Pyror and McCarthy - Yin and Yang

Yin - Yang
The outer circle represents "everything", while the black and white shapes within the circle represent the interaction of two energies, called "yin" (black) and "yang" (white), which cause everything to happen.

They are not completely black or white, just as things in life are not completely black or white, and they cannot exist without each other.

While "yin" would be dark, passive, downward, cold, contracting, and weak, "yang" would be bright, active, upward, hot, expanding, and strong.

"I don't know what you've heard or read about me. But I don't see colors. I don't believe in prejudice. We're all people, you know? That's hard enough." Richard Pryor

"Being in politics is like being a football coach. You have to be smart enough to understand the game, and dumb enough to think it's important." Eugene McCarthy

Two pieces have been ripped from the fabric of a generation. Two bright sources of its energy have been extinguished. Richard Pryor and Eugene McCarthy -- how odd that they left us together. Yet how oddly symmetrical.

These two men who were worlds apart shared a unique bond: each in his own way inspired, impacted and often polarized the Baby Boomer generation. One Black, one White. One through entertainment, one through politics. Both spoke to their own, and to the mainstream. Both also spoke from the heart.

One was filled with anger, vibrant artistry, outrageous humor and fear. He fought cycle after cycle of self-destruction to build a legacy of laughter that is impossible to measure or define. You just know it when you see it. And hear it. And lose yourself in Richard Pryor's obscene yet extraordinarily deft comedic takes on life.

The other was imbued with a sense of service, patriotism, Senatorial noblesse oblige. He may have tilted at windmills, but he did it with courage, dignity and determination. And also with humor. He may have been a spoiler in the end, but Gene McCarthy gave voice to the pain and frustration of all who opposed real obscenity -- the war in Vietnam.

I didn't vote for McCarthy, but I respected his courageous stand against the war. And I wish someone would stand up now against the equally obscene war in Iraq.

As for Richard Pryor, every time I saw him I laughed til I cried. And I'm crying now because I know we'll never laugh quite that way again.