One of the first NOLA blogs I ever read was Ashley Morris: the blog. And the first post I read was the now classic, legendary post of the NOLA blogoshpere--- "Fuck you, you fucking fucks." I had instant respect for the bravery of those words and the man who expressed them. Actually I first thought Ashley was a woman and concluded-- "Man she can bring it better than Athenae"--that says something. Of course in short time I realized she was a he and though I did meet Ashley, I came to know him through his writings. And through Ashley I came to know and love even more the city he loved so...New Orleans. I think that is a testament for which he would be proud....that his words and expressions would guide one to love his city.
Ashley fought for the recovery of New Orleans like no other. Just read FYYFF and Sein Fein. Please do. But there was more to his voice and blog than the right and righteous anger. Ashley wrote of the food, the restaurants, the music, the celebrations and parades--the culture of New Orleans. His words breathed the lifeblood of the city and it was a joy to read each day.
And then there were the Saints.
If his many posts taught me of a New Orleans I'd yet to know, it was the Saints posts in which I found the universal common ground with this remarkable man. I, being a die-hard fantactical Packers cheesehead, understood the depth of emotion and the meaning of a team and stadium to the people who came together each Sunday. And it was a post that Ashley wrote not long ago about the people who came together in section 635 of the Superdome that I want to re-post for you to appreciate the man--the man that many in New Orleans consider a hero--and he was. But in this post he tells a story, a New Orleans story, a damn good story that stood out in my mind and that in itself is a true testament in a city known for its stories and storytellers. In it, Ashley our hero, writes of his heroes. The first time I read it I said aloud--"Man that is SO New Orleans. Right there, that's it."
It is rare to find in one man's voice, the fire of FYYFF and the gentle humble appreciation of "Heroes in our Midst." It is an homage to heroes and history and a city. It is all that he fought for and his leg of the fight is now over. Others will carry on. But no one will replace the remarkable voice which lives on for us to remember and appreciate at Ashley Morris: the blog. Thank you Ashley...
Heroes in our midst
I have season tickets to the Saints, and I sit by Mr. Cl10 and Dillyberto. These are two good family guys that love New Orleans and the Saints as hysterically as I do.
Most of the people in our section are like that. There's the guy behind us that flies in from Huntsville for every game, the tattooed couple up a row on our left, the cross-dressers down the row, the good ol' boys on our left, the guys behind me who will actually accept when I offer to do them up in eye black, and so on.
In other words, our section, the cheap seats of 635, is a cross-section of New Orleans. We're the King Arthur krewe of sections. We're the Gentilly of sections.
We're lucky. We're right on the rail, and the people across the walkway in front of us get about the same view, but pay about double the price.
One couple that sits in the section in front comes in from Hattiesburg for every game. It's a mother and daughter, and they love the Saints as much as any of us do, if not more. They never miss a game.
The mother, Miss Ellie, has a bad knee and so Dillyberto (usually) or Cl10 or I (occasionally) will help her down the steps to her seat. Like us, she's up against the rail, but instead of a walkway in front of her, she has nothing but the expanse of the dome. Her daughter, Bettie, is a riot, and loves to tell us stories about how Momma won't miss a Saints game. As a former resident of the 'burg, I always manage to bring up Leatha's BBQ Inn, which is, I truly believe, where God goes when he wants barbecue.
Well, Miss Ellie was talking about how she was going to have to have a knee replacement, and Bettie was saying that she refused to have the surgery done during the season, because she wasn't about to miss a game.
That's a Saints fan, y'all.
On February 11, Miss Ellie had a total replacement of her right knee. According to Bettie, she's in pain, but doing well. From Bettie:
My last words to her before she was given her "la-la land shot" was GO SAINTS!!!!
This caused Bettie to miss the Thoth activities, but she planned to hold court at Lafitte's Blacksmith shop on Mardi Gras Day.
Dillyberto did a Google search on Miss Ellie Dahmer, and we found out, to quote
DillyBerto, that "Bettie Dahmer and Ellie Dahmer's toughest challenge has not been knee surgery".We are blessed. We are Saints fans, and we have true heroes like Miss Ellie Dahmer walking in our midst.
Long live Miss Ellie. One of my heroes.
Professor Ashley Morris. One of my heroes.
One of the first blog-based books, the anthology Special Plans examines Feith's role in misleading America into war. Buy from 
Such a person will rest well with the Gods (or Saints, if you will)
this is sad. We have to keep the fires burning in his memory.
May the Gods keep you, Ashley and place blessings upon your kin during this difficult time.
Posted by: David Aquarius | April 03, 2008 at 13:11
That's a great memoriam, Scout. Better than I can adequately say right now. Thank you.
Posted by: oyster | April 03, 2008 at 13:47
Beautiful, Scout. Dammit all to hell, why Ashley? HIS death is what oughta be illegal, not the slow death of the city he loved so much.
Posted by: liprap | April 03, 2008 at 14:52
That was one of my favorite posts too, Scout. It was very close to the spirit of the real man.
Posted by: Adrastos | April 03, 2008 at 15:14
Good lord, how am I even going to make it through football season this year without being able to argue with this man week in and week out?
Thank you for posting this, Scout.
Posted by: jeffrey | April 03, 2008 at 15:30
That was really, really a lovely tribute to a very special man.
Posted by: lb0313 | April 03, 2008 at 16:03
Thank you for that post about Ashley. And "F*ck you, you f*cking f*cks." Wasn't just legendary in the NOLA blogosphere, it was legendary in the entire left blogosphere. I rarely swear and don't even like to write the term, but sometimes it's just the thing. He used it with skill and power.
That post reminded me of my favorite episode of The Wire with Bunk and Jimmy where they looked at a crime scene and that was the only word they used.
We honor our heroes by remembering them and noting what they fought for. Ashley showed the fierce determination to rebuild that I believe the rest of America should know about, especially the ones who don't get how much the city means to people beyond it's tourist spots.
Posted by: spocko | April 03, 2008 at 17:02
This is the second time I smiled reading that story. Thanks for sharing this Scout.
Posted by: joejoejoe | April 03, 2008 at 18:02
A fine memoriam to a rare character and voice of NOLA.
Posted by: Marco | April 04, 2008 at 07:27