In Memoriam: Baruch "Dick" Kolthoff

"'t Zit erop, jongens..."

Today, just after midnight (CEST), my father Baruch "Dick" Kolthoff died.

I think of my father as a humane liberal in the broadest sense of the word; a born anarchist who set high moral standards for himself and tried hard in his own way to change the world for the better. 

From the Spanish Civil War to the struggle against industrial animal farming, my father lived to his principles.

His lifelong fascination for the French Revolution and Enlightenment reflected in many ways in his own life. 

A principled vegetarian he never stopped advocating animal rights, seeing animals as the weaker and defenseless species against us humans.  

I am grateful to my father for the ideas and principles he introduced to (but never forced upon) me; I can only wish I can be the same example to my children as my father was to me. 

Through the fire of great love, the wood of hatred is burnt.
Through the light of pristine awareness, the darkness of ignorance is dispelled. 

Thousands of candles can be lighted from a single candle,
and the life of the candle will not be shortened.
Happiness never decreases by being shared.