Tim O’Brien, Presente!

Tim O’Brien fought against the death penalty. WW photo: Gloria Rubac

O’Brien died of cancer, the same kind that killed his father exactly two years ago in April 2009. It had spread to his brain and beyond.

Tim realized that the end was nearing when doctors said last winter that there were no more treatments for him. But he lived life to the fullest each and every day he had left: finishing his manuscript for a book on musician Lightning Hopkins; spending special time with his daughter, Yuna O’Brien, and spouse, Kyong Mi O’Brien; attending one last conference on sweatshops; going to Austin to hear some good, live music; and having friends over for a last visit.

Abolition Movement founder Njeri Shakur stated: “The Texas Death Penalty Abolition Movement is forever indebted to Tim for giving so much energy, for setting up our Web page and for energizing our movement. Tim attended a demonstration for Todd Willingham last winter before the Court of Inquiry ... that proved Todd was an innocent man executed by Gov. Rick Perry. He attended the January hearing ... where attorneys presented compelling evidence that the use of the death penalty in Texas is unconstitutional. And he loved and fought for residents in our Freedman’s Town.”

“Some people see an injustice and act on it. Others don’t see these critical issues. Tim O’Brien was in the former camp,” said public radio activist Ted Weisgal.

Pat Thompson of the Communist Party USA stated: “I will always remember Tim as a brave, outstanding leader and fighter for the working class. He didn’t hesitate to get right in the middle of many fights against large parasitic corporations feeding off the labor of working people here and around the world. He was an internationalist who understood that injustice against workers in other countries is used to oppress workers in this country. He fought tirelessly against sweatshop labor and stood up for the voiceless. He joined several of us when we went to Austin with the AFL-CIO to fight for health care and was a powerful presence at countless rallies and protests.

“Many injustices were done to him, and he fought them fearlessly and prevailed in many cases. However, the injustices of our medical system and his difficulty in accessing health care clearly shortened his exemplary life. He should be remembered as a martyr of our broken health care system,” Thompson concluded.

Tim was a man with a Ph.D. like no other! He was at home in academia as well as in Freedman’s Town. He could carry on with professors as well as with workers with no initials behind their names. Like his mentor, housing activist Lenwood Johnson, Tim was educated as well as a fighter for the oppressed.

The funeral hall on April 29 was filled with a multinational crowd of family and activists, who gave tribute to Tim for more than an hour. The Free Radicals welcomed the host of mourners with New Orleans brass band jazz, funeral procession music.

On May Day, May 1, a special tribute was given to Tim by Houston’s immigrant rights coalition, Houston Unido. A framed poster of May Day 2011 was presented to his sister, spouse and daughter.

Tim won many battles, inspired many young activists and left a legacy for us all: Dare to struggle, dare to win!