Entertainer Andy Griffith Dead at 86; Video: Sheriff Andy Taylor vs. The Patriot Act
Wes MessamorePublished: 03 Jul, 2012
1 min read
The Huffington Post reports the death of a folksy American TV icon:
Actor Andy Griffith died on Tuesday morning in Dare County, North Carolina, reports WITN.com.Dare County Sheriff Doug Doughtie confirmed to the website that an ambulance went to the 86-year-old's home at 7 a.m. this morning.Griffith's good friend and former President of the University of North Carolina, Bill Friday, told WITN that the actor had passed away. The AP and CNN also confirmed the news. Details surrounding the actor's cause of death have not been released at this time.Griffith was best known for his role as Sheriff Andy Taylor in “The Andy Griffith Show,” which ran from 1960 to 1968, and later known for his role as a criminal defense lawyer on "Matlock," which ran from 1986 to 1995. The actor was honored with the the TV Land Legend Award in 2004, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush in 2005. Griffith was also a singer and musician, and his 1996 album "I Love to Tell the Story: 25 Timeless Hymns" went platinum.
Did you know that Sheriff Andy Taylor was a big Fourth Amendment proponent?
Watch this:
http://youtu.be/0wL9Li0f1Po
Now who's going to call Andy Griffith unpatriotic or un-American in the intemperate language of post-9-11 scare rhetoric? He's as American as apple pie.
Rest peacefully, Andy! America will miss you.
You Might Also Like
New IVP 2026 California Governor Poll: What the Toplines Don’t Tell You
Using verified California voter file data, IVP surveyed high-propensity voters from February 13 through 20. The poll tested first-choice ballot preferences alongside issue intensity on affordability and the cost of living, immigration enforcement, more choice reform, and more....
23 Feb, 2026
-
10 min read
81% of Americans Say Money Controls Politics – Can a Constitutional Amendment Fix It?
Polls consistently show that nearly all Americans across the political spectrum agree that there is too much money in politics – whether from foreign sources, corporations, or so-called “dark money” groups. ...
23 Feb, 2026
-
13 min read
10 Reasons Why the Congressional Stock Trading Ban Will Never Pass
The overlap between committee assignments and stock ownership is not automatically illegal. Because the current legal framework permits this proximity as long as disclosure rules are followed, lawmakers are not operating under a system that forces change....
20 Feb, 2026
-
4 min read