AMY GOODMAN: That’s Richie Havens singing “Lives in the Balance,” and it also reminds me that this past weekend was the 27th anniversary of the killing of the students at Kent State. And speaking of death, not that I want to end on this note, but there are some very important lives to remember today. The news of Paulo Freire’s death has been seeping out all over the world now, educator of the poor in Brazil, as well as around the world, with his book, Pedagogy of the Oppressed; Queen Mother Moore; as well as Murray Kempton. Some comments, Juan, on these people?

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: Yes, well, Paulo Freire, at least in — I guess, in the world scheme, was probably the most well known of educators, and he served for many years before the coup in Brazil as as the superintendent of the São Paulo school system, but, before that, had really pioneered a method of teaching that basically promoted critical thinking among the poor and was emulated throughout the world, a tremendous loss.

And, of course, Queen Mother Moore, who has been a fixture in the African American liberation movement here since the days of Marcus Garvey. She was 98 when she passed away this past week. And she was a mentor to many African American leaders in this country, a pan-Africanist, and one of the major people to espouse the issue that still many feel needs to be addressed, which is reparations to African Americans for the period of slavery. Hers was a great loss.

And, of course, Murray Kempton, who, Jimmy Breslin said, put more honor in the newspaper business than anyone in our time. The gentlemanly critic with the incredibly Baroque language style that baffled and thrilled many who read his writing. Kempton once said of Richard Nixon that Nixon’s life story was an inept struggle, quote, “against the great discipline of his life, the suppression of resentment.” And he once said of Mayor Ed Koch, “To walk in his wake has been to stumble through a rubble of vulgarities and meanness of spirit.” So, Murray Kempton was gentle but incisive in his comments.

AMY GOODMAN: My picture of him is walking through the various conventions, Democratic and Republican, walking with that ramrod posture, holding his notebook and writing everywhere he went.

JUAN GONZÁLEZ: And let’s not forget he was arrested at the Democratic National Convention, participating with those who marched to the convention hall.

AMY GOODMAN: Well, on that note, we end Democracy Now!, which is produced by Dan Coughlin. Our engineer and assistant producer is Errol Maitland. Kenneth Mason is our engineer in Washington; Julie Drizin, our executive producer. If you’d like a copy of today’s show, you can call 1-800-735-0230. That’s 1-800-735-0230. I’m Amy Goodman, with Juan González, for another edition of Pacifica Radio’s Democracy Now!