“You've really got to wear a chastity belt

in Washington to preserve your journalistic virginity. Once the secretary of state invites you to lunch and asks your opinion, you're sunk."

I.F. Stone.  Part  II. 

Checking back in with the first and best political Blogger of them all.  

My parents subscribed to his self-published (four pages, no advertising) newsletter I.F Stone's Weekly and it was often cited during conversations about world events (which was all that mattered since only the bourgeoisie gave voice to personal concerns)  

I vaguely recall picking it up a few times and even more vaguely remember what I read.  And since Stone gave it up in 1971 for health reasons, the Weekly wasn't around during most of the years my political consciousness had come of age.

But thanks to the wonders of the web, his entire archive is available and every issue is just a few clicks away.  

http://www.ifstone.org/weekly_searchable.php

Some of his scoops and revelations 
jump off the page.
    
In July 1943 he got his hands on the F.B.I. guidelines for spotting subversive tendencies among government workers. The bureau's official list of questions to ask about a suspect reads in part:   

"Does he mix with Negroes? Does he seem to have too many Jewish friends? Does his face light up when the Red Army is mentioned? Is he always criticizing Vichy France?? Does he buy out-of-town newspapers?? Do you think he is excessive in opposing fascism or Nazism?"  

Who knew that Mel Brooks and Mort Sahl wrote for the FBI?   

Esther and Izzy.  For 19 years they published the
Weekly from their D.C. home. 

And more than sixty years ago, Stone speaks in terms that are no less at issue now than they were then...

     "The Arab has benefited from the Jewish influx, but only indirectly. The Zionist has not hurt him, but the Zionist has made him feel shut out. This exclusiveness is natural and understandable, but it needs to be corrected if the Jews are to build for themselves a secure life in the Middle East.

and...

“If it were possible to insulate the United States from the world, to retire into our shell, to plow our fields and write our books and raise our children untouched by quarrels across the sea.… I would be for isolationist neutrality legislation.… But I do not believe insulation and isolation possible.… Must we play nursemaid to the world? I am afraid so.”

Jules Feiffer in June 1989 when Stone died. 

that last quote above is from a Christopher Hitchens piece about Stone in 2006
 http://www.vanityfair.com/politics/features/2006/09/hitchens200609

It's a beautifully rendered tribute and a touching one.