God Speed, Bob Dole
On December 9, the people of America and the world said a sad goodbye to Senator Robert Dole of Kansas.
He was a very old man when he died, after years of faithfully serving his country, his party, and our society. He grew up poor, in the depression, served his country in war, and came home with injuries that were horrendous.
For the rest of his life, he was burdened with a withered and useless right arm and hand. He always carried a ball point pen so those who didn’t know of his injury would not try to shake his hand. He could be partisan and was a savage political fighter. But in those battles, he was never cruel and always kept in mind that his adversaries were also Americans and worthy of respect.
The mutual respect and affection in which he was held by Democratic leaders was evident in their farewell remarks as he lay in state in the Capital, a building he loved and cherished. He was an icon of the old Republican Party that seems to be dying before our eyes.
Contrast his demeanor and record with two current leaders in the Republican Party, who this week stunned their House colleagues and the nation by sending out Christmas cards showing themselves and their children all holding automatic type military weapons.
It was more than humorless and cruel....it was sick. Why? Because last week families in Michigan were devastated when a young man brought a weapon similar in character to those in the Christmas card and murdered innocent classmates who he targeted. Those families will not be sending out cards this year. Their hearts are broken.
The unbelievable crassness of the two members of Congress sending out the cards? The parents of the young killer gave him the gun as an early Christmas present. So the intended or unintended message is a stark display of cruelty.
Bob Dole would have never let something like that behavior go unanswered, no matter the party of the offenders. His party, the party of Lincoln, the Republican Party, would not stoop to that level.
God speed, Bob Dole. You were an honorable symbol of America for all to cherish. Thank you for the memory of an America when we could disagree, but still be honorable opponents. This Democratic writer salutes you.