Life has been full of sundry challenges for me, and I have contemplated leaving this blog, and pursuing a different way to promote peace. Frankly, though, I can't find a reason to let it wither, so hopefully you'll see more of me soon. The reason I'm writing briefly today, however, is both sad and meaningful.
Yesterday, America lost an unusual hero, Senator George McGovern. George McGovern, more than anything, was an inspiration.
As a young man, George McGovern fought in World War II. This is important, because when a war veteran comes later in life to the cause of peace, we should all sit up and listen. McGovern himself cited his war experiences as foundational to his pursuit of peace in Vietnam.
As the 1968 Democratic nomination process deteriorated in the wake of LBJ's departure, and the horrific murder of Bobby Kennedy, McGovern emerged at the Chicago convention, as a challenger to the status quo, on an anti-war platform. He failed.
In 1972, the badly damaged Democrats tried to defeat President Nixon. The primaries were destructive again, but in '72 McGovern's anti-war message was harder to ignore and he became the nominee for the party. In the general election, McGovern failed again. This time his failure was historic in its proportion, with only Massachusetts and DC backing him.
He finished his senatorial career in 1980, defeated by the wave of conservatism ushered in by Reagan's presidency.
This is a seemingly strange tribute to someone who is quite correctly a hero in the cause of peace. In his political career, aside from his ability to keep the South Dakota Senate seat for several terms, he failed time after time. In part, that is what made George McGovern a hero.
In 1972, McGovern's campaign was a potent magnet for people of peace, who wanted to change the world, or at the very least pry us from the tragedy in Vietnam. He inspired an entire generation to consider the possibility of America as a force for peace. He propelled Hillary Rodham and Bill Clinton to a life of public service, and a vision of the world as a community rather than a group of opposing power blocs.
He may have been influential in Nixon's ultimate decision to pull out of Vietnam, as many suspect, but I cannot delve into the inner thinking of that man. Regardless of his influence on Nixon's decisions, he abruptly changed the American conversation, and made peace a item for discussion at our dinner tables. As a twelve year old in 1972, I can literally recall this occuring, except ours was a 'supper' table.
In science, scientific progress has been likened to "standing on the shoulders of giants", a phrase often attributed to Sir Isaac Newton. Like science, peace is a growing, evolutionary process, where we can harvest fruit higher on the tree because of those who came before us. I proudly stand on the shoulders of George McGovern, and as a result can see further into the future of a peaceful world.
Thank you, George McGovern. Because of the legacy you leave, all of your endeavors, regardless of their temporal shortfalls, add up to a very successful life.
