Before you read absolutely anything else, go and read Meteor Blades's diary:
Live long, fight hard and prosper
Read it? Uprated it? Maybe even commented with a "Thank You"? No? Then go back again: Live long, fight hard and prosper by Meteor Blades.
Alright, then. I've never met that guy, and until dKos 4, I had no idea what he even looked like—though the warrior eye patch on his photo seems fitting, because he defended this community like only a true warrior could—but over the course of my years here, his name was literally synonymous with the site. I don't know if he's been here from the beginning or not, but if there's one thing that is undeniable is that MB has for years been the community's spiritual and physical glue. If you take the time to read through the comments on his post, you'll see just a tiny fraction of the influence he's had on people, far and wide, on any side of any fence that's ever gone up here on dKos.
I've never been sad about a Kossack leaving before. A lot of you that have been around here for a while probably have experienced this before, as titans like BlackWaterDog passed on to other horizons. But I do feel some sadness for this news about Meteor Blades moving on, because MB did something that this site is predicated on: he made me, you, and us think.
I recently wrote a diary that expounded on my views on a topic that was contentiously written, and I, admittedly, didn't give the topic its due amount of consideration and thought. MB made a comment in there—it was really a simple thing he said, but one that snapped me into thought immediately—that showed me the importance of not only thinking more thoroughly about my views, but also articulating them in a thoughtful, sensitive way that doesn't offend others. I probably spent an hour to 90 minutes writing a comment in reply to his, and, feeling slightly nervous that I had ticked this giant off, felt a wave of relief wash over me when I saw that simple "1+" on my comment signifying that he had read what I had to say. It must have been about 3 or 4 in the morning, and I fell asleep thinking he had made me a slightly better person than I'd been just two hours prior. I'm sure he had that effect on many, many other people here, as well as in real life.
I can't think of a better way to thank Meteor Blades than to just say this: thank you, Meteor Blades, for making us think.
It would be nice to hear some of you guys's favorite memories and stories related to MB. This is my own way of making peace with his departure, and if you share that same desire, comment away. Better yet, please go read his diary and participate in the dialogue there. And, our human nature notwithstanding, please respect his stated desire for privacy.
Live long, fight hard and prosper, Meteor Blades.
Update:
H/T to Wee Mama for this :)
Folks may enjoy reading this diary that was written to wish him Happy Birthday! in 2008. It explains his name, has links to some of his choice writing and many comments from folks reminiscing.