Old Lessons For Obama
By Colbert I. King
Saturday, April 19, 2008; Page A15
...A story told once before: In 1960, when I was a junior in college, Hubert Humphrey visited Howard University during his campaign in the D.C. Democratic primary. He was also running against John F. Kennedy in the West Virginia primary, where the Massachusetts senator's Catholicism was being assailed.
A government major, I asked Humphrey how he felt about the attacks against Kennedy's faith. Humphrey, not missing a beat, said that although he was seeking victory, he didn't want to win with anti-Catholic votes.
To Humphrey, an enemy of his friend was his enemy, too...
(I am going to name the process "random enemy absoprtion". Inspiring in some ways, but not exactly how I like to live life.)
No, but what did inspire me was the unwillingness of someone to use faith and religion as a barrier or a reason to denounce another person. Far too often, we can use our own beliefs as judgments on others. Humphrey obviously made an impression on Mr. Colbert King. Let us also live our lives to make an impression on others.
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