righteous – enlightenment required to collectively navigate these roiling waters of this Age’s dark seas, and most importantly, the desire and willingness to share with others for whom the truth remains the paramount value of our own brief lives.
The honest are the most honorable. And have a home herein.
I am very sad to hear this news.
Mr. Parry’s articles and indeed this website have provided the world with much needed real and clear-eyed journalism of the highest standard. My sincere condolences to the Parry family and I truly hope that CN continues with the impeccable standards with which it was founded.
Thank, Mr. Parry, for opening my eyes to many things I might otherwise have not learned!
Sad. Glad to see his legacy will continue. Looking at the article posted today, I am encouraged that it will be.
Belated condoleances to Bob Parry’s family and Consortiumnews’s extended family. Here in Luxembourg I will sorely miss reading regularly Bob’s in-depth analyses.
Robert Parry’s death is a terrible loss for independent journalism. He stood for truth and struggled to this end in his work. Rest in peace, Robert, I miss you and your sane voice.
Robert Parry’s death is a terrible loss for independent journalism. He stood for truth and struggled to this end in his work. Rest in peace, Robert, I miss you and your sane voice.
**Wish it’d been “Jamie CuntfARTER”*…
I have been thinking about this since hearing the news and I simply cannot comprehend the loss that your family and American journalism has suffered. I am a huge fan of Consortium News and will continue to be so. I simply do not have the words to convey how I feel about Robert Parry’s passing. He will be missed.
My deepest condolences. This is a terrible loss for all of us. Robert Parry was one of the greatest investigative, truth-telling journalists our country has ever been lucky to have. I’ve followed his work for years.
May Mr. Parry’s legacy & memory be an inspiration for all true journalists – as well as those of us who write mainly to our family, friends & colleagues. At the same time, may the sense of loss with his passing galvanize journalists who have been taking the easy way out – due to lack of courage, intellectual dishonesty, and/or other reasons – to become more forthright, such that they can be proud to show what they’ve written to their own children.
I wish I could have met you…
May you rest in peace, and may we all prove to you that all your efforts & sacrifices were truly worth it.
requiescat in pace.
The gravitas of Sy Hersh, the courage of Helen Thomas the clarity of Robert Fisk.
Bereft of spirit. Another hero dies, but thanks to his work, more heros will arise.
Robert Parry,..
Presente!
robert parry failed the test.
he could not bring himself to risk funding by exposing 9/11 reality.
https://consortiumnews.com/2011/011511.html
Dear Parry- Family,
please accept my condolences. I did not expect something like that. I hoped for recovery and continuation of his important work. People like him are important in our world full of lies and misleading reports. I regret it very much, that he passed away. I will miss his complex views of our complicated world. I hope you will continue this conortiumnews in the same Quality like in the past.
My deepest condolences
Joerg Pliquett
Germany
Oh, the tears won’t stop. What a terrible loss for his family and for the World. I feel like I have lost my Father again…one of the other rare honest, humane and intelligent men that I have met in this lifetime. I hope your Dad knows how to play Bridge, Nat… my Dad has a game lined up. Only the true humans are invited to play. We go on… our souls, our electric bodies, have no end. We will meet again. Until then, keep the faith as he would have you do. Nothing matters but Truth. Love to you and to all my Human Family. All of you.
So sad and so sorry.
My heartfelt condolences to Perry family. In this age of moral and intellectual darkness in MSM journalism, a light has gone out which illuminated true, honest, moral, and courageous independent journalism. The untimely passing away of Robert Perry is indeed a tragic loss for the entire World.
It is comforting to know that the torch will be carried on by Nat Perry and others in the Consortium News – it is sorely needed in the World.
Dear Bob, I first met you, as I somewhat hazily recall, in the1990s at the Midnight Special bookstore in Santa Monica, CA. Subsequently, I used to bring you onto the radio show I produced on KPFK. Whenever I would ask, you never said no. I sent you a donation during one of your fund drives when money was tight or non-existent, as it seemed often to be, and you sent me all your books and returned the un-deposited check to me. I would call to get your thoughts on who might be a good radio guest on some subject or another. You were patient with my sometimes ignorant questions. You gently schooled me. I sought you out when you were working with Bloomberg to cover the 2000 Democratic Convention in Los Angeles. As I asked around for you, it was clear that your colleagues regarded you with unguarded admiration. You were revered by them. You had the courage to be the real thing and they all knew it. They were proud to know you. I was also impressed at how loyal you were to Gary Webb, when everyone else seemed to have abandoned him. I would read Consortium News and send articles to my friends. There was nothing better out there. You were both inspiring and cautionary. I sometimes would speculate if you could be as stalwart, as good, and kind and strong as you always seemed to be, because so few are. You were. The evidence is all there. You shaped my worldview. I’m so sorry that you are gone for many reasons, but they include my regret that I never got the chance to really thank you. Even though I know that I couldn’t thank you enough.
I am sitting in a Sri Lankan hotel trying to stay dry and reading the news. I was surprised to read a name from my distant past. Robert and I entered high school together in 1963. We were in the same room when we were told that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas. Yes, it did change our lives. I last saw Robert in 1967. There is one funny story that relates to the two of us. We are both named Robert. Our French teacher could not have two Roberts in the same class. Robert was Robert and I was Guy. I could not understand what a Guy was. But that was my name in first year French. I now live in France and it is a common name.
Robert was a good person to sit beside in high school and his family and all of us will miss him
Thank you very much.
I am deeply saddened by the loss of Bob!
BTW: it is possible the stress he endured due to his commitment to evidence-based truth and estrangement from other journalists less committed led to his cancer. Resource: Moshe Szyf, PhD, neuropharmacology and epigenetics, McGill University, reports that stress hormones turn off good genes that protect us and turn on tumor creating genes. Szyf points especially to the toxic stress created by hostile relationships.
Farewell Truth Teller. Courageous, bold and beloved to the end. Your service and sacrifice for the common good is well known and much appreciated.
Very sad to hear this, too bad most of the world doesn’t know what a real journalist is. I would have liked to have known him personally.
Dear Nat,
My sincere condolences to you and your family for the terrible loss. I have a large stack of Bob’s articles that I’ve read and used in my own research and publications. I will profoundly miss him. He was one of a rare breed of dedicated, highly skilled, and independent and professional journalists who put truth above any other consideration. I don’t know that anyone can fill his shoes. We can be eternally grateful that Bob contributed so much to our understanding of this country and the world, and our best tribute would be to try our best to carry on in the tradition and style that made him so respected and appreciated.
All the best,
Gerry Sussman
So sad to hear of this news. But what a wonderful legacy he made of his life: dedication to truth, honesty, and fairness. If only we all would follow his footsteps, the world would be a much better place. My sincerest condolences.
Although we cannot possibly feel your loss as deeply and profoundly as you and your family do, please know that your father was greatly appreciated by many. His exit from this mortal realm is a terrible blow to all who value truth and real journalism over hidden agendas and silencing of those who challenge the rigid narratives forced onto the consumers of corporate mainstream media. He was one of a rare breed, a consequential journalist who paid the consequences for his commitment to truth and journalistic rigor. My deepest condolences to you and your family and all those connected to Consortium News.
The world really truly is a darker more misunderstood place now that the great Robert Parry has passed.
One of the greatest investigative journalists the United States will ever know.
Thank you so very much Mr. Parry for bringing illumination to my life for the last few decades.
RIP: Robert Parry
I am truly saddened to hear of Mr. Parry’s passing. Regretfully I found this site only within the past 2 years, but it is and will continue to be part of my standard rounds. Journalists of Mr. Parry’s mettle and integrity are so important and so rare!
I’m running out of heroes. He will be missed
So very few public figures are irreplaceable, and Bob Parry was one of them. It’s hard to face up to the reality of losing his reporting.
A stellar legacy. At a time when his talents are most needed, his voice is gone. That aside, a family grieves and that grief is so very painful for them as Robert Parry was a public figure but also a private, beloved and cherished family member.
How terribly sad. Sincere condolences from afar.
Thank you so much for your brilliant summary of your Father’s work. Clearly, you are worthy of his stunning legacy. Mr. Parry was one of journalism’s most blazing lights. Those of us who read his work are forever changed, forever diligent. Few writers in history can claim so much. His death, coming as it does while he was yet young, and while he seemed so strong, is simply stunning. His loss so early is incredibly sad.
My deepest respect, and condolences to Mr. Parry and family. The invaluable service Bob provided to all of us earns him the titles aspired to by his hero Thomas Paine; “my citizenship, the world; my religion, humanity.”
So very Sorry to hear of the passing of Robert Parry a most honorable Journalist.
He will be missed.
R. I. P.
Thanks for everything you have done for me Robert.
A very, very sad occasion. It was my privilege to have interviewed Robert a number of times over the years, including an interview–scheduled days before–that took place on the day he learned of Gary Webb’s death.
It was also my privilege to have used many articles from Consortium News in my weekly broadcasts, including, and especially, his reportage about the return to power of the OUN/B successor organizations in Ukraine.
Very few have manifested the courage and integrity to report honestly on those events.
Now, there will be fewer.
Rest in peace, Robert.
I am so sorry to learn of Mr. Parry’s death. God bless him and his friends and family.
I was happy to see this afternoon that the New York Times, not exactly on the same page as Robert much of the time, published a fair and laudatory obituary for this man who was a hero, a genius, a paragon of morality and the best journalist of his generation. Even the epitome of corporate media had to give the man his due.
What a loss of a true hero in American journalism! Glad to hear that Nat and others will carry on his creation, ConsortiumNews. Good luck in the future from a proud monthly sustainer, Michael Wade.
A deep sorrow and the sad feeling of an unestimable loss for independent US journalism. From France, with the hope that Consortium News will remain a counterforce to mainstream medias, Chapeau bas à M. Parry qui nous a éclairés tant de fois sur les coulisses de la Maison Blanche et des réseaux néo-conservateurs si nocifs pour le monde entier.
Nat, I meant to say Nat. (We also have a loved one named Sam.) Thank you for sharing this personal tribute to your father’s life with us. A heartfelt embrace to you and your family at this very sad time.
I’m very sad to hear this. Robert Parry was an exemplary journalist and will be missed. I hope Consortiumnews continues in some fashion.
My deepest regret is that I didn’t learn of this site and Mr. Parry until very recently. As a journalist who was considered “unprofessional” because I detested slanted reporting, it felt like coming home. May his spirit continue to drive others who put integrity over celebrity to seek the truth and shout it from the mountaintops.
When I started reading Consortium most article would not attract more than 6 comments. Today there are 406 comments. This is the success and legacy of Robert Parry. The knowledge of his passing saddens me to the core. RIP Bob and long live the Consortium.
Such a testament to his life, Sam. How lovely that you could all be together.
My condolences to Bob’s family. He will be missed by many.
What a tragedy! For a Ron Paul-type, it is almost impossible to find a range of sources for current news, especially global/foreign affairs reporting. Mr. Robert Parry, though our politics likely differed in some important aspects, for me came to be a valued and key source of reliable information and welcome insight.I trusted him to be honest and objective. It is a great loss for those of us who feel we are in an almost “news wilderness” today. Who will take his place? Such a void he has left – for this one little observer of the world.
May God grant eternal rest to Mr. Robert Parry, and have mercy on his family and loved ones.
Dear Nat,
Just as St. Thomas Aquinas always referred to Aristotle simply as: The Philosopher,
your father should be referred to as: The Journalist.
We will never forget him and his great example of what a journalist should be.
Yes we were there in Nicaragua, El Salvador and Guatemala while he was reporting.
And we at the OFFICE OF THE AMERICAS want to affirm his work leading to the Boland Amendments,
the exposure of the Iran Contra scandal, the treachery of the Reagan administration in pressuring Iran
to hold 52 Americans in a dangerous hostage situation until after the election.
We were very fortunate to have a personal conversation with Bob to thank him for his courage
to ignore the beltway restraints. “No good deed will go unpunished.”
I had a sinking feeling as I left Gary Webb off in Los Angles for the last time.
Yes, Gary was destroyed by the commercial media. Sitting in with a group of national anchors at
a conference, one of them gave away the secret: “We know how to play the game,” he said.
And playing the game today means that much of the major media has censored out any reference
to our perpetual wars including sustaining famine and cholera in Yemen.
When I think of Bob I am reminded of sitting in a D.C. bar with I. F. Stone. “I just can’t stand the suffering of the innocent,”
he said. It was that humanity that led him to establish the beloved, I.F. Stone Weekly.
And it was Bob’s humanity together with professional expertise that led him to Consortium News.
Robert Perry…..PRESENTE! PRERSENTE! PRESENTE!
ou nation isongoing
Thanks Bob for your dedication and commitment to truth. I have learned a lot from you throughout the years especially on what it takes to live a meaningful life. You left us too soon but you left behind a great example to follow. My deepest symphony to your family. It also appears that you have touched a lot of people by your life long commitment to truth, social justice and peace. Be at rest Bob and know that you are loved and missed. I never met you personally, but you touched my consciousness through your writing and reporting. All I can say is thank you and hopefully, I can pass along your loving spirit to others. Peace.
Utterly dismayed to read this news. Consortium News has been my balancing rod against the MSM over the past decade. Articles always heavily laced with links that allowed you to personally validate or query the claims being made. I have learnt so much while being given different perspectives on events and individuals because of this site. I hope the integrity of Consortium News continues forward but feel a key part of the driving force has been removed with his passing. There are so few of these old school journalists still with us amongst the miasma of lazy news (mis)information on the Net it is hard to get a balanced picture of what is really going on. Consortium News and ICH are two of the few to be relied on.
Condolences to family of Robert Parry. He will be dearly missed by his many appreciative readers.
Rest in peace Robert Parry a lovely lovely man, and beautiful truthteller/mythbuster and our generations Izzy Stone. I’m glad John Pilger and his colleauges awared him rightfully the Martha Gellhorn prize in journalism. From exposing Iran-Contra scandal, to the October surprise, to standing up for Gary Webb and helping expose the Iran-Contra-Crack scandal aka Dark Alliance, to the oligarchich Neo Nazi US-NATO backed coup in Ukraine, to debunking the bullshit Russian conspiracy theories as well as the US-UK backed efforts to destroy Syria through Islamists exported by the Saudis/Qataris through ISIS and White Helmets, as well as not jumping the shark on Venezuela and publishing people who exposed all this and more, his place in independent journalism is remarkable and its sad so much of the independent left media and left leaning media from Democracy Now, Al Jazeera, Vice and others have jumped the shark on Syria, Russia conspiracy theories, and Venezuela and never brought on Robert PArry and the incredible journalists he published to debunk the propaganda but like the NGOS he exposed, they’ve been compromised. Rest in peace Bob, thank you for all you did, and long live Consortium News which was a place I always recommend people who lost faith in Democracy Now and others outlets and human rights group that squandered their integrity. And highly recommend people check out Ron Paul and Daniel McAdam’s interview of Robert Parry at Ron Paul Liberty Report and Mark Ames and John Dolan of Exiledonline and Radio War Nerd’s interview with Robert Parry to appreciate what this man gave to the public despite being underrated and at times not even sought out by the left media. Rest in peace!
Thank you for all your efforts, for all of us, Robert Parry. You spoke and stood for Truth to Power, in an age of relentless onslaught to remove those very voices and standings.
Condolences to you & your family, what a devastating loss to all who knew Robert Parry & loved & admired him. Even though I did not know him personally I feel that I do in a way & I will never forget him because Consortium News is his legacy & a reminder of the honourable man he was. Robert Parry was a journalist of the highest calibre & a tireless teacher he has gone too soon.
I am grateful for your father’s life and work and so sorry for your loss … and for our loss. In an age of churnalism, he was a truly authentic journalist. All condolences as you and your family experience such profound sorrow.
The world has lost a torchbearer of the truth
a brave man who documented the long but rapid descent into
Trumpian imbecility….we shall not see his like again
Robert Parry had the most unimpeachable integrity, the greatest courage, and the and the most relentless investigative determination of any journalist I have made a habit of reading since I. F. Stone terrified the rascals of the 1950s. He leaves an unfillable void..
I discovered Consortium news rather recently and I found a lot to admire onthissite. On Russiagate Robert Parry seemed to me to be the most clear-eyed honest reporter and his articles certainly made me think. He belongs to the great American tradition of muck rakers and his voice will be greatly missed. Though I do not know him personally I felt sad and touched by the news of his death. Thank you Bob.
The indomitable Robert Parry continues to inspire the global community committed to true independent investigative journalism.
My God, what a terrible loss. So few with his integrity and courage to confront the lies and distortions that are now commonplace. Fortunately, his legacy appears in good hands with Nat’s moving remembrance of his father and his work.
My deepest condolences to the family. I always knew Mr.Parry was a great journalist and a person of incredible integrity. Now I know he was also an excellent father. As many people here I feel it like very personal lost and I’ll desperately miss Mr.Parry. Only thing I can do is to continue my support of the Consortium
what a tragedy to hear he has passed, and so suddenly. a great man, a great journalist. I had the pleasure of meeting him when he spoke at project censored years ago. i’m so sorry to your whole family. he will be irreplaceable.
” Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
My prayers and thoughts are with the Parry Family on their sad loss. Robert will be missed by us all that value truth.
Consortium News was a relatively recent discovery for me. I appreciated the opportunity to read Bob’s articles over the last year. Careful and honest reporting. Sounds like it should be the norm, but is so rare today.
Bob, you will be missed.
Good men go too quickly. RIP.
Like so many others, I feel the loss of Robert Parry in an almost personal way. A great beacon of truth-telling has has been lost from the world. He will not be easily replaced.
Robert Parry will be greatly missed. He was a Giant.
Great journalist! The world needs more of them! Will be missed I am sure by many who seek real news and information!
Heartbreaking to have lost Robert Parry an unmatchable truthteller so badly needed today. Hopefully his sons will carry on their father’s
legacy as they became so important a part of it.
A great shock. I just read yesterday the truism by poet May Sarton, “One must think like a hero to behave like a merely decent human being.” Our efforts to “think like a hero” are immensely aided by regularly confronting a true hero, like Robert Parry. For that alone I will miss him, having never met him, for the rest of my life.
Condolences to all of us.
A truly beautiful tribute to your Dad. I extend my deepest and most sincere sympathy to the Parry family. The reporting profession and our Nation have lost a true hero and at such a precarious time in both the news media and government when honesty and integrity have sunk to such tragic depths. My prayers go out to you.
I am very sorry, it was always inspiring to read and to link to roberts articles. he did great work to help us to get the whole picture and encouraged independent journalism. so you must continue with consortium news.
Nat- I can’t recall, in my lifelong interest in American history, from the perspective the sainted Howard Zin, any greater sense of loss to the reportage of this nation’s recent history than the news I’ve just read of your father’s passing.
I only know him from his written words, and those written about him, but I’ve felt honored to be a reader here, and to feel connected to what I feel is the Truth, with a capital “T.” We’ve lost one of those rare Great Men.
Bob M.
Ossipee, New Hampshire
Sorry to hear this
My deepest condolences to the Parry family for your loss.
Having read Consortiumnews for a few years, it was my unexpected pleasure to meet Mr. Parry during the Gary Webb Award event at his home last June. As I was getting ready to leave the event, I approached him to say goodbye. He looked me directly in the eye and briefly held my hand, as he thanked me for being there. I realized then that he had a very strong and genuine nature.
Investigative journalism remains a critically important profession because of Mr. Parry’s work and that of other journalists like him.
I”m so very sorry. I shall miss him forever. Tears keep rolling down my cheeks uncontrollably. He was a great journalist, if only there were more like him. I so admired his integrity and passion for the truth, so rare in these times.
This story is deeply saddening. Bob was a true hero to anyone who wanted to know the truth about what is happening in the world. To say he will be missed is a clique but so so true. In a world where people sell their conscience to the highest bidder he had integrity.
I am deeply saddened to read about the untimely death of such an honorable, principled, and courageous human being. As a professor teaching and carrying out research in Russian Studies and Journalism, I relied on Robert Parry’s investigative and evidence-packed articles debunking the lies of the American mainstream media. Last semester Consortiumnews was one of the most important media sites that I taught; it changed the world for my students.
I never met Robert Parry, but will honor his name and heroism, ultimately a triumph, for the rest of my life.
Your dad was an amazing man. Know he was loved by many of us. My deepest condolences!
Adios Amigo, While obviously not a fellow traveler in a Revolutionary sense I nonetheless respected your dedication to Journalism. Perhaps you were treated unfairly as a truth teller. Isn’t that the way, it goes, Some things will never change. This site and your followers and in fact all of us who wish for a functioning Democracy in this great nation,. the United States of America, are diminished by your passing. I suspected you had left us and am so rarely wrong. Good – bye.
In the 68 years from birth until his transition from this world Mr. Robert Parry has made a good difference for humanity. Mr. Parry’s efforts have positively transformed life on Earth in this historical period and for generations to come.
***
“Live your life that the fear of death can never enter your heart. Trouble no one about his religion. Respect others in their views and demand that they respect yours. Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and of service to your people. Prepare a noble death song for the day when you go over the great divide.”
“Always give a word or sign of salute when meeting or passing a friend, or even a stranger if in a lonely place. Show respect to all people, but grovel to none. When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself.”
“Abuse no one and no thing, for abuse turns the wise ones to fools and robs the spirit of its vision. When your time comes to die, be not like those whose hearts are filled with fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song, and die like a hero going home.”
– Tecumseh (1768-1813) Shawnee Chief
What disheartening news. My condolences to family and friends. Checking in with CN and Robert Parry is a daily necessity for me. RIP sir, and may your creation continue to inform us.
Nat – thank you for this piece, and sincerest condolences to the entire Parry clan.
I shared more experiences with Bob than you could ever know, and having seen some of what he did, and what he did with what he had seen, I can testify that virtually any attempt to highlight his importance and accomplishments is to understate his impact.
He will be sorely missed, and fondly remembered, and the best possible way to honor his legacy is to keep this vital journalism going strong.
My contribution is on the way.
Peace, meanwhile, in this tough time.
Mr. Parry was a man of tremendous courage and honor. His legacy will live on in the hearts and minds of all those who seek the truth and value the contributions of all those like Robert who strive to rescue and restore true history, because we would be lost without them.
The voice of truth carries with it a weight, a resounding bell of clarity that shakes the world into new patterns. Robert Parry’s presence, sound and word kept the torch of truth lit. He has not passed, he has passed on this torch so that the power of truth continues to burn through the dried kindling of lies.
The Hollow Men I
We are the hollow men
We are the stuffed men
Leaning together
Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Our dried voices, when
We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless
As wind in dry grass
Or rats’ feet over broken glass
In our dry cellar
Shape without form, shade without colour,
Paralysed force, gesture without motion;
Those who have crossed
With direct eyes, to death’s other Kingdom
Remember us-if at all-not as lost
Violent souls, but only
As the hollow men
The stuffed men.
~ TS Eliot
My condolences to all of you. For years I have relied on Robert Parry to sort the truth from the BS in foreign and domestic affairs. The world has lost a truth teller and a bad time as the production of fake news in the mainstream media and elsewhere is at an all time high. It is my hope that Nate and the crew at Consortium will continue to the fearless tradition that Robert established over the past twenty-plus years.
I am deepley saddened by the news of Robert Parry’s death. There will be a void that will be difficult to fill. He was an example of honesty and courage. My condolences to his family.
My deepest condolences to Nat, Sam, and the rest of the Parry family. Thank you Nat, for sharing your memories. I have little to add to the many eloquent tributes already written. Your dad was a giant in his profession and as a human being.
In addition to sending a contribution to consortiumnews.com, I plan to honor Mr. Parry by continuing to spread the word about this superior site.
A shock and a deep sadness, as all of you have expressed. And tears as well. He was born during the same decade as me, just a few years later, and leaves an immense legacy.
Jan, I join you in sending an extra donation to Consortium News and plan also to order at least one of Robert Parry’s books. I urge all my fellow readers to support the site and the staff, so they can continue the wonderful work. Bob Parry had a large network of sources he could rely on when trying to understand what lies behind the political intrigues. Hopefully the staff, together with Nat and other family members can continue the precious work in a real Parry-spirit.
Nat, what about picking out some of the most valuable stories by Bob Parry from the archives, from several decades, starting from the very beginning of this site, and gradually re-publishing them (as was done lately), as a tribute to the ideal of honest journalism, and to the man who dedicated his life to this purpose.
Lisa
( a supporter from Northern Europe)
This is such a terrible loss, not only for Bob’s family but for the whole American family. He has been one of few clear thinking, honest and brilliant journalists writing about what our lying government is up to for decades. I feel like I’ve lost my brother.
All my condolences to his family and friends, and long life to Consortiumnews.
Pascal, Quebec, Canada
So sorry to hear this sad news.
I was shocked and saddened by this news. Bob Parry was a wonderful, caring journalist — an island of reason and professionalism in a profession that increasingly distances itself from both. He abandoned all prospects of a comfortable life by leaving the establishment media cocoon and setting up his own shop to tell Americans truths we desperately needed to know. I doubt that anyone will come close to matching Bob Parry as an investigative journalist; but I urge young journalists to try.
I am deeply saddened to hear of untimely passing of Robert Parry. My sincere condolences to his family and friends. I have been a regular visitor and reader of Consortiumnews since almost 4 years ago when my search for good investigative journalism and alternative source of news lead me to his website. I really admired his principled and courageous reporting on different subjects and I am going to really miss reading his reports. I am hopeful that his son and colleagues will continue in his great tradition and keep this website and it’s reporting alive at times when it’s desperately needed.
Rest in Peace Robert
My profound, sincere condolences. We lost a man who gave the profession of journalist a real meaning. Robert will be sorely missed.
Thank you Robert Parry for your courage, your tenacity, your uncompromising professionalism. What a great loss to independent journalism. May your excellent example inspire others. Rest in peace; you are greatly appreciated and loved. A beacon of honesty in an ocean of egotism. And thank you Nat for the encouraging news for the future of Consortium.
What a terrible loss – for everyone in the World that reads and yearns for the Pravda. Condolences from Crimea, Ru.
This is such terrible news. Robert Parry’s relentless dedication to objective thought and journalism was always
an enormous inspiration to me, and so many others, both within and without the US. He was the journalist I would
first recommend to anyone who showed me any inclination to open-mindedness and truth seeking. What a loss for
us, and our country. When others perhaps got tired of an unresolved issue ,he would bring it back into the fold as soon as
any new information was forthcoming. I cannot think of any journalist who was more worthy of the I.F. Stone Award that he had won
not long back.
Don
Boston
Thank you for this fine tribute to Robert! I too mourn the loss of his courageous and principled reporting, but am thankful that his family and colleagues will be continuing his important work! I will continue supporting Consortium News.
With much appreciation and best wishes to you all!
We’re very sorry to hear of Mr. Parry’s death.
He was a true journalist and, we’re sure a fine and honorable man.
https://www.strategic-culture.org/
EDITOR’S CHOICE | 29.01.2018
In Memoriam: Robert Parry
https://www.strategic-culture.org/news/2018/01/29/in-memoriam-robert-parry.html
Robert Parry: Rest in Peace for a life well lived. Thank you for your service to honest, hard working people, and to the philosophy of critical thought.
I’m saddened to read of Bob Parry’s passing. Consortium news has been there from the beginning of the internet age. One of a small handful of news sources I counted on to look at the facts and provide context and history There was no following the pack. It was about searching for the truth. Russiagate is the perfect example of that.
I will continue to support the mission of this organization
RIP Robert Parry
RIP. Thanks for it all Robert.
Bob — A heart wholly in protest! A life, a life work, of commitment to truth! His legacy goes on.
Thank you for continuing in this great man’s memory.
RIP to independent investigative Journalism
Robert Perry will be missed in a world of noeliberal
policies and politicians discussed as left or right by
the main stream corporate Medea …
Brilliant man, who wasn’t afraid of the truth, wherever it might lead.
I appreciated Bob Parry’s challenging the Russiagate story and was intrigued to learn of his role in promoting the work of Gary Webb and the Iran-Contra scandal. I believe his work is in advocacy tradition that we need much more of today.
My condolences to the family, the country and the world for the loss of a journalistic giant as well as a wonderful human being. Thank you Robert for keeping me and many others informed of the vital facts that main stream media would just as soon have us never know. I hope we can help make all that work and sacrifice steer this world toward a better fate than the one that appears to await us.
We pray for you all. Thank you.
Robert Parry was a journalist. This is a rarity in these days of corporate mouthpieces, apologists for militarism and “infotainment.” He will be sorely missed. My condolences to his family and the staff at Consortium News.
Robert Parry was a model of journalistic courage and integrity. His passing leaves a terrible void that must now be filled by those he helped to inspire and inform.
This is sad news indeed.
My thoughts go out to his family.
Thank you for the wonderful article.
The impartial benefit of Mr. Robert Parry’s journalistic causes will continue to grow in value over time.
-I would be interested in a hard copy if publishing a collection of his articles is ever an option.
I will continue to support Consortium News.
Thanks and blessings!
I am devastated. I really thought he would pull through. My condolences to the Parry family. One of my favorite writers, Raymond Chandler described Bob best for me:
“…down these mean streets a man must go who himself is not mean, who is neither tarnished nor afraid. He is the hero; he is everything. He must be a complete man and a common man and yet an unusual man. He must be, to use a rather weathered phrase, a man of honor-by instinct, by inevitability,without thought of it, and certainly without saying it. He must be the best man in his world and a good enough man for any world….
The story is this man’s adventure in search of a hidden truth, and it would be no adventure if it did not happen to a man fit for adventure. If there were enough like him, the world would be a very safe place to live in, without becoming too dull to be worth living in.”
I’m at a loss for words. Robert Parry’s work was the standard of excellence. His knowledge and courage as a journalist was incomparable. I’ve been reading and sharing his work on every forum for as long as I can remember. My deepest condolences. The world lost a legendary journalist … truly one of a kind.
Nat’s tribute to his dad has given me great comfort in believing Consortium News will aggressively continue the struggle to spotlight truth through the haze of our goverments’ imperial shenanigans and deceitful practices. Thank you. Thank you so much, Nat and Sam.
Kenny Rodgers
With humble respect our family mourns today the death of an American hero.
I hated Reagan for Iran contra, the Bush’s for their dirty politics, as well as Hillary Clinton for her own scandals. You have to attack them all.
Robert Parry’s death is a great loss. I am very grateful for the truth he illuminated.
Thank you Mr. Parry! May the Lord reward you and all those who strive for truth.
RIP Bob, you will be missed. Thank you for your always positive contributions to the betterment of humanity in a dark age.
I was always inspired by Bob’s grit, writing style and devotion to stories that deserved more daylight. I felt a kinship with him because our stints at Bloomberg News overlapped and we both spent endless hours helping people with little media experience (and sometimes none at all) write for the public. But because my kids attended the same elementary school as two of his grandchildren, I ended up with a bigger glimpse of what an all-around awesome human being he was. What a loss. This was too soon. Please accept my deepest condolences.
My heartfelt deepest condolences, he will be missed. He was an inspiration to those of us who experience injustice and corruption around the world. I could always count on an accurate assessment of a given situation and the facts.
Best Regards
What a loss! I’ve only been a reader of Consortium News for a couple of years, but, it’s become very important to me and I regularly post your stories. I see the publication as one of the few credible sources about U.S. foreign policy. I’m on a fixed low income but,will donate at the first of the month in Robert Parry’s honor.
I am so sorry to hear this. My condolences.
Bob was an important voice.
Ever,
Ly Kesse
Oh no! Oh my God, no. RIP, Mr. Parry. Peace to the Parry family. I have no words.
So sorry to hear this terrible news!
My deepest condolences to Robert’s family.
Your father was an honorable and brave man that is in short supply in today’s world. He gave me hope that one day the US Government and it’s agencies will one day be held to account for their crimes.
Thank you Bob for all that you did to help this world. May you rest in peace.
I woke up this morning wishing it were all a bad dream. Alas, reality smacks us in the face. I have probably a hundred short emails from Bob. Two words: “Sure, Daniel.” It was always his reply to my request to reprint on the Ron Paul Institute website yet another of his spectacular pieces. I wish there could have been hundreds more of these emails. Bob’s work had a unique ability to bring people together regardless of ideological stripe to search for truth. Bob’s legacy is much bigger than that, but this is the part of Bob that will be so sorely missed. I am so happy that we were able to get Bob on our program once: https://youtu.be/GiZnJd0yWaI
I wish there were more opportunities to speak with him. The feeling of loss is so profound. The void seemingly insurmountable at this point.
one of the best interviews of Robert Parry especially on the amazing journalism he was doing in debunking Russia conspiracy theories and showing the hidden side to what was happening in Ukraine was done by you and Dr. Paul. I may not be a libertarian but love how you and Dr.Paul are anti-imperialists and on the right side of history in opposing the US empire. Keep up the good work, and rest in peace Robert Parry.
Every year the darkness of police state oppression grows much denser and now with the passing of Mr. Parry the people’s have suddenly lost one of the last rays of enlightened that spoke truth to power.
I am no one, just I, but I am as I am because of having rad Mr Parrys writings since he began.
His example of investigative journalism, no put down of site owners. Cannot be found today in any major college or University TEACHINGS and there by not at all in mainstream media.
His thoroughness of research made his readership dig way beyond just his writings.
An ancient Chinese proverb says,” The goal of all teachers is to impart the search for knowledge beyond the teachers.
I thank Mr. Parry for his teachings towards reality of National cultural andpolitical life in US.
Myself knows I could or ever reach his level of knowledge and yes wisdom of being , yet I hope his example inspires the young searchers for truth outhere to go beyond .
He is an example, my condolences.
Dear Nat and Sam. I’m so sorry to hear about the death of your dad. It is not only a terrible loss for your family but also to those of us who admired Bob’s courage and integrity. Bob was particularly unusual in supporting the work of others. I certainly benefitted from such support and encouragement over the years. He will be missed particularly at this time when the so-called guardrails of our weakened democracy are under attack from the troglodytes. Sincerely, Mel Goodman
Long time reader, seldom commentator, my condolences to all and thanks for this incredibly valuable site, and this great summary article.
I read this news yesterday morning and was too stunned and numbed to comment. My sincere condolences to the Parry family for their loss.
As a Canadian who is deeply concerned about the behaviour of our giant southerly neighbour, I have long read Robert Parry’s reportage and commentaries with great interest and appreciation. I am very, very sorry to hear of his passing, and I will miss his invaluable contribution to my understanding of important historical and current international affairs.To the Parry family: please accept my sincere condolences on your great loss.
Shocked.
Numb and close to tears.
Condolences to the Parry family. David
Rest in peace, Robert. Know that you made a difference. My condolences to your family.
RIP, Bob. We will carry on.
I am truly flummoxed and saddened by this news. An incommensurable loss, for all of us. Journalism, and indeed the nation and the world will be much impoverished by his passing. I join with all the others in expressing my deepest regret and profound condolences to his family. We will, whatever the fate of ConsortiumNews, long remember him and the inestimable gift he gave us.
Dear Nat and Family,
Our sincere condolences to Bob Parry family and friends, Passing away is a part of being human, but some people like Bob will live forever for there tremendous courage, legacy and tireless work to write and speak the TRUTH. I couldn’t find a more to say than what his son Nat eloquently quoted him when leaving for an assignment to Salvador, “I remember asking him why he had to go, why he couldn’t just stay at home with us. He replied that it was important to go to these places and tell the truth about what was happening there. He mentioned that children my age were being killed in these wars and that somebody had to tell their stories. I remember asking, “Kids like me?” He replied, “Yes, kids just like you.”
Again, our deepest sympathies to Bob Parry family and Friends.
I share with one of my favourites written by the great poet and philosopher Khalil Gibran or as we call him back home, The “Prophet”
Give Me The Flute – Poem by Khalil Gibran
Give me the flute, and sing
immortality lies in a song
and even after we’ve perished
the flute continues to lament
have you taken refuge in the woods
away from places like me
followed streams on their courses
and climbed up the rocks.
Did you ever bathe in a perfume
and dry yourself with a light
drink the dawn as wine
rarefied in goblets of ether
give me the flute then and sing
the best of prayer is song
and even when life perishes
the flute continues to lament
have you spent an evening
as I have done
among vines
where the golden candelabra
clusters hang down
did you sleep on the grass at night
and let space be your blanket
abstaining from all that will come
forgetful of all that has passed
give the flute then and sing
in singing is Justice for the heart
and even after every guilt
has perished
the flute continues to lament
give the flute and sing
forget illness and its cure
people are nothing but lines
which are scribbled on water.
They all are but the tunnels of moles,
threads in the spider’s web.
For he who lives in weakness,
slowly he will die.
Forest is the abode of life,
and were the days
gathered in my hand,
there would I strew them,
but time it is that chooses
from my soul; whenever I long for
forest time bars my way with excuse;
the fates have ways unfaltering,
and men’s aims are
beyond their impotent reach.
Thanks a lot Robert, you will be truly missed.
I’m shocked and saddened at the news of Roberts’s death. I came to depend on his discernment in assessing the reporting of mainstream media outlets, particularly The NY Times and their reporting on Russia. His authentic and authoritative voice provided an alternative frame for considering events and policies that was absolutely truthful and thus, trustworthy. He was very special and will be sorely missed. I offer my deepest sympathies to the family and strongly support the continuation of Consortiumnews in the tradition of Robert and in his honor.
An unimaginable loss. Robert Parry’s legacy – Consortium News – must be continued. Hopefully, there are still some heroes left.
Dear Nat,
Your wonderful father and I both were calling up Gary Webb during his last days, urging him to stay with either one of us instead of being alone in California. He told me, New York was too cold and he figured he could take the full blow attacks from the media giants and politicians and we were not to worry about him.
His death upset me greatly. I am also very sad about Bob’s passing. We are the same age and have been fighting the same CIA/Deep State/Bilderberg gang monster. This conspiracy of the world’s super rich and super powerful continues to menace us all. Bob’s brave fight against this Machine is an inspiration to everyone.
He stood up to the monster and didn’t step back one inch! Nat, I think you are the same, stick to your principles and keep up the good work. We all wish you well in keeping your brave father’s work going, may your path be lit by the light of liberty and love!
Keep the faith, what you and your father have done is great work and we all expect you do continue this great work. Love my mountain base, from New York, Elaine Meinel Supkis (my father is one of the founders of the CIA)
Thank you for this excellent overview of Bob’s work, Nat, he will be missed especially as the U.S. descends into the post-factual era of Trump aided and abetted by the cretins in the reich-wing echo chamber that have made hyperbole, innuendo, and half-truths the coin of the current journalistic realm.
My condolences to Bob’s loved ones. May he rest in peace.
What a stunningly painful loss. Robert Parry was one of the finest journalists I have ever had the privilege to read. He will be profoundly missed.
My condolences to you and your family, Nat.
Your father was a great man, and there’s no greater tribute than the many other fine journalists expressing their admiration of Robert Parry on this thread.
I join with others around the world in the sadness and sorrow on the demise of Robert Parry. May his soul rests in peace, the peace he looked forward to in this world. His legacy will live forever. My deepest condolence to his family and loved ones.
God bless you and your family. This sudden and tragic loss must be difficult.
I only discovered Consortium News a few years ago and did not recall the name of Robert Parry. It was a refreshing read. A “newspaper” where they still practiced journalism!
As closely as I follow the news, and the close attention I paid to the atrocities in Central America, Iran-Contra, government-sanctioned crack cocaine smuggling, etc. I no doubt read many of his articles in those days.
Robert Parry was a journalist’s journalist. He will be sorely missed. I am grateful you are keeping Consortium News going. The standards of journalism it exemplifies sorely needed.
Enormous and perhaps irreplaceable loss to truth and to our Republic.
One of the questions from Dharma (in the form of a Yaksha) to Yudhishthira:
What is the most wonderful thing in this world?
Day after day there enter into the Temple of Death countless lives. Looking on this spectacle, the rest of them, those who remain, believe themselves to be permanent, immortal. Can anything be more wonderful than this?
The Mahabharata
Robert Parry was a light to the world.
That leaves me numb. What a shock. What a loss. No one else saw the truth and wrote about it as clearly as he did. Who will step up and attempt to take his place? Someone must.
Dear Nat (and family):
What a wonderful tribute to an excellent man (and human being). The quest for truth is among the noblest of causes and it always seems to come at a price. Standing up to lies, deceit and corruption is not an easy task and he did it well… He will be missed.
Sincere condolences to you and your family.
My deepest sympathy to you and your family for your loss.
I am stunned and selfishly saddened by the loss of such an exceptional journalist who tirelessly dug for the truth and shared it so clearly and eloquently with readers. My understanding of world events has been increased immeasurably by reading Robert Parry’s books and columns and the contributions of others to this site.
In addition to my condolences, I extend my best wishes to you and the others who intend to carry on his work. It is greatly needed, now more than ever.
What sad and shocking news! This is the only website that tells all the truth regardless of the subject. The world is a sadder place.
A very sad day. We have lost a true patriot and a courageous journalist at a time when a total propaganda war emanates from the American mainstream press. Such a great loss for truth-seekers.
Condolences to his family.
R.I.P. Mr Parry, and thank you for your work.
I don’t even know if I can find words right now. I am sitting here with tears in my eyes. It seems so unfair that rare good and honest people like Bob die so early.
You will be missed. But you also were a huge inspiration to a lot of people and so I think your legacy will continue. I won’t forget you and every time someone speaks about real journalism, your name will come to my mind and will serve as an example.
Rest in peace.
He fought the good fight for the truth. He will not be forgotten.
Heartfelt condolences. A great journalist and a favourite site of mine.
I was alerted by a family member to news of Robert Parry’s death.
Such sad news: we’ll feel his loss acutely.
This is a wonderful eulogy: my deepest condolences to the Parry family.
My deepest condolences. This is a great loss all around. Bob will be greatly missed.
Robert Parry
Soudain ce soir, nous avons perdu notre main
Qui nous protégeait des rayons brutaux et des sables
Écrivait au grand jour des faits dispersés
La trace que nous pouvions laisser, notre ténacité
Sera effacée et les voies closes aux esprits sondeurs
La révolte s’est tue et notre dos est las
Qui le remplacera dans sa volonté blanche
Et fera aux oreilles des jours résonner un peu la semonce
Qui nettoiera les écuries des palais
Où stagnent la bêtise et l’envie
La violente décrépitude que génère le pouvoir
Et, sur leurs murs, les laves des fortunes obscènes
Il est parti, nous a laissé
La voix que nous voulions entendre
Au loin, ferme et sifflante
S’est dispersée dans l’avenir
Qui posera quelques cailloux pour y guider nos désespoirs ?
Hommage à Robert Parry
Dans ” Petite politique ”
Poésie sous plastique
Janvier 2018
I am new to this site and am moved by the dedication of Bob to his work. RIP Bob. May you inspire a legion of truth-seekers as your legacy. Special thanks to Max Blumenthal for introducing me to this website. You have just won a new follower.
My sincerest condolences to you and your family. I have been an regular reader of Robert’s posts for many years. I will miss him a great deal. I hope the tradition of excellent reportage and commentary will continue.
Tears filled my eyes reading the news of Robert Parry’s death and the moving account of his legacy as the courageous truthteller whom I have trusted so strongly. He was taken by cancer complications at only 67. At 82, I am here after three deadly cancers, two cured and one incurable blood cancer in remission for now. Those are 15 years Robert Parry did not get while he was so productive and needed in this world! Life can be very unfair! I shall miss him! But I am thankful Consortium News will continue his mission. How fortunate to have had this amazing man among us!
RIP Bob Parry
Although I’ve never commented before but a website I’ve been reading regularly to get the ‘real story’. A tragic shame that such a superb journalist with such integrity, one of the few truth tellers out there, has been taken from us so prematurely. My thoughts and wishes to all friends and family
Please continue to write the truth. All the things you mention in the above obituary exist here in Britain. That is the manipulation by the government and media of the truth of what is going on in the world.
I’m at a loss for words… did manage to put together a comment on my Facebook page. I guess I’ll go with that —
A huge loss. Journalist par excellence and a fine human being. Someone who made the world a better place for having been here. He will be missed.
And to that I might add,,, I’m thankful his creation — Consortiumnews — is still here to carry on with his mission. He put together a good ensemble here. One that reflects his values and integrity.
And I also might add that Nat Parry wrote an excellet tribute… and maybe he can contribute more often in the future.
So sad. Robert Parry was one of my favorite, real journalists. I mentioned him to all of my friends, family and students.
Such tragic news. Consortium News was consistently the best source of unbiased independent news analysis on the Web, and I always sought out the byline “Robert Parry”. I sincerely hope the high standard of fearless reporting and analysis found in Mr. Parry’s articles will continue as part of his legacy.
I, I am truly saddened by the news. His conviction to not let Gary Webb be forgotten and his writing on the ‘true ‘ nature of Thomas Jefferson resonated deeply for me.We are in essence an extended family, thank you Robert.
The strangest thing, as I was finishing I heard the distinct howling of an alpha coyote followed by the echoes of the pack running through our neighborhood….such is life, no?
Very sad news. Vale Robert Parry. Condolences and best wishes to his family. The world has lost a fine journalist.
I am very sad to learn this news. The contribution of Robert Parry and Consortiumnews is truly heroic.
For me personally, it has been crucial to help creating a somewhat coherent picture of the forces and dynamics behind the otherwise incomprehensible destructive behaviour of the West in Ukraine and vis a vis Russia, and the coordinated propaganda in msm and of most of our politicians. I have also learned a lot more, in the process, of course. I am immensely grateful.
I wish you all the best of success in continuing and developing your mission and reaching out to the public!
One cannot help noting that t is a strength of American society, after all, that this site exists.
I’m sorry to learn of your father’s death. It’s a loss for those of us who have been reading his work for years but a much greater loss to you.
As Tommy Douglas would say (and Robert Parry unfailing did):
Onward!
You’ve written a fine tribute to your father, Nat. Please accept my condolences for your family’s loss. Consortium News has been indispensable reading for me since I came across the website a few years ago. It’s a testament to Robert Parry’s courage, character and integrity that he never wavered from seeking the truth, no matter how inconvenient his reporting might prove to be, for him or for the powers that be. That’s what made him a journalistic icon.
Bob was the best editor I ever had. He gave me a home for my work the past six years. He was an extraordinary journalist and man, as Nat’s moving obituary makes clear. This is devastating for everyone who knew Bob as for his readers who came to depend on him. The struggle to uncover the truth in this massively corrupt time just got a lot harder.
Please accept my condolences. I am genuinely saddened by this. Robert’s courage and intellect will be greatly missed. His was a voice of sanity and intelligence that is now very rare in journalism. This is a great loss to journalism, and the world.
As Annie said earlier, I too felt it was a glitch, or a warning sign to take more time off and heal from the issues of current news which no doubt provided an internal torment to Mr Parry. I did think he would get better, and it is with great sadness to hear this was not the case.
Thank you for the well written eulogy as he will be missed in many arenas where those who can sensibly discuss the issues of today without venom, and take it a step higher to add years of wisdom is what I will miss most. I’m glad, through my sadness to hear his sons add the humanity which was the man.
One of the greatest gifts I felt Robert Parry brought to bear in his writings and articles here was the totally unnecessary need to toss labels around as euphemisms to berate another opinion. We live at a time when even the smartest cannot properly define “conservatism”,”liberal”, a true Constitutional believer, a true “ defender of our country” unless the qualifications are a part of the labels. “Fiscal Conservative”, “Progressive” neo this or alt that ad infinitum. Labels are cast about to minimalize an opinion or an argument based on partial information. Anyone reading Mr Ellsworths’ new book will know most us us have only small pieces of the totality of information and this “need to know” is not just a military creed. We really don’t know as much as we think we do.
I mention the lack of labels as one of Robert Parrys’ greatest gifts to many and most of the articles he wrote. It’s hard to find his equal in the bile of news today as someone is immediately ‘defined’ without even presenting a cogent thought. In this regard, Robert Parry shared an important gift. Listen to the message, and provide salient responses to the articles of today or the human across from you and especially the ones who assume facts without presenting any facts to back up the propaganda, or “articles” as they would rather be known.
For his ability to delve and deliver without banal, conventional, or clique labels has been a wonderful gift to the world, and for that alone I value his work and wisdom, and will miss him terribly.
“Group-think” is not a pejorative label in my opinion, but rather a truism.
I also wish a heart-felt emotion at the loss in the family, at a time most sudden and wish healing through the loss.
Bob’s death is a sad news. many years ago, I discovered this website and Bob’s writings and analyses. As a Paris based independent researcher in geopolitic, I have had the occasion and the pleasure to learn and to enrich my research thanks to Bob’s investigative journalism especially when he showed the covered face of the American foreign policy and its planetary implications.
Consortiumnews and Tomdispatch were and remain my two preferred intelllectuall tools to understand the International Relations in general and the geopolitics in particular.
thank you for all Bob. I hope that this website continue to inform his readers all over the world. Every reader should pay tribute to Bob and his accomplished mission ; making the people more concious of international politics and giving them ithe necessary intellectual weapon in order to confront the political propaganda waged by the mainstream media.
Bob Is irreplaceable, but the work he did , and the unflagging courage he showed in doing it will never be forgotten . I know that many others who followed and admired him will continue to be inspired by his legacy. Dear Nat , he would be so pleased and proud of your beautiful tribute.
This is shattering news. As an old-school blogger since 2001, and a part oft the community that revolved around Bartcop.com and “The Horse” (MWO) before that, Robert Parry was an inspiration and a source for all of us.
Thank you for this tribute to his life and work. I’m so sorry for your loss – and ours.
I’m sad and disappointed and convey my condolences. He was an incorruptible giant of modern journalism. I hope is battle for truth against an increasingly powerful propaganda structure can be continued.
Sad news indeed for his family, and all those he served. A principled, courageous and professional journalist Robert Parry will be remembered as a hero in a profession that has become a refuge for cowards. I don’t think it is too strong a word to describe the many journalists, who have sold their souls to mammon, as traitors. In pursuit of wealth and fame they have deceived and betrayed the people they are supposed to serve.
This comes as terrible news.
I know the right thing is to appreciate and celebrate Robert Parry’s life and work, but I feel keenly the void of vitally needed journalism that can now never be filled. Many people who ought to have been afflicted by his skill and diligence will now have an easier time of it than they deserve. Others who need his help won’t get it.
Thanks to Nat for this fine tribute. My deepest sympathies to him, Robert’s other family and friends, his former and current colleagues, and all the ConsortiumNews people, including my fellow readers.
Respectfully,
David Glatstein
New York
Condolences to the Parry family. This is such a big loss in such a grave time for journalism. Glad to hear Bob was able to pass on peacefully and that Consortium News will continue to deliver. Looking forward to keeping the truth alive together!
My condolences to his family. I’m missing Robert terribly. Human beings will.
My condolences to your family. I am heartsick to learn of Mr. Parry’s passing. He will indeed be missed. I’ve read his reporting for years, and I can’t find the words to express my sorrow. May he rest in peace.
Oh, this is such heart breaking news. But Nate, you have done us a remarkable service with your detailed eulogy. I always felt Robert was such a uniquely superb journalist, but until I read this post, I didn’t know the extent to which he was hands on in reporting news. Over the years, I’ve referred many of my friends and family to consortiumnews. A couple of them were even weaned off mainstream news after that. Please accept my deepest condolences on the loss of your beloved father and our beloved friend.
I learned only recently of your father’s stroke, and was shocked to catch a reference to his passing on Tim Canova’s site.
My deepest condolences to you and your father’s entire family.
I read a few of his books and followed Consortiumnews for more than a few years. His reporting and that of other contributors has shaped my understanding of the modern world more than any other writing I can think of at the moment. I am greatly saddened.
So sorry. I have such a profound respect and admiration for Robert. My deepest condolences and love to family and friends.. He will be missed.
Very sad news.
RIP Great Man and Journalist!
Godspeed, Robert Parry.
I am shocked and deeply saddened to hear the news of Robert Parry’s death. We have lost a great journalist and a great man.
May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always be at your back,
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
May the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
May the Lord hold you in the palm of His hand.
I shed a tear like many will, on the passing of a wonderful man.
Damn!! He was our guy!! Damn!!
Ray Blessin
Kamloops, BC
Trump supporters think Raygun is a god, if they’re reading and liking Parry then they don’t understand his work.
A huge loss for journalism.
I am absolutely crushed at the news of Robert Parry’s passing. So sad. As I said before, when I first found this site, my first thought was: “Who is this man who speaks the truth?” I will never forget what he has given me – the gift of truth. It couldn’t have been easy for him starting up his own website, going against the grain, but he took the road less traveled and we are all the wiser for it.
Last night, I stayed up late and watched “Educating Rita” for some reason. I hadn’t seen the movie in years. After reading the sad news today, I was reminded of how invaluable a good teacher is. Sometimes I would get angry at Robert Parry for not going far enough, not speculating, but to his credit he strictly adhered to the truth and only followed where the facts led. He has tamed this “Rita” somewhat and made me think a little deeper. I am thankful for that.
My deepest sympathy to Robert’s wife and family for their great loss. I’m confident that everyone who has read his articles mourns his passing. That’s a very good legacy to have. You cannot ask for more than that.
I leave this music for you, Robert Parry. We shall all see you again in “That Next Place”.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4huZYzOD8Q
Shocking news. My deepest condolences to the Parry family. I was an early pre-internet subscriber, and have alway admired Bob’s relentless, consistent pursuit of the truth and professional courage. A real gentleman too — his kind, thoughtful notes in response to my contributions or inquiries were greatly appreciated. I hope CN is able to continue on in the same spirit of fearless reporting which he brought to this site.
Nat your dad was one of a very rare breed in these troubled times,a searcher after the truth,
That makes you a public enemy number one now,with the corrupt and powerful,you and your family must be proud to have
Such a person in your family a great loss to your family and the world.
Robert Parry’s work has been a beacon of sanity for me in a world full of madness. My deepest condolences to family and friends.
To the Parry family,
I am so sorry you have lost such a wonderful man. As a journalist, Robert’s articles were the high point of my news reading, I feel like I’ve lost a wise friend.
Like others here, I am shocked and greatly saddened to hear about Bob’s untimely death. His clear, honest reporting helped so many of us see through the haze and misdirection of establishment news. His passing is a loss for everyone, even those who couldn’t place his name on the stories he broke. Bob’s enduring legacy gives me hope that reporters at Consortium News and elsewhere, inspired by his example, will continue to air the truth in ways that the rest of us find actionable.
My most sincere condolences to you and your family. Just learned of your father’s illness and death today. I so wish I had been following more closely so that I could have commented and expressed my deep appreciation for all of his valuable work directly to him. When Senator Shaheen and Rep. Kuster held town halls here in New Hampshire this year, my public pleas to them were based in large part on my reading of your father and Consortium News and I urged them both to read him and the other contributors at the site. I don’t have to tell you what a tremendous loss this is for journalism and truth-telling. I’m very relieved to hear that Consortium News will continue to “remain the indispensable home for independent journalism that it has become.”
he was an amazing reporter. HUGELY missed. what tremendous contributions he made. his family should be very proud of what he accomplished.
Good-bye, Mr. Parry. I’m sorry you had to leave us so early, just when we needed you more than ever. But the ways of the universe remain largely beyond our comprehension. Your tenure here with us improved life on this tired old planet–though probably not to the extent you’d hoped for, wished for and worked so hard for. Many powerful forces were arrayed against you, because time and again you pointed out the folly and immorality of power-elite governance. I thank you for all you’ve done in shining a penetrating light upon evil machinations brought about by absolute, inhumane and unethical power. Rest in peace, Mr. Parry, assured that in time others will come forward to don the mantle you so expertly wore.
I am grateful beyond words for the contributions Robert Parry made to my awareness and insight regarding the truth of modern politics. He remains a giant in investigative reporting and speaking truth to power. I will continue to read this site and I wish the family the very best in this difficult time.
My condolences to your family.
Consortiumnews generally and Bob’s repoting in particular are an oasis of reason in a desert of maistream media group think. He will be sorely missed, but I’m glad that Consortiumnews will continue and is evidently in good hands.
Thank you, Bob, for all of your hard work. Rest in peace.
So very shocked and saddened to learn of the world’s loss of Robert Parry, yet so very grateful for his treasured work. Sincere condolences to your family, Nat, and thank you for your beautifully written chronicle of his life work. This is a sharp reminder to me that all of us who share such deep concern about political events must increase participation to be the change we want to see in the world. Thank you so much for the beacon of your work, Robert Parry!
Wow. Robert Parry’s invaluable journalism will be missed beyond words. His articles have always stood out like rare gems. While we have lost a true exemplary journalist his contribution to the world will go on. I pray that Bob’s family finds comfort in the honorable legacy of integrity and dedication to the truth he leaves behind. RIP to a man of great character and a journalist of the highest standard, Robert Parry.
For years and years Consortiumnews has been my go-to site when I wanted to understand the deep stories behind the news. Amazing that Mr. Parry has persisted, when the entire world consigns the real journalists like himself to the “media desert”. I’m glad that the new technology and online platforms have enabled a new generation of readers to get to know his depth and integrity. Peaceful passage, friend.
I am very saddened to learn of Bob Parry’s passing. In no way will this sad event interfere with my monthly contributions to Consortium, which I learned of ten years ago through a link from Information Clearinghouse; yet another valiant website committed to challenging “official” mainstream narratives.
Thank you Nat. Know that your father and you are both deeply appreciated. My condolences in your loss. I’m sure I’m one of very many people with tears in our eyes as we read this post. I have the utmost respect for Robert and he will always remain an absolute inspiration.
I burst into tears when I heard the news today. So very sad for all of you and for all of us who desperately needed his clear voice at this critical time.
I wrote a brief tribute to him with a link to a speech of his that I transcribed that helped me make the connection in the first place. FYI to any interested. What a loss. What a loss.
https://www.facebook.com/lisa.pease/posts/10159843583545526?pnref=story
Thanks for making that transcription available. The Robert Parry of 25 years ago reads just like he did in his most recent writings , obviously sincere , with no agenda but telling the truth. What a loss , indeed.
Some thoughts on Robert by Caitlin Johnstone :
https://steemit.com/journalism/@caitlinjohnstone/this-deeply-held-commitment-a-meditation-on-the-death-of-robert-parry
A great man. An important lifetime. A great example of how much just one person can do. Erudite, dedicated, brave.
Shock. I had no idea he was that sick, and he’s needed today more than ever.
Absolutely terrible news! All believers in exposing the truth of what really goes on in this corrupt, imperialist country, must grieve for the loss of Robert Parry. Personally, I am stunned and saddened. Robert Parry was a beacon for truth in professional journalism, and very dedicated in pursuit of that truth. In the age of Trump, where fiction is truth, lies serve the empire, and real news is called “fake,” this loss is especially devastating.
I hope Consortium News will soldier on, and I will contribute to that effort.
My condolences to all in Parry’s family.
– Chris Kinder
I am truly sorry to hear this. We sometimes ran into each other around the Arlington Courthouse before the Cosi went out of business, and then I would sometimes run into him at Summers.
He enjoyed dropping in with his laptop to plink away in peace with no distractions so he had time to think. We would encounter each other over the years and have a quiet chat over the news of the day. He was intelligent and very soft spoken and always had an interesting story or even just a little time to hear an opinion or a question. He knew a lot of people and a lot of things. Always thinking. But it wasn’t just about politics. Sometimes we talked of family or of his beloved Red Sox and Patriots. I liked him and am distressed to hear of his passing.
A couple of weeks ago I spotted him on the sidewalk outside his house while driving to work and he looked gray and drawn. I thought he was just tired and wish I’d stopped the car to inquire because he did not look good. But Bob wasn’t big on sharing his troubles, either, so I did not want to intrude.
Rest in peace, Robert Parry. You were a decent guy who was always a pleasure to talk to and you will surely be missed.
A great patriot, journalist and human being will be sorely missed. My prayers to the family for their loss. Bob was two years older than I and yet I was a student of his and grateful for brilliance.
Along with our deepest sympathy for the Parry family and friends, we readers share this profound loss. One of the few great lights of these dark times no longer shines. Robert Parry was an inspiration and role model to all who strive for truth, integrity and fairness in reporting, while committing himself with the deepest self sacrifice in his untiring efforts to lessen suffering in the world.
Thank you Nat for the eloquent, informative eulogy, and for the commitment to carry on. Parry on.
I am saddened by the news. Robert Parry gave voice to those who suffered the cruelty of U.S. interventions. He set the journalistic bar high, especially now that journalists are paid to research and publish what fits U.S. policy. The world will miss him, but his legacy will continue. My deep condolences to you and your family.
Shocked and very sad at this great loss to us all. Robert Parry’s commitment to intellectual honesty is evident in his work, and is precisely what drew me to this site. I wish I had found it many years sooner. Nat, what a beautiful and inspiring review of your father’s life and work.
Like many others. I had hoped and anticipated that Bob Parry would be back in action following his stroke as if a man with such a backbone and a no nonsense approach to the truth was indestructible. Nat’s history of his dad brought it all back home.
I interviewed Bob a number of time for Takes on the World, a program I host for KZYX, Mendocino County radio, the last time in March of last year. He spoke then about how Rachel Maddow, a darling of the county’s liberals, and the rest of the liberal media had signed on to the neocon agenda in going after Russia’s alleged hacking, a subject about which he was the most penetrating critic. I am going to listen again to the program tonight.
Bob was one of the best and the bravest and will be sorely missed. May Consortium News continue more strongly than ever in honoring his memory and the truth.
Heartfelt condolences to the Parry family. Lighting a candle this evening for so many reasons.
Thank you for everything. While I only discovered Consortium a couple of years ago, it has been a major source of information and clarity in these confused and confusing times, and hope it can continue as such.
Rest in Peace, Mr. Parry.
Dear Nat,
I am so sorry for the loss of your dear Dad. He was a real hero; a standout in his profession and as a caring human being.
I will continue to support you and Consortium News.
Pascal once said “Truth is so obscure in these times, and falsehood so established, that, unless we love the truth, we cannot know it.” Robert Parry was a man who loved the truth, and lived to discover it and share it with others. So sad to hear of his passing; my condolences to the Parry family. So glad to hear that you will continue Mr. Parry’s relentless and fierce search for truth.
This is devastating news. Robert Parry was a great reporter — I think the best. I always read his articles, which such taught me so much. He stood apart from the legions of so-called journalists who cashed it in a long time ago so they could have a nice title and a comfortable lifestyle. His incisive reporting on US foreign policy, particularly about the dangerous neo-con influence, was excellent. In the past year, his writing exposing the phony Russia-gate scandal was a badly needed counterpoint to the dishonest reporting in major media like the New York Times and Washington Post. Robert will be sorely missed. May we all work to support the continuation of Consortium News. My very best to his family..
Please accept my deepest condolences. I feel a great loss. Robert Parry’s reporting was inspiring and important. His book, America’s Stolen Narrative, literally changed the way I approach and think about what I read in the main stream media. Robert Parry, in my opinion, was the greatest journalist of his time.
This is a very sad event. I had nothing but admiration for Bob Parry and all he stood for as a journalist.
IMO, he built Consortium News into the finest font of information there is on the web.
I encourage Chelsea and Nat to do all they can to sustain it. We need this site now more than ever.
I always looked forward to Robert Parry articles. I had confidence in them, not blind confidence but I knew Robert was giving his best effort and was highly qualified. With degeneracy of today’s media, I am at a loss to know who, instead of Robert, I should pay attention to. Very sad.
Your father’s life was a blessing of truth and of dogged dedication to truth; the rarest blessing to us all. I am sad, and shocked, as are all who read him, that we will be bereft of his insight and of his unwavering pursuit of truth and justice. You, I and all who loved him/his work will honor him by multiplying and emulating his dedication to greater purposes. He lived a life that will not pass but will live on. I am very sorry for loss.
With Deepest Sympathy,
Hope
Thank you Robert. Though your physical form has left us you will always be here, as we gather in this community to keep the flame of our shared humanity alive, against the odds perhaps, but those are the battles worth fighting.
The world is a different place because of you Robert.
I just want to “sign” this book of condolences. A Canadian and a reader of Consortium News for the last 4 years, for myself Robert Parry was a beacon of truth in a world of media propaganda and lies. I am truly saddened by this news. Robert Parry will have a legacy in journalism that few today can ever match. To his family, I am truly sorry for your loss.
I was shocked and dismayed to learn of the death of one of the greatest journalists who has ever lived. Bob Parry will be greatly missed by those of us who appreciate consortiumnews as the go-to source for truth in reporting; its thorough in-depth coverage of world events is second to none. Someone here asked how could he love someone he’s never met….many of us feel the same. May Mr. Parry’s good work be carried forward by like-minded truth-seekers for whom he will be an inspiration for lifetimes to come.
My condolences to Nat and the Parry family. ConsortiumNews has consistently been the best and most reliable source for news anywhere. I am a much more informed person as a result.
Thank you Robert… you will be missed.
Over the years, I read a lot of your father’s articles. May I extend my condolences to you and all your family members.
May your father rest in peace and I know he will be sorely missed by you all and by the many readers who respected his journalistic and investigative integrity which sadly is rare these days and is devoid in most Media outlets, even those that claim to be ‘Alternative’ Writers and thinkers.
Such is the demise of Journalism today and makes the death of your father a greater loss to the profession that sadly and shamefully no longer writes the truth but churns out political propaganda that only serves the interests of a Few..
Honour and Protect the Truth in order to serve your people, your nation, your communities.
Sorry for your great loss. Losing a parent is very painful but always hold on to the memories as they remain with you always.
What devastating & heartbreaking news that Bob has passed away & my condolences to the Parry family at this difficult time. Bob Parry has many fans down under, here in NZ. In my Maori culture, we would say that Bob was a man of “mana” which translated means, that in a spiritual & physical way, Bob was a person of great courage, personal prestige & character, a person worthy of honour & respect. Mr Parry epitomised “mana” in all those traits & more in his pursuit of journalistic truth! An old Maori poem & proverb describes the passing away of a great Leader & man with this verse commonly used in my Country of New Zealand when a respected person passes away? It says “A mighty Totara (Tree- or great man) has fallen in the forest of Tane”. God bless you Mr Parry, you are that great man & your good works will go with you & you will be rewarded for them. Kia Kaha (be strong) & Aroha (love) to the Parry Family & Bob’s many fans around the World.
My apologies for my previous comment. I burst into tears and was so completely shocked, I was unable to put together a coherent sentence…
Nat, what a beautifully written piece…
I’m very familiar with your father’s work. I’ve been reading here for a very long time, but for me his Russia gate stories have been a voice of critical truth amidst corporate media lies, as well as, in my opinion, I believe Russia gate to be a government cover up involving the Obama Administration, Clinton campaign, the FBI, DOJ, DNC et.al, in committing primary rigging and election fraud, but has now evolved into another WMD narrative to get public support for war upon Russia.
Never in my 54 years have I seen anything more blatant and dangerous. Your father’s stories on Russia gate were above and beyond the most valuable in examining this narrative and with a sharp mind and critical journalistic eye, your father destroyed the ‘official narrative’ and shone a light on what is the epitome of evil and corruption. I looked forward to his stories. And now, to see that this beacon of journalistic light and truth is gone is truly almost too much to bear..
I can’t imagine the pain you all must be feeling.
I copied the following from your piece and pasted it below:
“One of my earliest memories in fact was of my dad about to leave on assignment in the early 1980s to the war zones of El Salvador, Nicaragua and Guatemala, and the heartfelt good-bye that he wished to me and my siblings. He warned us that he was going to a very dangerous place and that there was a possibility that he might not come back.
I remember asking him why he had to go, why he couldn’t just stay at home with us. He replied that it was important to go to these places and tell the truth about what was happening there. He mentioned that children my age were being killed in these wars and that somebody had to tell their stories. I remember asking, “Kids like me?” He replied, “Yes, kids just like you.”
What an exquisite lesson of empathy, Nat…
What beautiful human beings both your parents must be…..
It’s this empathy that kept your Dad working so hard to bring truth to light. The senseless government evil and corruption that has taken the lives of millions and displaced millions more, many of them children, must have hurt his heart. The reality that he was shunned by fellow journalists, was not a measure of a failing in your father in any way, as I’m certain you know this, but rather a pathological sickness that permeates today’s journalism. The outcome to a dying EMPIRE. A government and media run by sociopaths. Your father was a beautiful contradiction to what is today’s journalism (propagandists), full of empathy, compassion, integrity, TRUTH and LOVE….and he never once fell away from his convictions.
That beautiful moment with your father was also a lesson in love for humanity….
Like other commenters here, I’m deeply grieved over this loss. Cancer also took the life of my mother and 20 years later I still miss her dearly…
May God keep you all embraced in his loving arms as you mourn your loss. May the beautiful lessons your father taught you remain forever in your heart and that his spirit will be with you as you all continue to blaze more trails for truth…
I’m not very familiar with your family, so forgive me if I’m writing ‘out of turn’ in my assumption, but if Mom is still with you all and bearing the heart ache only a new widow will have to bear….Mrs. Parry, a big cyber hug and may you grieve your loss with great peace, wisdom and the love of your beautiful children.
I’m so relieved that Consortium will continue and I’m confident, as this piece reveals, that it is all in the very best of hands.
Much love,
Kelli,
Clackamas, Oregon.
Terrible news. I haven’t commented here before, but this is shocking. Many of us counted on Robert Parry as a ray of sanity and a model of investigative journalism. His sudden passing is very sad.
I wish all the possible good fortune to you in maintaining his legacy, the best tribute you or anyone can give him.
Condolences to the family. RIP to Bob.
I wish I could have become his friend, because I know what great work he did. The one time we engaged each other by email, he fell into using epithets against me. At least they weren’t vulgar. He accused me of mysticism when I just wanted to discuss 9/11 from the vantage of high school physics.
I have been a progressive activist since the Vietnam war and realize that every person here is a dedicated anti racist. I wouldn’t be surprised if most of you have accomplished more on that front than I have.
I want to lovingly challenge you all to do more to combat ethic bias, especially Islamaphobia. When you say “Don’t blame all Muslims for the bad actions of a few,” You are basically throwing in the towel in terms of reaching out to westerners who have less of a commitment to oppose Ialamaphobia. I’ll bet Muslims who suffer under the Yankee boot would ask you not to throw in that towel.
Give me a chance to show you how the official story of 9/11 violates Newton’s laws, which I assume you all were taught in high school. If the planes did not bring down the towers then Muslims didn’t do 9/11.
I don’t insist you agree with me, only that you be willing to dialog. We as a nation hardly deserve to live in freedom because it is so difficult to generate a civil conversation on this issue. The war on terror will never end as long as we can’t discuss this issue.
[email protected] 704-879-7337
God-damn!! This is really aggravating to lose a perceptive journalist prematurely. Like all
the above commenters, I feel the same loss and offer condolences to the family, though I’m not as adept at writing as most of you.
Some recognition of Bob’s work:
Caitlin Johnstone, This Deeply Held Commitment: A Meditation On The Death Of Robert Parry
https://caitlinjohnstone.com/2018/01/29/this-deeply-held-commitment-a-meditation-on-the-death-of-robert-parry/
Moon of Alabama:
http://www.moonofalabama.org/2018/01/robert-parry-has-died.html
Twitter:
https://twitter.com/hashtag/robertparry?f=tweets&vertical=default&src=refgoogle
Max Blumenthal:
https://twitter.com/MaxBlumenthal/status/957753279064178688
Gareth Porter:
https://twitter.com/GarethPorter/status/957717684812214272
Abby Martin:
https://twitter.com/AbbyMartin/status/957713787414433792
And many others …
It’s all so sad, about a man I never knew, but whose life could not have been better lived.
We must teach our young, budding journalists and future reporters what serious public reporting is all about. Someone here ,will take that position. You know, one does not get the IF Stone journalism award for nothing. Please, Consortiumnews. Keep up your tough investigatve journalism. One more beloved person is gone. The best we can do is continue. Love Tina
Sincere condolences, Nat, your father will be greatly missed as pillar of independent and critical thinking honest journalism of 21st century. #RIP
damn, a desperately needed and stellar reporter gone, the type of conscientious journalist that Empire simply can’t stand, but we 99% need to inform us while the bought-and-paid-for lapdog media licks the greasy fingers of the puppet masters…
damn damn damn
sure sorry for your personal/family loss, but much sorrier still for the sad fact that journalism has been diminished that much more by his passing… too few good ones to afford to have any go prematurely…
I am saddened to learn of Robert Parry’s no longer being with us. Never knowing or meeting the man I’ve grown over the past few years to appreciate his work and his role at Consortium News. Just a few weeks ago I got a surprising Thank You note for my recent modest contribution. My impression has been that this was an intrepid journalist, honest, bold, and especially humane. Our country needed him and his loss will affect many. My heart and sympathies go out to the family and to his many friends and colleagues.
Peace, with Justice and Love, (Rev.) Darrel Meyers (Burbank)
I am in shock and filled with sorrow. Today the World has lost a great teller of the truth. I feel I grew up with Bob or Mr. Parry as I always called him like a student addressing a professor. I have such a deep respect for you Bob. You were the fount of truthful information like an oasis in the desert when there was a barren wasteland of the coverage of events which left me lost in the desert without a drop of water.
I too was perplexed by the media coverage of the Hostage release timed to coincide within a minute of Reagan’s Inauguration. You brought some sanity back into my world with your tireless investigation. I am sure there is nobody else on this Earth who has done more to uncover the dirty deeds done by our elected officials over the years and I am also sure that if only your reach could have extended further to reach many more ears we would be living in a better world.
You have done a yeoman’s job. You are a mountain of truth jutting far above the dark waters with deadly currents which lure others with their siren songs to the reef of ignorance and disinformation. On top of that mountain there is a tall tower with a beacon of light shining great distances over that black sea illuminating the denizens of the deep state who conspire to rob us of our democracy and our Constitution for their selfish greedy purposes.
It is said that every man has his price. But you are priceless. You have never wavered, never stumbled, never shied away from the truth because you are that mountain with that tower and that beacon. You created it. You created the mountain, built the tower and lighted the beacon. May that beacon continue to shine past your days on this Earth.
Some have asked what does it avail a man to gain a fortune and lose their soul? Let no one ever ask that about you. You certainly could have done that just as so many in the media have made their careers selling their souls and gaining fortunes. But you are the opposite of that. You gave up your commercial journalistic career rather than to cave in to the group think and the yes men. You had a plan. Your plan was to build a mountain and place upon it a high tower and to light a beacon for truth and then you set about the task of doing it. Once it was built you never let the light of truth dim or be blown out even when your website was called “fake news” by the people whose trade is fake news descended upon you and called your website fake.
There is nothing fake about you or your website. You are the tireless leader who leads the fight to combat fake news and you have never wavered. I also know what it is like to alienate friends and family when discussing truths that are hard to accept. People generally do not have the breadth and depth of a life of experience which has taught them that what they see and hear are falsehoods. Nobody wants to believe that they have been fed a pack of lies and the things they believe are not true. But there is a difference in me and you Bob. There is an underlying experience of which we both share which tells us we are being deceived. I just feel it but you investigate it, find the facts and make your case based on hard earned facts. That is a huge difference.
We are all here on this website just armchair philosophers hypothesizing about what might be the real truth but you were always the one who went out into the trenches and dug up the facts to support your hunches. In a sense, you were just doing your job as an investigative reporter. But in another sense you were a revolutionary. As George Orwell wrote before his own untimely death, “In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act.” Orwell wrote “1984” while dying from Tuberculosis. He died a short time after it was published. Orwell published the book in 1949 and died at the age of 46 in 1950.
Today, the book that Orwell wrote in his dying days has reached the number one seller list as people living in our modern dystopian propaganda world come to see that so much of what he wrote has come to pass. I am reminded of a bumper sticker I saw which stated “Orwell wasn’t wrong, he was just off by forty years”
I am certain that Mr. Parry’s legacy will be no less enduring and no less instructive for generations to come.
Forgive me if I have mixed present and past tenses here in this post. I know it is not grammatically correct but it fits my mood. Bob has passed on but he is still with us and I feel comfortable addressing him in the present tense because he is not gone. His thoughts and deeds are alive in everyone who has been a devoted fan of his works. We have been enlightened by him even now though he will never again publish another article here that enlightenment will never fade.
There is a saying that a man’s life ends but his actions and deeds live on. Indeed, what are we if not the accumulation of our actions and deeds here on this Earth. Is it just because we continue to live and produce some work that we are real or that we exist? Or is the measure of our reality based not on the fact we are alive but on the enduring impact we have on others who will continue to gain insight and learning from the work we did?
I believe it is the latter definition that defines if we are real or not. A man may die but the truth is immortal. The life work of Robert Parry continues on and his mission and dedication to truth will never fade away as long as the mountain he built still stands.
Some people are chosen and are given the gift of an irresistible urge to find the truth and expose injustices and Robert Parry was one of these people. There were many others and history reveals they are regarded long after their passing as sages and prophets and even deities. There is an enduring property which is bestowed not upon mere seekers of the truth but bestowed on the brave the speakers of the truth. The virtues of people like Robert Parry is summed up in the virtues of honesty, bravery, fearlessness, selflessness and honor. Robert Parry had all of those virtues.
It is likely that all of the battles and struggles against the group think and the main stream propaganda took their toll on Bob’s health. It is a huge effort to summon the courage to face the world and loudly declare the Emperor has no clothes. The backlash is swift and the consequences severe and it takes bravery to keep keeping on but that is just what Robert Parry did up until his dying day.
Rest well and may you be at peace Robert Parry. You have done so much good here on this Earth more than most and although your battles to uncover the truth took you to battlefields where no one else dared to go you won the battles and you helped to win the war. Your gains will continue to help win the war for a long time after you have passed on.
I hope and pray that this mountain will continue to stand and the tower you built will continue to shine as your decedents who have been taught how to light the torch at the top of the tower continue to shine light on the dark oceans filled with sharks that surround us all.
Godspeed Robert Parry. Your legacy lives on.
I am trying to remember how I found you Bob. I think it was the Iran Contra investigation when it made perfect sense that the Iranian arms deal was a sure fire way for the CIA to raise the capital they needed to fight the leftist Sandinista government in Nicaragua.
Nat. Your story of how your father went away to find out about the truth is so very touching since you could not have known what higher purpose you father was performing at great personal risk to himself. Your father was motivated by a need to seek out the truth and the dirty CIA led covert wars in South America in El Salvador and Nicaragua were magnets for his soul to go and seek and find out what was really going on. His eulogies and remembrances of Gary Webb in many articles were dedicated to Gary who committed suicide (or was murdered) after he published his investigative journalism uncovering the CIA Cocaine drug ring to fund the Contra rebels. It was evidence of his unwavering support and defense of the truth as well as his unending support for a fellow journalist much like himself who sought truth despite the personal risks involved which in the end he paid the price. No one has chronicled the life and death of Gary Webb as well as your father has over the years. It was as if he could not escape this tragedy or let it go because the truth died with Gary Webb. It was an abhorrence which he could not let go of.
I am not sure if there are more than a few brave souls who dared to buck the establishment like your Dad. What he did in his life is something you can be very proud of as all of us onlookers who merely peeked into the window of Robert’s life and saw what we can see from the outside. What we see and saw inspires us and teaches us all that we need to support the historical and vital function of the freedom of the press which is codified in our Constitution as an independent detective agency bound to ferret the truth. Our Constitution was drafted and was ratified by men who experienced first hand the tyrannical power of a repressive foreign government. They inserted the freedom of speech amendment to ensure that men like your father would continue to enjoy the freedom to speak against the abuses of power wielded by a government which was bound to materialize even though they did not see it coming yet.
Bob was perhaps the last best American who truly embodied the spirit of our Constitution and who was willing to take on great personal risk to expose the truth whatever it meant for him. There is no one braver or more heroic than Bob and the pen is certainly mightier than the sword.
Your family can be proud of the work Robert did to uncover the treachery and lies of those who seek to use violence to suppress freedom just as it was for our early citizens of our fledgling nation. Their bravery and willingness to sacrifice themselves for the right to be free is embodied in your Father. He is a true patriot and an American Icon.
Although all of us mourn his passing we are much the wiser for the light he shown on truth and his bravery and honesty for sharing it without compunction.
No one will look back at the dirty wars in South America with a sense of pride in what we did there to those people and if there are any persons who do it is a cause to redouble the work Robert spent his life exposing to ensure that justice is truly for all. All nations should have the right to freely elect leaders including us here in America. That vision started fading with our militaristic overthrow of foreign governments and now that same force is coming home to do the same thing here in our country.
Bob would like you to keep fighting the good fight and help inform people that false patriotism is to be fought against.
A very sad day indeed…
I will miss Robert’s massive independence although in my memory he will continu living as long as I will.
Thank you so much Robert.
Ger Lagerweij
Netherlnds
I have been sad all day after learning of Bob’s passing this morning. We can only hope and pray that his work will live on thru his talented sons and other Consortium contributors who will carry on his legacy. Making a donation in his honor and memory.
Don’t know how we are going to continue to make sense of this crazy world without this man but somehow Consortium News and all of its readers will carry on. He taught us all a lot; especially about truth, integrity & heart…it’s time for all of us to pay that forward. May that gentle ripple turn into a tsunami in his honor. Rest in Peace Mr. Parry, we will miss you Sir.
My heartfelt condolences to Mr. Parry’s family. Wishing you all peace & comfort.
My deepest sympathies to you and your family Nat.
During the transition of my own awakening, consortium news offered something I was not getting from mainstream news…”The Truth”, and so I was able to circumnavigate Washington’s BS in a life raft built with a consortium of truth .
Robert Parry was a candle in the dark who was not afraid to shine the light in dark places. In doing so, he helped create a legion of truth seekers who even now continue to shine the light your father passed on to them. May his soul rest in peace by the knowledge that thousands have picked up the torch to carry on what he started long ago.
Thank you for honoring your dad’s legacy with such a fine piece. What a great writer your dad was and I am confident that you will follow his steps.
It will always be a pleasure to read your articles from here on.
Very sad to hear about Robert Parry’s untimely death. Was hoping so much that he would make a full recovery. I have learned a lot from his articles and books. They are a great service to truth seekers
Huge loss. Great speaker, interesting story-teller, unique ability to educate while informing, could’ve been a history professor.
Unbiased, fact-based reporter.
Truth lost a great advocate.
Gone too soon. Robert we hardly knew ye.
Shocked and very sorry. Robert Parry was one of the best and most important journalists of our time. He put corporate-state ‘journalists’ to shame.
An inspiring life, well lived. Condolences to the family, and concurrently may we celebrate Roberts life by helping to carry his inspiration forward in our own diverse ways.
R.I.P. Robert Parry, on Judgment day you won’t be empty handed, with many accomplishments to show, summarized by two words- truth and fairness. Somehow, we the living, sporadic contributors, to the CONSORTIUMNEWS commentaries need an action plan, to pick up the torch, to carry on with his intentions and works. It’s time for some creative leadership and clear thinking with new objectives that preserve the momentum of this invaluable web site.
Rest in peace. Robert ( Bob ) Parry who set the standard for true journalism. It’s sad the craft has been corrupted for far too long.
Rip Gary Webb who exposed the Mena. Arkansas operations where the coke made its way into this country with the blessing of bill Clinton and caused the deaths of so many from the drug and the knowledge of Clinton’s involvement. Gary was rewarded with a ruined career and suicided with 2 bullets in the back of his head.
Robert may not have endorsed President. Trump but the thought of hillary as POTUS and the rampant corruption that would accompany her is reprehensible.
If nothing else president Trump has exposed how corrupt our government and the ” fake ” news corporations truly are !
This is heartbreaking news. Such a loss for independent journalism and the quest for truth. Sincere condolences to the family of Robert Parry who did so much to make sense of the world we live in and who made a real difference in so many lives.
It is with tremendous shock and sadness that we’ve learned of Bob’s passing.
He was a brilliant light in the dark world of covert U.S. Government perfidy.
In celebration of that light and knowing that from his new position of enhanced
awareness he would want the FULL truth to come to light, the record must note
that ConsortiumNews missed ‘the’ biggest story of the 21st Century which,
ironically, is the real reason for the horrendous illegal and unilateral wars
beginning with the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq that Bob so rightly abhored:
the truth about who attacked this country on 9/11, the overwhelming compelling
facts of which he either refused to look at or, if he did, refused to take seriously.
See: ‘Behind The Smoke Curtain’ and the ‘9/11 Museum Virtual Walking Tour’
on YouTube. Exposing the Big Lie of the official conspiracy theory of 9/11 was
‘the’ story that, tragically, ‘slipped under the ConsortiumNews radar’ because,
had it not, Bob’s expose of Official 9/11 Big Lie could well have averted what
Nat refers to merely as ‘the 9/11 Tragedy’. Like the October Surprise,
9/11 was not just a tragedy — it was High Treason. Also in the spirit of full truth,
I know that Bob would want it to be corrected that it wasn’t he who ‘discovered
that there was more to the story’ of the origins of Irangate ‘than commonly
understood’. I was the original source of the October Surprise research and
revelations — my book ‘October Surprise’ was the first by almost three years
before Gary Sick’s of the same title, which was in turn followed by Bob’s
‘Trick or Treason: The October Surprise Mystery’. Bob was absolutely right
about the Tea Party, but I believe the public record will soon show that his
skepticism on Trump-Russia collusion was misplaced.
Barbara Honegger
Former White House Policy Analyst and
Author of ‘October Surprise’, Tudor Press, 1989
One thing that characterized Bob Parry’s writings was his focus on attaining the facts behind any story and while I agree with you that the events of 9/11 were an example of the highest treason and that the “official narrative” contained the same degree of truth as did that fed to us years earlier about the killing of JFK, there is more circumstantial evidence than hard facts to back it up.
Thanks to the government’s infiltration of the “9/11 Truthers” movement with individuals who began to spread wild theories about what happened that day in order to marginalize those who questioned it, I am not aware of any professional journalist who was willing to challenge the official narrative because they knew it would be like stepping into quicksand and that they would be required to stop covering other issues and devote all their time to 9/11.
Instead, Bob chose to expose the facts behind those who sought to exploit it to fulfill their agenda, the most recent being his challenging of the spurious allegations that Russian interference in our elections brought us Donald Trump.
Bob was a dedicated journalist and colleague at AP., a trailblazer who will be greatly missed. He and Diane threw some memorable parties, in which Bob greeted guests in masks–I’m remembering a Ronald Reagan mask, and maybe Richard Nixon, though my memories may be faulty. So sorry for your loss. Bob was one of a kind and would be proud, I’m sure, that the work continues here.
Great appreciation to Mr Parry for his body of work and for caring. May Consortiumnews go from strength to strength.
The world is a little darker. Condolences to his family; he is a very admirable person.
So sad to read the news of his death. A big fan for many years and listened to him on numerous occasions on KPFA.
He spoke with a reasoned voice about many topics and more recently the so called probe into the Russians influencing the 2016 election.
His reasoned voice will be sorely missed.
https://kpfa.org/episode/flashpoints-january-29-2018/ a lovely tribute to Robert Parry.
I am so very sorry to hear of Robert Parry’s death, and send my deep condolences to his family and all those who loved him. I loved him, too, even though I never met him, because his was a voice I have admired and respected for so very many decades of my life.
As I wrote upon learning of his stroke in early January he was a victim of this abhorrent regime of lies and moral terror perpetrated by a gang of propagandists, stooges of oligarchy, calling themselves undeservedly MSM journalists, sadly many of his formers colleagues.
Now he became a martyr of human decency and journalistic intergrity and professionalism.
His death only hurts more because too many journalist parasites still live and continue spewing their venom that kills human beings like Robert with impunity.
I am so sorry for your (and our) loss. I don’t know how many times I would forward articles or refer people to ConsortiumNews. Unfortunately, there really are no other sites that so completely hew to the standard of independent, honest journalism with such professionalism and integrity. Your commitment to keep the site going is a fitting way to honor your father.
Loss of Mr Robert Parry is simply a loss to the whole World. He was an extraordinary individual, a true journalist, and a champion of the rarest commodity in the contemporary media – the truth. Condolences to his family.
Mr Parry’s legacy will continue on in his timeless writings and in Consortium News.
Damn it! Now America is in even more trouble.
Thanks for everything Robert and may Consortium carry on.
Well Done Robert Parry.
Just invaluable. I am so grateful to have discovered this website while he was still active, saddened at his loss. But what a legacy, he will stand shoulder to shoulder beside those whose history he documented. What tremendous courage and sacrifice.
I’m grieving….
I’m so truly sorry for your loss.
When I can pull myself together, I’ll leave a little something in lieu…
Please accept my most sincere condolences, Nat. You and your family should be very proud indeed to have been blessed to be fathered by such a great journalist and an amazing human being.
Rest In Peace, Robert.
God Bless you and your dear family. Robert will be missed. I always pass this site along to newbies who were just waking up to the disgrace that is the MSM. Thank you so much.
It’s really sad to hear such news.
My condolences to you and your family.
I will support consortiumnews and your great work.
I am saddened to hear that Mr. Parry passed. My condolences to his family during this difficult time.
To every member young and old of the Robert Parry family you have my deepest condolences. I would add that while the Parry family deals with the loss of such a great person as Bob was, that you rejoice upon your own terms, that what Bob left us with his honest reporting, is more valuable than we all may at first realize. In fact at this moment I’m listening to talk show host Chris Moore out of Pittsburgh on KDKA 1020, and Chris who recently tried to book Bob on his show in December only for Bob to decline due to a doctors appointment, is speaking highly well of Bob’s truthfulness in journalism, as callers are calling in to announce their sadness over Bob’s passing also. So to all the Parry Family you should know this, because nothing will help to bare the loss of such a great individual’s blessed soul as Bob’s, but to know that his life gave meaning to so many other lives, has to give Robert Parry a very special place among what travels through these valleys and mountains upon this earth, and to grasp the meaning of what his life was all about will only allow you to feel that much more proud to say he was all yours.
We readers are certainly going to miss Bob’s thorough reporting of the facts, but the most important thing we should all dwell upon, is that the Parry Family finds comfort in these days of such sadness. I would like to especially thank Nate, for his taking the time at a time like this, to relate to us readers the sad news of Bob’s passing. We will all look forward to watching you Parry’s carry Bob’s message forward, so as they say, carry on, and we ‘the Consortium’ readers are all with you. Joe Tedesky
https://www.sott.net/article/375651-Robert-Parrys-passing-and-the-future-of-Consortiumnews
This is truly sad news. There is an African (Yoruba) parents prayer for their children which translates roughly into “may God grant that i may escort you far enough in your journey that you will be unafraid to face the part you will travel alone” Bob escorted us, actually shone light on the path and led. I only wish we had him for a few more steps though. But he has done more than one mans bit. May he rest in perfect, perfect peace.
In light of the sad news for the Parry Family, Washington Community, and Consortium News Community, it is heartening to see that the apple does not fall far from the tree. Thanks for this excellent and honest post. Mr. Parry’s memory will not soon be forgotten.
I am a young (25) writer and editor in Washington who would be honored to help Consortium News’ effort in any way possible, for it is true that if we do not find our own voices to tell the stories that need to be told, nobody else will.
God bless you and sorry for your loss. Your Dad did a wonderful service to our society by serving as the editor. My prayers are with you and your family
Good bless you and sorry for your loss. Your Dad did a wonderful service to our society by serving as the editor. My prayers are with you and your family
The loss of Robert Parry will be felt far and wide in countries such as Australia by those who have assiduously followed his journalism and the Consortium website over many years. His passing creates a enormous gap it the dwindling ranks of those who seek truth in world affairs.
Veronika, Geelong, Australia
Please accept my deepest condolences over the death of your father. I lost my dad a few years ago following a period of estrangement and the beginning of reconciliation. The pain never really goes away. Take the time you need to mourn. We will still be here to support your dad’s web site and the journalistic principles he lived for.
My condolences to you and your family and Bob’s friends and loved ones. What a loss to all. Thank you and the others at Consortium News for deciding to carry on the high standards of journalism. We need you to continue and it is great that Bob’s legacy will live on through each of you. Thank you for the great rememberances of someone that we all came to rely on for the truth as best he could report it.
A terrible, terrible loss for his family, his readers and followers, and, as will soon be seen, I fear, for his country, as well as for innocents everywhere suffering under the heel of oppression and injustice.
If the pen is mightier than the sword, Robert Parry’s pen had been almost single-handedly holding back the tidal wave of lies and distortions emanating from those twin bastions of propaganda and imperialism, the NYT and WaPo.
Some in positions of power will greet this news with pleasure and satisfaction, instead of sorrow over the loss of such an eloquent defender of truth and justice. This as well is a measure of Robert Parry’s worth.
The highest tribute we can pay him is to carry on his cause, now that he cannot.
I am very sorry for that, i Liked very much his articles and his way of thinking journalism with ethics.
With great sadness I am receiving this news. Robert Parry has been a beacon of integrity and honesty throughput my political life. As a journalist I never accepted any deviation from the truth for reasons of subservience and cowardice. The core tenets of journalism are as indisputable to me today, as they were for Robert Parry throughout his life.
Having observed closely the changes in U.S. society over the last decades, the present state of affairs represents a perfect reflection of what Robert Parry had unearthed over the years.
My condolences go to Bob’s family, friends and colleagues. May the fact to have been able to witness his life, or to even have been part of it be of comfort to those he loved and those that loved him.
His voice will be with us forever. Reminding us to never accept any story, merely because we are supposed to believe it. May his sharp mind help us to separate the political chaff from the wheat of truth.
Thank You from the bottom of my heart for Your unwaivering commitment to the truth.
Damn. Love to the Parry family.
A real and courageous journalist. We owe him so much. My sincere condolences. Bob will be sorely missed.
Very sad news for those that wish to uncover truth. My condolences to the family. The only consolation is that Bob Parry seems to have two fine sons to carry out his mission.
The mainstream news just a popped a cork.RIP for a real journalist.
Just heard the sad news. Deepest condolences to the Parry family. He was an outstanding investigative reporter. He embodied the credo of journalism: Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. He will be sorely missed. May his legacy live on in Consortium News.
There’s not a better legacy for this brave man than the love and loyalty of his children. Bless all of you.
To the passing of a great icon and investigative journalist. May he now rest in peace while with his family and friends we share fond memories of earlier times.
Bob Parry was, is and will remain a legend. He was also one of my earliest – and very few – sources of emulation in journalism. For all of us, his readers, he will always be raging against the dying of the light.
Very sad. A great loss
Murray Polner
We could always count on him to look into strange happening and flush out facts. It will be a had road for many of us without him exposing the facts that show “it is not fantasy”. I hope someone will complete any work he was working on., we were counting on him to verify our suspicions, especially now with new territory ad new entities involved.
I am so very sorry for your loss, and for ours as well. I was a great admirer of your father and deeply appreciative all for he did to further the cause of honest investigative journalism.
Dear Nat, I am so sorry about Robert’s death. I have missed him these past few weeks, as his was the first download of my mornings. Thus, I am relieved to know that Consortium News will continue to be here, if not quite the same without him.
Please accept my sympathy for your loss.
delia ruhe
I was shocked after reading Robert Parry had died. Mr. Parry was my primary source for calling into question the twisted nonsense that passes for the “first reading of history” in this country. For several years I was the Opinion-Editorial writer for a tiny home town newspaper. Many of my opinion pieces were inspired by Mr. Parry’s work. Later I would post articles from Consortium News verbatim on my Face Book page allowing my 100+ friends to be educated, enlightened, and informed. I do this to help my friends break through the wall of propaganda being designed and erected to hide the broad and deep seated corruption of the nations institutions. I also hoped some of my friends would subscribe to Consortuim News.
My condolences to the entire Parry family. Please continue the good works of Robert Parry. I look forward to reading Consortium News long into the future.
Peace, Robert…we will all catch up with you again….
I wish there was something I could add to your beautifully written piece, but you’ve said it all Nat. Although the material Robert covered was on the turbulent end politics, his biography writes itself with sheer ease. Robert’s work is pioneering, and together with his family and colleagues, you have all made a tremendous contribution to journalism and publishing – but also to history, by making sure that someone is taking the care to research and write it in a truthful and conscientious way. I can speak for many colleagues when I say we will continue to quote, reference and cite Robert’s work going forward for no other reason than it is simply best in its field. In a world brimming with information, to say that someone has no peers would be almost inconceivable and yet, it’s true.
He will be sorely missed, but hardly forgotten.
And may I add that readers who have appreciated Bob Parry and Consortium News’s brave journalism should find the site for which Patrick, Vanessa Beesley and other truth-tellers post worthwhile.
http://21stcenturywire.com
Sad day for good old fashion journalism.
My hat to the late great Robert Parry. May your journalistic credence and professionalism transcend to all the corners of the universe.
YOU WILL BE MISSED BY THE VAST MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO BELIEVE IN TRUTH JUSTICE AND HUMANITY.
I’m so sorry for your tremendous loss. Bob was a fixture in my childhood as our Dads reported together. I have many fond memories with you all and your Dad will be deeply missed. -Karina Barger
May his memory be fore a blessing, What a loss to everyone
I am devastated!
I depended on Robert Parry to know what the hell was going on.
As horrible as the truth was, he was never wrong, disproved, etc.
He was heroic in his truth telling.
So so sad!!
Too young—so mad that the wrong people die!
There should be a moment of silence across the land to honor this man! Robert Parry was a supreme journalist. Condolences to the Parry family.
Bob Parry’s death is a loss to everybody interested in honest, intelligent, and courageous journalism.
Dear Nat–
So very sad at your great sudden loss; my father was taken overnight, too. Thanks for the excellent recap of your father’s work; it needs to be known now more than ever! As a fellow Truth-seeking historian, your dad’s work I value highly. But his work was also your work; it might be called the Family Farm as it seems all your family contributed in some manner. I’m buoyed by your decision to continue your father’s excellent work. I’m again reminded that I need to add those works of your dad I lack so that his segment of my library becomes complete. What miffs me is the lack of news of your dad’s passing at websites who published his work. Apparently, reaching for the Truth then trying to inform others makes one an enemy of all points on the political spectrum as like your dad I’ve also learned. You should be very proud of your father; he was certainly a very rare person and one we shall all miss.
Best,
Karl Sanchez
Yachats, Oregon
Thank you Nat for this wonderful eulogy. Your father was a hero, an incredibly brave man who fought to reveal the truth no matter how painful and at great risk to himself and family. It is wonderful that you and your brother worked alongside him and are continuing to support independent journalism. My condolences to all the family.
My deepest condolences… Mr. Parry was a unique journalist. He will be missed.
R. Borel
Montreal, Canada
I feel as though I have lost a friend and adviser. Thank you Nat for the article. To those involved with the daily operation of Consortiumnews, Thanks. He was an extremely honest man with a fierce sense of propriety. l have always been taken by his personal response to donations. His style of journalism is classic and necessary for a functioning Democracy. He was deeply necessary in these times, and he will be missed.
As you said: Bob’s “brand of journalism is needed today more than ever.”
He made us all wiser and better.
I especially appreciated Robert Parry’s analysis of recent history involving U.S. actions in the Ukraine and Crimea. Even now the MSM will refer to “Russian aggression” in both places, but Mr. Parry covered them so thoroughly and with such logic that the U.S. and MSM propaganda went in my one ear and out the other. Still there is a certain anxiety that comes from realizing one’s government (and its toady MSM) sometimes lie about events like these, so I am relieved that the torch of independent journalism will stay lit for us thanks to Mr. Parry’s family. I send you deep condolences; he must have been a wonderful father and role model. I will keep supporting your site, and thank you for all your efforts on behalf of truth and justice. Catherine Orloff,
To the Parry family and colleagues at Consortiumnews.com,
My sincerest condolences on the loss of Robert. I will make sure that all of my current and future students know who this great journalist was and how important his contributions to the journalism profession were and will always be. We all are blessed to have been touched by his dedicated work. We have been truly blessed by his life.
Robert Jefferson, Professor of Journalism, Temple University, Japan.
I am so very sorry! To me he was a giant among journalists, irreplaceable. A chasm remains in that field without him…………..
Robert Parry was a an outstanding journalist. He was no presstitute. A great loss.
Gone too soon. I thank you for the light and hope you represented.
Obituaries are tearful goodbyes, more so when they are suddenly present.
A Good Man has departed our present, our perspectives and hopes.
If it be so, may God the Father welcome Robert Parry into His Presence
And the Eternal Peace in the Presence of Almighty God, our Father.
PS — ( i can’t wait for the Amy Goodman / DemocracyNow tribute to Mr. Parry )
Tous mes hommages et mes condoléances. Quelle perte !
Sincere condolences.
Thank you Mr. Parry for telling the truth,for your dedication to true journalism. I will miss you. Your work has been outstanding. You are one of the greats. Rest in peace. My heart goes out to your family.
Your dad will be sorely missed; he was a very good man. My condolences.
*sigh* It really saddens me that I only found out about Consortiumnews.com 4 months ago, by sheer chance, though I’ve been been an avid non-stop reader since then, cycling fresh articles with digging deeper and deeper into archieves.
And now, such a loss.
I feel your pain (lost father to cancer in October 2017), and offer my deepest condolences to you, your rmaining family, relatives and friends.
And, also, a big and sincere “thank you” for this wonderful eulogy.
And thank you, Robert Parry. I will never forget. And I’ll keep reading and spreading. CN (my apologies if this acronym is not very nice, seeing how it similar to CNN) is a marvelous resource that incites the thinking. I’d love to see more people thinking, and people thinking more.
Rest well.
Oh NO!
Beautifully written tribute to Robert. As the piece shows, he lived through some dark times, the paranoia of the Cold War, the fearmongering of the Post-9/11 world, the slick media silence of the Obama years, and finally the madness of the Trump presidency. Through all that darkness, he was always willing to shine a torch into the machinery of the state, even though there were always risks.
A brave man and a great old school Journalist.
Rest in Peace Robert.
I had been wishfully imagining that Bob Parry was recovering and would thrive for another ten years. Learning the reality early this morning, now it’s so sad. My deepest condolences to the Parry family.
Thank you for the eloquent historical review, tribute and explanation. It is very encouraging to hear about your plans to continue Consortiumnews. I will be happy to contribute and look forward to the continuation and expansion of your father’s outstanding publication. He may be gone but his work lives on and will be appreciated long into the future.
In these days of malevolent deception and shameless hoodwinkery, dear Bob, you courageously defended truth and honesty. Why is that such a rarity now? Why is this exceptional? Those who would deceive and take advantage of others are far too plentiful. And yet voices of justice arise and break through the cacophony of falsehoods.. voices like yours, Bob. And you continue to resonate onward, amplified by our collective chorus.
The invaluable gift you’ve given us, beyond your tireless efforts and precious words, is the inspiration to carry on in pursuit of truth. And it is a gift we will always cherish and which we lovingly leave in legacy to our own children.
Rest in peace, Bob.
I can’t think of anyone I admire more than Robert Parry. His life and example should be held up as an example for all of what it means to live a life as a whole that is worthwhile and deeply meaningful. I am extremely saddened by this loss.
Paul Grenier
A credit to his profession. He was a friend of a friend in Sac 20+ years ago and I read an amazing unpublished timeline of government allied Cocaine trafficing through Argentina. I never saw it published and I hope an archive of unpublished things appears. Interestingly, the copy I read was stolen by the DEA when they raided a clone (Cannabis) takers house. (They also stole the who killed Kurt Cobain issue of High Times but nothing else that was not contraband). I hope an honest agent read it and caused problems at the office but I doubt it.
Bob will be sorely missed by the readers of Consortium News. My condolences to his family.
Very sad news, the truth is now down one very good man. R.I.P. Mr. Parry, you will be missed.
R.I.P. and Shine On. Mr. Parry…Your Journalistic Integrity will surely be missed… :(
We have often looked in vain for truth-telling and courage in journalism in recent years; longing for a bright light to shine into the dark cruelty and violence raging in the world around us. Where we found that light shining, there was so often your father, in the thick of things. His journalistic and personal courage have, over and again, renewed hope among countless numbers of us, helping us and encouraging us to make our way as citizens in troubled times. Robert Parry lives on as a great patriot, willing to swim against the stream; upholding journalistic standards that have been torn to sheds by so many others of his profession. When we think of “American heroes,” practicing their craft with enormous integrity, we shall continue to celebrate your father as one of those brave human beings in whom “the head, the heart and the hand” have agreed. We are grateful, more than words can say.
RIP we will miss you!
Bob’s untimely death leaves a huge hole in journalism. His honesty and integrity in the pursuit of the truth as he saw it was an inspiration and will be sorely missed. My sympathy goes to his family and close friends. Although I never met Bob, we corresponded over the years and he occasionally published some of my essays. So I will miss him, and I hope Consortium News finds a way to continue his magnificent efforts.
Deepest condolences to the Parry family & relatives. Bob will be sorely missed.
Only this morning I was lamenting his absence from the site and hoping for his quick recovery & return.
I will miss him profoundly.
Wow…. a great loss.
I’m so sorry for your loss, and the loss of an incredibly important voice.
I am sickened. We are losing some of the greatest fighters we had.
Thank you, Bob for a life of truth.
Great letter/eulogy. I loved Robert Parry. Whether ,Trump or Nixon, America deserves and should want the truth. I fear his loss is another victory for the dark side. I will continue to support your fight for honesty. Thank, Ted
Thank you for this wonderful summary of your dad’s life’s work as an independent journalist, and the references you gave of his words to you when he had to leave to go to very dangerous places. Hearing of his passing today brings much sadness. I admired him so much and so appreciated receiving ConsortiumNews in my email daily, even though I was never able to contribute much. I did purchase and have shared his books, articles with others. That was one way I felt I could help. I wish you much success in carrying on his work to allow a flatform for other independent journalists, which is badly needed today. I am very sorry for your personal loss, and wish to convey to you and your family that I know there is a very large family of readers who are feeling your loss also today.
I am shocked and saddened to hear of Bob Parry’s passing. He was a journalist’s journalist and will be sorely missed. Bob was very helpful to me when I started publishing online back in 1998. My deepest sympathy to his family.
I’ve been reading Robert Parry’s journalism since the 1980’s. I will miss his great work and thoughtful analysis.
Nat, my condolences to your family, and thank you for the beautiful writing about him. Robert’s work has educated and influenced so many people, and he truly made the world a better place. He can be a model for us all in promoting truth and peace; I think we can best honor his legacy by taking inspiration from him to work diligently ourselves toward those goals.
Very sorry to hear, this country just lost one of her very few remaining independent journalists, I hope you will continue your dad’ great truth telling analytic journalism, this is the best patriotic service to this nation under current circumstances. He must be in peace, for this service he did for his people.
I am very sad to just hear this news. I had only just linked in with Consortium News but was struck immediately by Bob’s humanity. His passing is a sad loss to us all.
My condolences to his family and friends. Rest In Peace.
My sincerest condolences.
I am so sorry for your loss. A big blow to independent journalism.?
How did that stupid question mark slip in there. Dammit! I can’t delete it.
I am simply devastated by this news; there are no words at the moment. We just lost one of the most important investigative reporters in my life time, someone who was so important in these perilous times . . .
Tears!!!!!
What a tremendous loss; a shining light on the sea of corruption, self-interest and cowardice that envelopes the Beltway bubble.
Very sorry to hear, but looks like we can look forward to Nat bearing the torch of truth and journalistic humanity
I lost my mom this month and I know how painful a death in the family is. My love and support in your grief to you, Nat, and all your family.
This is also a great loss to all of us who relied on Bob’s journalism. Just yesterday I was directing to Bob a well meaning person who only had the limited understanding of world events one gets from only getting the mainstream narrative.
I too just yesterday sent links to Robert Parry articles about Syria to someone who was beginning to doubt the MSM propaganda. The light that Robert shone on myriad subjects will continue to illuminate the path for truth-seekers long into the future.
But I am still heartbroken today.
You have my condolences Miranda, take care. Joe
Thanks, Joe. This is a very hard grief for me as I lived with her for the last 15 years and was her care giver for the last few years, especially the last 7 months while she was bed ridden and I had to do everything for her.
The house seems empty. I haven’t yet put my life together without her.
I still am also having trouble with losing Bob. His voice can’t be replaced and we’re all in big trouble without his shining the light on what’s really been going on. It seems like the whole blogosphere has gone bonkers and I won’t have Bob’s articles to share anymore except old ones.
Shocked and in disbelief! Our heartfelt condolences on the passing of Robert Parry
…whose work and relentless pursuit of truth is second to no one…
we send our support/admiration and respect to family…
A sad day for truth tellers and men and women of peace everywhere. My condolences on his passing.
Nat, my heart goes out to you. Your dad, like Gary Webb, was truly one of the greatest. He left the best legacy he could, making a significant contribution to a better world. It’s never easy, especially when you have kids to leave behind or who themselves travel off to the front lines. I have a son who is continuing my struggles as I pull up to the finish line myself, and I couldn’t be prouder. Now it’s your turn, and your story of what Bob did gives me hope that we still have a reservoir of good people who will continue the struggle we all need. Thanks for sharing it.
Thank you Robert Parry for standing strong for truth and justice and braving the headwinds that tried to thwart the truth you offered….and thank you to Parry family members and others who care to stand up against injustice for continuing this vital work….peace…
I’m sorry to hear this news. Condolences to the Parry family and the “Consortiumnews” staff and contributors.
It’s comforting to learn that the indispensable Consortiumnews project will continue in the true investigative-journalist tradition so well exemplified by Bob.
Thanks for all you do.
damn… DAMN ……….. a huge loss for us all, but so much more for you, Nat, and all your family. Bob is leaving such huge shoes to fill. We must all what we can to continue his legacy. RIP, Mr Parry.
Peace, Robert, your dedication to truth and honesty will be sorely missed.
Thank you Nat, for this beautifully written tribute. I have been privileged to read the fine work of your father’s and other brilliant journalists on Consortium News for several years now. You guys bring great integrity to journalism.
So sorry for your lose. Robert was a great journalist.
Ooow, how sad… my condolences to you and your family, rest in peace Robert.
A sad day for ethical journalism…
Fighting for the truth has never been easy, but never as difficult as it is now… Bob was a beacon of integrity and the truth and a legend.
Prayers to you and your family and to the brave people left with the incredible responsibility of continuing Bob’s legacy at Consortium. We all need you more than ever.
I am so sad on hearing of the passing of Robert Parry. He has done so much to inform us on what the government and the powerful were doing. I have been following his work since the Iran Contra scandal when almost all of the rest of the journalists just went along with the official story. He has been a courageous truth teller throughout his very distinguished career. The country will miss him sorely.
My heartfelt condolences to all his family and loved ones.
This is very sad news. Robert Parry was a wonderful journalist. My condolences to you Nat and the rest of your family on your great loss. RIP Robert. Thank you for all that you did to shine a light on the truth
To the Parry family and Consortium News,
I am very sorry to hear of Bobs passing. I will truly miss his wisdom and integrity. I became a regular reader about four years ago. I am a conservative (Traditional, not Neo). I had been a Republican for about 40 years but have been an Independent for the last 18 years or actually more but didn’t fully recognize it right away. In reading Bob I quickly realized that he was a man of principle and honesty. My hope is that you will carry on in his tradition as a tribute to him. My deepest sympathy to his family. Remember The Truth Will Set You Free, Herman
From France
what sad news. Thanks to Robert Parry for his integrity and intelligence. My sincere condolences to his loved ones.
So sad to hear that Robert Parry has passed. He was such an incredibly bright, honest and brave journalist. Will continue to support Consortium News.
RIP
Robert Parry established himself as one of the few genuinely credible and informative reporters in a world rife with self-censorship and infotainment. I put him up there with I.F. Stone, someone who is vindicated more and more with the passage of time.
I was not aware of his illness, and when stories by him stopped coming I wondered whether I had posted something that put me in disfavor. Your news set me straight, but at what a cost! I feel bereft of a truly reliable and informative source. I recommended this website to students as the one I valued most highly. It sounds like a cliché to say he is irreplaceable, but it is true nevertheless. I know there are other good writers at Consortium News – Ray McGovern comes to mind – and I will continue to value this website. Meanwhile thanks to Nat for posting this, condolences to the family, and congratulations for having such an amazing, dedicated, brave, perceptive and articulate model for the best that journalism has to offer the world.
This come as a great shock. Robert will be greatly missed. Sincere condolences to his family and friends. I hope that Consortium News will continue to publish, that is what he would have wanted.
My condolences to the family. Losing Mr. Parry is a great loss to journalism and truth.
Thank You, Bob!
Farewell and bon séjour in Your special place of the Multiverse!
János
The word “Robert” and the word “Parry” joined together have been a kind of mantra for me down through the years. Magically and inevitably the mantra lightens my sense of burdens and draws me toward a realm of joy. It strikes the same chord as the unprovable but altogether–for me–necessary proclamation of MLK that the “arc of history bends toward justice.” I have written Bob maybe ten times in the course of the last fifteen years. I have never written Bob without getting a reply–usually within a 24-hour cycle. I have never gotten a bad reply from Bob. Every reply was marked by a very direct understanding of what I’d said, and it seemed there was always freshness in his response. His support of Gary Webb was so convincing to me that on the day it was reported Gary had committed suicide, I called the San Jose Mercury-News and asked to speak to Jerry Ceppos. To my surprise, I was put right through, and I asked Jerry if he did not feel some responsibility for this tragedy. He did not flare up at all, but said in a very level voice: “Any trouble Gary was in he brought on himself.” The answer I got, of course, did not surprise me; but everything I’ve learned since has only confirmed my conviction that Bob got it right, and I’m glad to have asked Jerry the question I did. Not to become tedious, let me sum up: in instance after instance Bob’s writing has lit up dark corners for me and has fed what hope I have for the human future.
I join the wishes of others, as a longtime reader and admirer of Bob’s work on consortiumnews, and will continue to support the site and learn from it. Both writers of articles and commenters have taught me a lot which I truly appreciate.
I am so sorry, Nat, to read of your father leaving us. I am also sad to think of the empty hole that his passing is going to bring about.
There were very few journalists that I have read over the years that were able to maintain my respect throughout the decades of insanity that American politics has brought about. Your father was the first person who shook me from many deeply held perceptions about the “liberal party” and to him, I owe my current day thinking.
My thought are with you and your dad’s friends. And I think i will go and have a small walk through the garden outside in his honor.
May he rest in the beauty of truth that he tried so hard to inform all of us of.
My sincere condolences to the Parry family.
Robert was a courageous man and a great journalist who revealed the truth.
I never knew him personally, but I feel as if I just lost a close friend.
RIP Robert; your light still shines.
My heart hurts over this one. God Bless Mr. Parry and his family. I sincerely hope his legacy lives on at Consortium News. This website has been a treasured resource for my curious, skeptical mind.
Saddest news I’ve read in a great while…
Mark-
I was just thinking that the last death of someone I never met that affected me so deeply was when I’d heard that Robin Williams committed suicide. Before that, I think it was the murder of John Lennon. He is a huge loss to all of us.
I can’t even begin to express the depth of my sadness at Robert Parry’s passing. He was a brave and intrepid truth teller at a time of unprecedented propaganda and assault on journalism. With the continuation of Consortium News his very bright light will continue to shine. My heartfelt condolences to the family.
My deepest condolences to family and friends. Robert was an exemplary journalist, and leaves a legacy of outstanding contributions to our country and world.
Joe Miller
It is with great sadness that I read about Bob’s untimely death. Yet, he will live on in his all-too-rare commitment to dig out the truth in current history, and publish it, no matter the consequences. Anyone who has “been in disgrace with fortune and men’s eyes” recognizes Bob, and Consortium News, as independent and incorruptible allies. May he rest in peace, and may his urgent work continue through the website.
–BJ
Robert Parry was an angel on earth. The strongest, clearest, most well-researched, honest, and ethical voice for peace on the planet. His information was priceless. And his writing style was so clear, forceful, and engaging. Bob, rest in peace. Thank you for all you’ve done, so courageously and effectively.
I look forward to continue reading, sharing, and supporting Consortiumnews.com in the future.
PS: I can see that excellent writing runs in the family. Nat, what a well-written eulogy. Your father would be proud.
I agree fully; my condolences, your had a wonderful Father.
I am so sad to hear this news. Bob Parry was the real shining light on the hill for our time.
People like Bob sadly are becoming endangered species. Thank you for helping me understand and judge with true facts. Rest in peace.
My full support for those who will continue the difficult work.
My heartfelt condolences to the Parry family. Robert Parry serves as a shining example of journalistic integrity and excellence. His passing is a great loss to our society, but I am gladdened to hear that his work will continue at Consortium News.
This is very sad news. Deepest sympathy Nat to you and your family.
Robert Parry was a journalistic giant compared to the pathetic pretenders at the corporate outlets. I’m glad to know that Consortium News will continue as a beacon to all those who seek the truth over propaganda.
Shocking news! We have lost one of the best and the brightest!
Anne Streeter
Montreal, Canada
So sorry for your loss Nat. He will be deeply missed by the entire community of followers.
A man who dug deep and documented it all, who went many places where others feared to go, and honest with wherever his research took him, Parry had few equals in this time of junk journalism. He saw through the false facades of the Democrats as well as the Republicans.
Nat, I can only hope that you have inherited those qualities and the journalistic drive of your father.
Very sad news. Robert Parry will be greatly missed. He leaves an enormous body of work that we will continue to access and learn from. Robert gave us the unvarnished truth about our history, up to the current time. RIP Robert Parry.
Bob was the epitome of integrity in journalism and one of the great journalists of our generation.
Your eulogy is fitting of such a man
Robert Parry is already deeply missed. My condolences to the family of this great and good man who honored the finest principles of journalism with every word he wrote.
My sincere and heartfelt condolences to the Parry family. Bob was a beacon of light in a darkening world. May his light shine on. Let us all carry his example forward.
Nat, my Condolences to you and your family. The world lost a great hero with the demise of your dad. Much respect from the Netherlands.
Hello Nat, Please accept my deepest condolences on the passing of your father. He was a man who both inspired and encouraged me, as I’m sure he did many others. As you know he was planning a trip to Australia over the NY period. He contacted me last November to arrange a get together, but alas that was not to be. Although we never met, as a regular contributor to Consortium, we corresponded regularly. I was always grateful for his support. The world of alt/indie news media is peopled by many courageous, dedicated, insightful people. Few were as much so as your father.
Greg Maybury
Editor / Publisher
poxamerikana.com
[email protected]
Condolences Nat and the whole Parry family. Thanks for sharing Robert with us.
Presente!
This is a blow, this untimely loss of such a prodigious voice of independent journalism. May his work and legacy live on as an inspiration to many others to come.
My deepest condolences to the Parry family. Bob was a brave voice and a dedicated defender of truth. He has created a legacy. His voice will be greatly missed. His friendship will be missed.
His sudden passing is unwelcome news for those of us who respect & admire his journalistic contributions to good
government & the right rule of reason; it hurts. RIP Bob Parry; we already miss you.
Nat, thank you for writing this beautiful piece about your father. He would have been very proud of you. My deepest sympathies to you and your family. The death of your father was devastating news to me so I can’t even imagine how you guys must feel. I hope you know that the readers of this site share in your grief and that we will continue to support this site.
My heart goes out to you–this is a huge loss for the world and of course for your family. Your dad was a beacon for those of us who still have some hope for a rational and compassionate world. He built this website on a strong foundation and I am confident that it will continue to flourish in his honor.
Unbelievably, my own father passed on January 17th, shortly after being diagnosed with lymphoma. After working a “straight” job and raising 12 kids, he became a peace activist upon his retirement. He helped resettle refugees in El Salvador in the 80s, participated in civil disobedience at the School of the Americas and was a ttireless opponent of the invasion of Iraq.
He lived a righteous life, as did your father.
Robert Parry and Richard
Berry Presente!
My deepest condolences to you and the family. Your dad was a beacon to all people who look for the truth.
Condolences to Mr. Parry’s family and friends. This is a huge loss. :-(
The world will miss Robert Parry. Thank you for this wonderful eulogy. I am sure that Consortium News has been left in good hands, and its writers will honor Robert Parry’s memory by continuing to provide the best in journalism.
My condolences to the Parry family. Your father was a real American Hero. Although I never met him, I feel like I’ve lost a friend.
Through the establishment of Consortiumnews, your father has attained immortality in his profession. Considering the evil vector of 21st century history, in the next 15 years Consortiumnews will be doing some of its most important work.
So sorry to hear this news.
Robert really was a bright light – illuminating all the dark corners to bring information in a clear way.
Condolences to family and friends.
Thank you immensely for sharing the inside story of your Dad’s work. A remarkable, admirable man. I wish your family all the solace the world can offer.
Thank you, Nat, for this fine piece honouring your dad. I had the privilege of honouring Bob in London last June when I presented him with the 2017 Martha Gellhorn Prize for Journalism. In the seventeen years I have been chairing the judges’ panel, I would say there was never a winner like Bob Parry; his work was a beacon of principled, often courageous journalism in a landscape of compliant, distorted anti-journalism that now misrepresents our craft in the misnamed ‘mainstream’. All of us at the prize-giving dinner were stunned by the power of Bob’s original thought, eloquence and historical understanding in the address he gave, off the cuff, in which he demystified and laid bare the rise of rapacious power in Washington. I ask Consortium readers to take up Nat’s suggestion and donate to keep alive Bob Parry’s legacy.
Hi John, Do you know if there is a recording of his acceptance speech that is/can be made available? Thanks!
My condolences to Bob’s family.
Ditto on request to hear the acceptance speech.
Hi,
I couldn’t find any available recording on youtube. There is, however, his acceptance speech in 2015 for the I.F. Stone award.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2adRY8vkjI
Condolences to the family, who I am certain are rightly proud of Robert’s achievements. His receipt of both the Gelhorn and Stone prizes shows the level of respect he received from other independent journalists.
Correct, John! He deserved the Nobel Peace Prize! Bob was an inspiration to all of us. He stood up to the State, he pulled back the curtain that hides the Wizard’s deceptions. That was immensely brave of him. And you, sir, are also very brave. Standing up to our Rulers is very dangerous. Keep up the good work.
Elaine Meinel Supkis
To the Parry family go my deep condolences. A sudden loss like this makes
it very hard for the survivors as I know. Many thanks for the excellent eulogy.
Most of us readers will miss Robert, but I hope that his spirit will carry on
on his website.
A terrible, terrible loss, a brave journalist and great editor. RIP. My deep condolences to the Parry Family.
Shared on FB and tagged all my fellow independent journalists who I hope followed your dad’s work. Contribution forthcoming. RIP Bob Parry.
I didn’t know the man, but I was looking forward to his recovery and future articles so this is an unexpected shock, I would like to think this website, that supports investigative journalism, is part of his legacy,… condolences.
I am so very sorry! His loss is not only yours and your family but also for all people who care about journalism and the world.
My heart goes out to Bob’s family
for their loss.
This is sad, sad news.
My sentiments also. Deepest sympathy.
Very sad news. My condolences to Robert Parry’s family on their loss.
My heartfelt condolences. And let me pay the greatest compliment that I can pay to Mr. Parry ….. “I learned a lot from him.”
Robert Parry was one of the few remaining great and intellectually honesty American journalists. May his soul rest in peace.
I have been reading Robert Parry since the newsletter days, and this is devastating news. I greatly admired Robert Parry for not only his formidable talents as an investigative journalist but also his great skills as an publisher and editor, without which this site would never have become the indispensable outlet for so many fine independent writers and analysts that it is today. My most profound condolences to the Parry family.
How horrible and sad. My deepest condolences. Quite a tribute though. He was a great journalist, but even more he was a guy crazy enough to do the right thing.
Gutted. R.I.P. Doing the right thing is his legacy and in death Mr. Parry stands tall and looms large.
Bob’s passing is a huge loss to fearless, independent journalism. My profound condolences to his family. We are grateful to you all for what ConsortiumNews.com represents, and for your efforts to keep it alive.
Oh my, I am so sorry to hear this Nat. As you know better than anyone, Bob was an inspiration to so many of us. Please accept my heartfelt condolences at this difficult time. May God be with you and the family, Bob’s friends, and may he bless and keep your extraordinary father.
Very sad news. My condolences to Robert Parry’s family on their loss.
I am shocked, and didn’t expect this kind of news. I thought he would get better. I am, heartbroken, and feel like I lost someone in my family. I am so very sorry.
I feel the same way, Annie.
Heartbroken. Bob’s pursuit of the truth no matter where that led (and his personal risks) gave us all strength to get through the days filled with weak characters acting in bad faith for selfish reasons.
Bob Perry was the best there is. Thanks to his family and friends for picking up the mantle and carrying on as painful his loss must be.
My condolences to his family and friends.
Annie, you have described exactly how I feel. I am shocked and deeply saddened. Thank you Robert for your magnificent contribution and ability to better inform your readers of the rank hypocrisy and propaganda of US foreign policy and the servile main stream media.
As an arch paleo-conservative, I did not agree with Bob on every issue, but I certainly agreed with his brilliant reporting and analysis respecting the mad neoliberal, neocon interventionist foreign policy that is destroying America. And nobody was better at exposing the propaganda and lies of the NYT and WaPo especially, in this regard. I am deeply shaken and saddened by his sudden loss but hope for the continuation of his legacy at this website. Sincere and heartfelt condolences.
Robert Parry definitely made this world a better place. He will be missed.
Dear Parry Family,
I write on behalf of the Meldon family in our deepest condolences. It breaks our heart to hear of Bob’s passing. Long-time Consortiumnews contributor, Jerry Meldon, (and my Dad) passed away unexpectedly in July 2018. We know how shocking and devastating it is to lose someone, especially when they’ve left a tremendous impact on how we relate to the world around us. My Dad admired Bob and cherished his friendship. One of my favorite memories is coming to the Parry house last summer to celebrate Oliver Stone’s award. It was a joy to see both my Dad and Bob in their elements, among so many inspiring minds.
We are grateful for Bob’s impact on our family’s lives. You are all in our thoughts.
Dear Perri,
I am so sorry to hear the news not only about Bob Perry but about your father, who I liked and admired. We worked together on The Great Heroin Coup and other projects. My condolences to you and others in your family.
Bob was one of the best journalists with whom I ever had the privilege to work, and one of the finest our country has produced. We have lost an insightful, essential voice. He was a superb reporter, writer and editor, highly ethical, and courageous. I deeply regret his passing and wish his family and close friends all the best. -30-
An excellent eulogy
My Condolences
Please accept our condolences for your loss which is a loss for all of us. Robert Parry approached investigative journalism with courage and standards that very few people hold. That’s what made him a legend. Thank you for inspiring us and raising the bar so journalists hold the standard even higher in the era of fake news because now more than ever that means something.
Thank you.
Good words George.
You are one of the journalistic lights that carry on Robert’s legacy. I hope you don’t mind if I direct people to your Propornot expose at OpEd News.
https://www.opednews.com/articles/Unmasking-Propornot-Expos-by-George-Eliason-CRIMINAL-CONSPIRACY_Crimes-Against-Humanity_Criminalizing-Dissent_Criminally-Complict-180127-235.html
RIP Robert. Well done and thank you for your courage and integrity.
Whoops! I just returned to the home page and there you are.
“Thank you for inspiring us”
Robert Parry had an invaluable, inspiring combination of integrity and courage. The GREAT work of Robert Parry is an inspiration to double down on the fight against the evils of greed and corruption that are attacking our press and democracy.
Over centuries the human race is making moral progress, though slowly and with setbacks. It requires patience with the fortitude. Working for the truth and justice, while sometimes thankless and often condemned, is a noble work that can bring a deep satisfaction, transcending this world. Robert Parry’s light will continue, inspiring other lights.
Too shocked to comment yesterday. Robert Parry’s work will truly live on, in the universal mind of humanity which our better thoughts compose. His family has my sympathy and thanks for their substantial and continuing efforts. I have contributed again, and will continue.
Oh dear!
Blinking back tears here.
Me too, Zach. This is a deep shock. It hurts something really deep in me. Can you love someone you have never met in the flesh? Yes you can. And I feel wounded by his loss. I am so grateful for all that Robert did for all of us. He is part of me now, as he is of so many others – so he is not really gone if we can carry on the work he devoted his life to; finding and speaking the truth.
I am so sorry for you and your family. Mr. Parry was a bright light in this world, and a bright light for me personally in these dark days. This is a loss to the world; he protected those who didn’t even know they were being served by his compelling work. He will never be forgotten.
Me too
Yes. Have no other words right now.