Obit: William Sloane Coffin (April 2006)

Subject: Obit: William Sloane Coffin
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Apr 06 - 12:19 PM

This should be moved below the line but I do want to note the passing of one of my heroes- and didn't find a thread on his death. I got to meet Reverend Coffin in Juneau some years ago and I was in awe of his intellect and his heart and his very presence. Not only in public but in private conversation the man inspired a great many.


May He Inspire Others Today

Subject: RE: Obit: William Sloane Coffin
From: catspaw49
Date: 14 Apr 06 - 12:36 PM

And one of mine as well Ebbie.

He came to Berea in my freshman year and I was completely overwhelmed with his passion. After his speech at the assembly he met with any students interested in an informal session that went well into the next morning. Those informal sessions were wonderful for students like myself. His was by far the longest though and I think that my feelings solidified that night.   What had before been angst became determination.

Sad times then, but an even sadder time today.

Bob Dylan's Dream........Bob Dylan, 1963

While riding on a train goin' west,
I fell asleep for to take my rest.
I dreamed a dream that made me sad,
Concerning myself and the first few friends I had.

With half-damp eyes I stared to the room
Where my friends and I spent many an afternoon,
Where we together weathered many a storm,
Laughin' and singin' till the early hours of the morn.

By the old wooden stove where our hats was hung,
Our words were told, our songs were sung,
Where we longed for nothin' and were quite satisfied
Talkin' and a-jokin' about the world outside.

With haunted hearts through the heat and cold,
We never thought we could ever get old.
We thought we could sit forever in fun
But our chances really was a million to one.

As easy it was to tell black from white,
It was all that easy to tell wrong from right.
And our choices were few and the thought never hit
That the one road we traveled would ever shatter and split.

How many a year has passed and gone,
And many a gamble has been lost and won,
And many a road taken by many a friend,
And each one I've never seen again.

I wish, I wish, I wish in vain,
That we could sit simply in that room again.
Ten thousand dollars at the drop of a hat,
I'd give it all gladly if our lives could be like that.


Spaw

Subject: RE: Obit: William Sloane Coffin
From: Rapparee
Date: 14 Apr 06 - 01:12 PM

Right on, Spaw.

Subject: RE: Obit: William Sloane Coffin
From: Ebbie
Date: 14 Apr 06 - 01:22 PM

I love this thought: "What had before been angst became determination."

Thank you, Spaw

Subject: RE: Obit: William Sloane Coffin
From: Dave Swan
Date: 14 Apr 06 - 01:27 PM

Here's a quote I transcribed from yesterday's NPR Morning Edition.

Hope is a state of mind independent of the state of the world. So, if your heart's full of hope, you can be persistent when you can't be optimistic. You can keep the faith despite the evidence, knowing that only in so doing has the evidence any chance of changing. So, while I'm not optimistic, I'm always very hopeful.

William Sloane Coffin, 1994

I envy those who were in his presence.

D

Subject: RE: Obit: William Sloane Coffin
From: number 6
Date: 14 Apr 06 - 01:28 PM

It is sad ... he will be missed.

In times like the present we need (more than ever) the likes of William Coffin, to inspire determination.

sIx

Subject: RE: Obit: William Sloane Coffin
From: katlaughing
Date: 14 Apr 06 - 02:19 PM

Thanks for sharing. I was too young to have known about him at the time of the Vietnam War, but what you all have shared makes me very sad we have none like him today, that I know of.

El Swanno, I have copied his words to print and keep up on my bulletin board. It says so much with so few words. I can well see how Spaw was so effected by him. I'd never been able to quite define why I could have hope when things looked so bad. Now, I know.

RIP, Kind Sir,

kat

Subject: RE: Obit: William Sloane Coffin
From: GUEST,AR282
Date: 14 Apr 06 - 02:40 PM

Wasn't he of the famous Coffin family from Nantucket? Along with the Folger family who went on to become coffee magnates (makes me wonder about Starbucks since the Starbuck family was also one of the founding families of Nantucket and Ben Franklin was descended from the Folgers, I believe).

The incident that served as a model for Moby Dick, was that of the Essex when it was rammed by a whale. The vessel sank and the survivors floated in whaleboats for weeks until they were starving. They drew lots to see who would be cannibalized in order to save the others. The lucky guy was Owen Coffin, the captain's nephew. He was only 15 and the captain offered to take his place but Owen said no. He had drawn the short straw and was willing to die to save the others. So they shot him in the head and ate him and were rescued a short time later. No charges were every filed against any of the men because it was an acceptable emergency practice in Nantucket. But Owen's mother never again looked at nor spoke to the captain. Owen Coffin was also the name Felix Papalardi dedicated "Nantucket Sleighride" to.

On Nantucket today are all kinds of plaques commemorating the this or that Coffin or the Coffin School or whatever. Quite a family.

Subject: RE: Obit: William Sloane Coffin
From: Barry Finn
Date: 14 Apr 06 - 03:27 PM

It's never been an exceptable emergency. Captain Pollard who was thought by some to be Owen Coffin's relative was asked years later by a nephew of one of the whalerman from that boat if he knew uncle? "Did I know him!" Pollard exclaimed. "Hell man, I ate him!"(from the Ocean Almanac by Rober Hendrickson). I've heard it said by a Coffin that all (American) Coffins are related to the Nantucket Coffins. Regardless this Rev. Coffin will sorely be missed. May his influence live on.
Barry

Subject: RE: Obit: William Sloane Coffin
From: Anonny Mouse
Date: 14 Apr 06 - 04:02 PM

I met and spoke with Rev. Coffin and Cardinal Berardi (of Chicago) at a UB seminar on the Nuclear Freeze issue, Very enlightening, and Sloan-Coffin in his glory. An intelligent and articulate man, who was often at the right place at the right time. R.I.P. Bill....we will miss ya!

Subject: RE: Obit: William Sloane Coffin
From: Ron Davies
Date: 15 Apr 06 - 02:22 AM

I hope everybody notes that William Sloane Coffin was a Presbyterian minister. There are all sorts of Presbyterians--all over the political spectrum. Especially the "religion as mental illness" crew should note the role religion played in Coffin's life--a central role.

Subject: RE: Obit: William Sloane Coffin (April 2006)
From: AllisonA(Animaterra)
Date: 15 Apr 06 - 07:20 AM

What a great man. He also performed in the Hanover, NH Christmas Revels many years ago. I had the privilege of being in the chorus that year. A few years later I was inspired by his speech at a peace rally in NH.
(Incidentally his son, David Coffin, posts here very occasionally as Gloucesterman. David is a wonderful singer and leader- he just this week completed an artist-in-residency at my school.)