On Death Bed, Smith Praises Buchanan's Suicide of a Superpower

In a heartbreaking final column for The Baltimore Sun, conservative columnist and radio host Ron Smith (pictured) announced today he is foregoing chemotherapy for Stage 4 pancreatic cancer and instead will receive palliative care at home. He has weeks to live.

In his last column, Smith writes:

I have just finished reading Pat Buchanan's "Suicide of a Superpower: Will America Survive to 2025?" It lays out what has led us to the current unsustainable circumstances that bedevil us. I recommend it to anyone interested in understanding what likely lies ahead.

In my lifetime, America has been transformed from a cohesive society — the greatest country of modern times — into what Buchanan calls "A multiracial, multicultural, multilingual, multiethnic stew of a nation that has no successful precedent in the history of the world."

The country is torn asunder between those who perceive a profound decline and those who believe passionately that there is no decline at all, but rather the beginnings of a march into a progressive utopia. That all previous utopian schemes have failed utterly is ignored.

What is a mere individual to do? Live as sane and decent a life as you can, love your family and friends and understand that everybody is in this together.

My work here is done.

We send our prayers and strength to the Smith family during this extremely challenging time.