Dead Blogger: Bartcop

Dead Blogger: Bartcop:
One of the originators of lefty blogging, Bartcop, has died at age 60, and he's taken his blog with him. If you never read him, Terry Coppage, his real name, was ass-kicking from the start. Bartcop was a breath of profane, fresh air that started in 1996, predating pretty much everything you know on the internet. All the things others do, from link aggregating to ranting to posting funny or sexy pictures, Bartcop was there as one of the first. He kept the crude look of the page, so much so that scrolling through even the most recent issues is like a trip back in time.

Bart's influence on this form of writing we all wallow around in is immeasurable. He was one of the Founders of Left Blogsylvania. And if you hadn't heard of him, well, think of him as our Delmore Schwartz, the poet who never achieved the huge fame of some of his peers but whose work had an immense effect on the art itself. Its existence and his no-bullshit style were an inspiration for this here blog. The Rude Pundit was honored to be on his blogroll.

The one request Bart had at the end was to give some support to his wife so that she may keep their Oklahoma home. The Rude Pundit has already donated. If you can, you should throw in a couple of bucks. You can get a PayPal link or an address on Bart's home page. If you haven't read him before, check out the most recent page.

Adios, Bart. We put your memory on the mantle with Steve Gilliard and others whose passing has left a hole in this community.