CAL THOMAS COMMENTARY JULY 21, 2020
IT IS NOT A CONTRADICTION TO SAY THAT CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS, WHO DIED LAST WEEK AT AGE 80, WAS A BRAVE MAN WHO HELPED ADVANCE CIVIL RIGHTS FOR AFRICAN-AMERICANS AND, AS A MEMBER OF CONGRESS FOR MORE THAN THREE DECADES WAS ALSO A PARTISAN DEMOCRAT.
LEWIS SAID PRESIDENT TRUMP WAS ILLEGITIMATELY ELECTED AND THAT RUSSIA WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR HIS ELECTION AND HILLARY CLINTON’S DEFEAT IN 2016.
STILL, LEWIS WAS THE ULTIMATE OVERCOMER. HE WAS ONE OF TEN CHILDREN OF AN ALABAMA SHARECROPPER WHEN STATE POWER ENFORCED WHITE SUPREMACY. BEATEN NEARLY TO DEATH IN THE 1965 SELMA MARCH HE CAME TO FORGIVE HIS ENEMIES, INCLUDING ALABAMA GOVERNOR GEORGE WALLACE. IT WAS AN ULTIMATE ACT OF GRACE AND REFLECTIVE OF JESUS’ COMMAND TO “LOVE YOUR ENEMIES.” THAT SOUNDS EASY UNTIL YOU TRIED IT IN 1965 ALABAMA.
A WALL STREET JOURNAL EDITORIAL RIGHTLY SAID THAT POLICY AND POLITICAL DIFFERENCES WERE TRIVIAL – HE OPPOSED THE 1996 BIPARTISAN WELFARE REFORM ACT SIGNED BY PRESIDENT CLINTON, PREDICTING CATASTROPHE FOR THE POOR — COMPARED TO THE SIGNIFICANCE OF LEWIS’ LIFE.
A SIGNIFICANT LIFE IS A GOOD EPITAPH FOR ANYONE. I’M CAL THOMAS.
