By Gregory Crofton
Good journalists can be a check on political power. In the day and age of President Donald Trump, a stalwart journalist and advocate of citizen rights like Molly Ivins is something we as a country are sorely missing.
In addition to having a good sense of the truth, as well an addiction to alcohol, Ivins had a wicked sense of humor. In the new documentary “Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins” the audience I watched it with laughed out loud throughout the film.
Director Janice Engel — a woman telling a woman’s story — includes plenty of Ivin’s one-liners, most of which are aimed at Texas politicians including George W. Bush.
Ivins had become a nationally syndicated columnist around the time of George W. Bush’s presidency. That’s when I started reading her work. I thought, ‘Who is this powerhouse speaking the truth and doing it with style and excellent writing?’
Well it was Molly Ivins. You ought to check her out.