I was introduced to Irv by a closed friend Pat Sumi late summer 1972. I visited Irv's home at the time there was a bomb threat. I noticed Irv and Ruth lived in a very peaceful and loving family with herbert my favorite. Ruth joked I was his big brother. I could not understand why someone would harm such a peaceful family. Irv as the center of everything. He was both forceful and peaceful, a slow speaker but fast action, a true leader of the peace movement. After the first meeting my previous bias about Irv as circulated among the left as a pro-Soviet pro CP USA disappears. Irv recently told me the CP USA was a joke. I now befriend with a very humble but forceful peace activist who is very reasonable dealing with every situation. In Irv anyone loves Abe lincoln, malcom X, MLK, can see the combined characters of the left activism in him. 35 years later I met Irv again in Calif before Obama was elected. Unlike other leftist like Tom Hadden, Irv's activism and commitment to the oppressed people was unchanged. Irv talked about elevating the role of the UN via Friends of the UN. Worried about US militarism, and the wars. He never gave up fighting for peace in the world. He was talking about the prospect of meeting peace activists in vn, about helping young peace activists in Vietnam to get better education overseas. Everything Irv worried was for every one else, not for him, even he told me he has just had a mild stroke. He was a truly the lover for the under privilleged, the people fighter. His departure was a great loss to the peace loving people in the world. He will be greatly missed. It will be a long time before the world could find an activist like Irv. I truly missed him and pray God to grant him ever lasting peace.
