Ashley Morris 1963-2008
A bright light went out in the NOLA blogosphere and this world yesterday when The Perfesser, Dr. Ashley Morris, died suddenly. There is nothing I can say. His wife Hana, who survives him with their three young children, announced his passing on his blog and the many voices of the NOLA blogosphere are eulogizing him. Loki called him "the man most likely to call Ray Nagin a fuckmook to his face," and in the Tweeter Tubes declared that "an Ashley Morris day of Profanity laden blogging is in order for all NOLA Bloggers in his honor." Famous for many things, perhaps most especially his legendary "Fuck You You Fucking Fucks" post, he was, in Maitri's words, "Geek, educator, blogger, musician, but more importantly husband, father and a great friend of New Orleans." Greg said it beautifully:
The NOLA bloggers, rising in response to an unimaginable tragedy, quickly found themselves steering different parts of the beast, if I can mix my metaphors. There’s the head, the brains, the analysts like Oyster & Matt McBride and Tim Ruppert; the soul — poets like Mark Folse, philosophers like Michael Homan — and the guts, the workers like Karen Gadbois and the Zombie.Ashley was fire. Ashley was the furnace where the rage was forged, where the steam pressure built, where raw anger began its conversion to power and motion.
In lieu of comments I ask that you go to his blog, read what he wrote, and visit the blogs of my dear friends in New Orleans who are mourning this terrible loss. I'm posting links to those who've written about him, many (if not most) with pictures, and I will add updates as posts appear. Please start with Greg, Ray (and with Councilperson Shelly Midura's homage before the council), Adrastos (and an audio tribute), Maitri, Schroeder, Loki, Liprap, Karen, Michael, Lisa, WetBankGuy (and more WBG), Mr. Clio, dsbnola, Bart, Dangerblond, Oyster, Blake, G-Bitch, Scout, Greg's made a video (take a hanky), Saintseester (beautiful memorial icon), Charlotte, Tim, Varg, Celcus, Animamundi, Alan, JudyB, Cliff, Cenlamar, New Package, Video of Oyster & Ashley (thanks to Blake), Barbawit, Nancy Nall with a unique and moving tribute and Ray talks about "playing it sad", Micheal Tisserand for Gambit Weekly, YatPundit's Kos Diary, Dangerblond's post about the newly established memorial fund has a great picture, Remember Ashley Morris (geek mourning activism)....
I glommed this picture from Maitri's Flickr (asking forgiveness rather than permission). Left to right: Ray, Sophmom, Loki & Ashley at Alan's apartment for the First Geek Dinner (July 14th, 2006 - the Hottest. Night. Ever.). Having only just "met" them, I felt like I'd known them forever. In honor of Loki's above referenced request: FUCK.
That was my very first night back in New Orleans. I arrived that afternoon
with the dog and the last of the boxes.
Listening to Leatherface's cover of The Police's song "Message In A
Bottle!" And I dedicate to Ashley, though I didn't know him, I read his
words, and I wish a quick entry into Heaven! Thanks to SophMom!
yo sophmom.
Ray, I still remember details of our conversations that night as if they'd
happened yesterday. I also remember walking to my car (talking to Michael
on the phone), knowing that some kind of quake had occurred in my life.
I've spent a lot of time thinking about it since. I reckon I'll have to
post about it soon, this odd way in which I've found these friends who seem
to fit me so much better than those who came before, but I think I might
have damn near figured it out.
I'm not at the end of the tunnel yet. I experienced something similar two
other times - 9-11, 8-29, and now 4-2. It took me about a week to fully
get over the initial shock of the first two events. It's not for nothing
that, in my tradition, a traditional mourning period for a loved one is one
week of "sitting shiva", or deep mourning for a loved one, followed by a
month of less intense mourning, and then the rest of that first year, one
must pray for that loved one communally each day, until a gravestone is set
and dedicated on that first anniversary.
I didn't know Ashley...but I just read through his rant - "Fuck You You
Fucking Fucks." What a voice, what a rage, and what cajones. His voice
seems to rile with the thoughts of the voiceless... May Ashley find his
peace, may god embrace those he left behind, and may a hundred find their
voices to fill the void.
Aww, Leigh, my heart is breaking too, not just for Hana and those precious
children but for the whole community. It's just a huge loss. I think your
mourning process sounds healthy. I hope that y'all have found a way to
gather. I'm planning on trying to get down at least for the funeral. The
KSDCo is threatening to send me sooner rather than later so cross your
fingers for me. It could be this week. ITMT, care for your sweet heart and
take care of the others. It will help you heal too.
