Hitchens and Mother Teresa

Hitchens was in La Jolla, San Diego, CA at a book store for an authors talk and this is a part of the Q&A that transpired.

Audience:

I know because you're unusually fair-minded and well-balanced and never really opinionated (laughter) uh, I’m interested in why on earth would you tackle Mother Teresa as in the missionary position?

Host:

Christopher, could you give a precis of the question to the audience? 

Hitchens

I was asked why someone of my natural tenderness, perdor and fair mindedness would and by the way one must not confuse fair mindedness with objectivity as you know how people often do that, in this culture people say even even-handedness is objectivity or fairness is objectivity or uh putting both sides, Objectivity is the search for truth even if it leads you to unwelcome conclusions.

 

It's nothing at all to do with impartiality but none of these things apply in the case of Mother Teresa because it's a simple matter of record that she was a fanatic, a fundamentalist, and a fraud. (laughter) I think probably the most the most

successful confidence trickster of the last century and responsible for innumerable deaths and for untold suffering and misery and proud of it.

 

Should I just assert this, or would you require any proof? I just wonder we know how fair-minded some people could be

 

Audience:

How about John Roger and Charles Keating for example?

 

Hitchens:

 

There's one way of doing, three ways, two ways to do it one is you say what if she

was so wonderful how come she went to Haiti at the invitation of the Duvalier family,

took money from them which didn't belong to them, had been stolen from the Haitian

poor, said how wonderful the situation was for the poor in Haiti,  how the poor loved the Duvalier’s, and the Duvalier’s loved them back. How does she get to Haiti in the first place, she's supposed to be in Calcutta.

 

You've got to go all the way to Haiti to praise the regime that is notorious for its wringing of the poor well she did it because out of solidarity with people who thought like her and because she needed their money which they'd stolen as she stole hers from Charles Keating of the Lincoln savings loan scandal and who gave for a million and a half dollars and a private jet in return, pretty good deal actually, for an olive crucifix and a blessing when he was on trial and he needed a character witness.

 

The court then wrote to her and said you've got a million and a half dollars we're looking for the belong to the poor of California do you feel like giving it back she never replied.

She'd written to the court in the first place.

 

That's just the fraudulence that’s just touching all the thoughts, but by the way, if any of any of what I’ve just said is not true and it all is, how come you need me to tell you, how come that my profession hasn't enlightened you about this already, how come this woman stands underneath a Niagara of undiluted free publicity for all these years

Ask yourselves but that's just the fraud.

 

As for the fanaticism and the fundamentalism, look she said that poverty was a gift from God and should be accepted should be welcomed. She believed that disease and poverty were necessary for the formation of a good character, and she opposed the only thing that is known to cure to poverty, there is only one known cure of poverty it's very simple. It doesn't matter whether you go to Bangladesh or Basra or Bolivia.

 

If you can give women control over their rate of reproduction up and come back to that village in 10 year’s time, everything will be better right away it's the only thing that works if you can throw in a handful of seeds in a bit of credit as well and generally try and funnel it through the mothers and the wives it'll  be enormously better right away.

 

If you don’t do it, people die all the time very horribly and they have rabid diseases like polio that they can spread to other people.

 

Well Mother Teresa spent her entire life saying that that solution was impermissible she waged her entire life making sure that didn't happen so I wish there was a hell to which she could go.

 

Because she has a lot of death on her conscience and a lot of misery and stupidity and ignorance and dirt and filth and disease as well.  A poisonous woman patronized by a poisonous pope whose national security advisor she was.

 

Idon't miss them and nor should anybody else religion. Religion is the enemy

 

How much is it gonna take to convince us our faith, faith is not a virtue but if it was it would be the most overrated of them all?

Hitchens and Whiskey

Christopher Hitchens was not just known for his writing, but also a fine connoisseur of fine whiskey.

Interviewee:

We have a number of questions, curiously enough about your favorite things. One wants to know things you can't live without when traveling, And one person, one well informed audience member, of course wants to know your favorite whiskey is. 

Hitchens 

Well, I don't know see what the difference between the two questions (is). (Laughter) The favorite blended, the best blended scotch in the history of the worlds which is also the favorite drink of the Iraqi Baath party, as it is still of the Palestinian authority, and the Libyan dictatorship and large branches of the Saudi Arabian Royal family. Johnny Walker Blend, breakfast of champions, accept no substitutes.

Mahabharata

 Mahabharata

The story narrated by the seer mage,
Scribed by the god with two tusk,
Was appropos to any and all age,
Had to be written by both being unstuck. (Prelude to the Adi Parva)

The stories of the ancestors great,
And the stories of the dynasty,
And the story of the princes and the state,
Laid the ground work for the rivalry. (Adi Parva)

The magic of the court and the great hall,
Was marred by the game of dice,
Which would lead to a great fall,
Ignoring the advice of the wise. (Sabha Parva)

The adventures of the princes in the forest,
And the piety of the woman born of fire,
Were put mightily to the test,
And whose resolve would be strengthened by desire. (Vana Parva)

The disguise of the virtuous six,
For a whole year was done with mettle,
Then came a danger with a great fix,
And would find its end in battle.       (Virata Parva)

The lord of the three worlds and wisdom,
Went on a mission to find peace reluctantly,
He asked for a piece of a kingdom,
And walked away with a call for war gladly. (Udyoga Parva)

The story of the great grandsire,
Whose deeds were stuff of legend,
His intents was as pure as fire,
In devotion and bravery he was never second. (Bheeshma Parva)

The teacher who was not born of a woman,
Loved his student more than his son,
His pride and prejudice belied his human,
And seeking truth his soul went to heaven. (Drona Parva)

The bravery of the charioteer’s son,
Was exceed only by his charity,
He did not heed the words of the sun,
And paid the price for his integrity. (Karna Parva)

The bravery of the Uncle maternal,
Who was bound by his word and knew no fear,
His intent was always calm and fraternal,
And met his end calmly from a spear. (Shalya Parva)

The cowardice of the warriors three,
Their rage and hatred ran very deep,
In their attempt to set it free,
And killed many combatants in their sleep. (Sauptika Parva)

The rage of the woman who was blind,
Was focused on the man who was dark hued,
She tried in vain to find peace in her mind,
And alas she cursed in haste and rued. (Stri Parva)

The wit and wisdom of the great grandfather,
After the just and wise king was anointed,
Was preached to take the new ruler further,
And the people listening were not disappointed. (Shanti Parva)

The last day of the son of the great river,
Was spent teaching to his favorite ward,
He who had not known any fear and had a full quiver,
Passed on when the sun aligned for his reward. (Anushasana Parva)

The kingdom was made great by the march of the horse,
And the lesson thought at the beginning of the great battle,
To the great warrior in war who showed no remorse,
By his maternal cousin who was a world teacher in mettle. (Ashwamedha Parva and the re-teaching of the Geeta by Krishna to Arjuna)

The wise man and the royal citizens of old age,
Recognized the need for wisdom and to enquire,
Went to the forest to live in a hermitage,
Who were consumed by a great fire. (Ashramavasika Parva)

The anger of the blind woman and  sages,
Enabled by the members of the royal race,
Led to a curse and a great outrage,
And mets it end by a might mace. (Mausala Parva or the chapter of the mace)

The travels by the dog, brothers five and lass,
And beyond the ascent of the great mountain,
Only the embodiment of justice could pass,
Whose virtue was an endless fountain. (Mahaprasthanika Parva or the great journey)

The great king of eternal wisdom and right,
Was shown a piece of hell and tested,
To see if his grit and virtue could fight,
And showed he could not be bested. (Svargorahana Parva)

The epic that contains many stories,
Has chapters that are eighteen,
The listening of it leads to glories,
And makes the soul and life clean. (Benediction of the poem)