Dick Gregory was a long time hero of mine. I’m old enough to remember his pointed comedic commentaries about civil rights from a long long time ago.

When I went vegan some years ago, I was, in part, inspired by his commitment to refrain from engaging in oppressive behavior toward any living being. He was one among many African American advocates for social justice who extended their circle of compassion to include all Earthlings (Coretta Scott King and Angela Davis are two other examples).

He was an excellent advocate for “liberty and justice for all” and we are all diminished by his death. RIP Mr. Gregory…you will be deeply missed.

Thank you for writing this salute to him.