EC from DC - June 6, 2014
Her voice was beautifully unmistakable. Her writing was unbelievably inspirational. And her life was one of suffering and triumph, pain and courage, survival and success.
As our country remembers Dr. Maya Angelou, who died recently at the age of 86, we will never forget the lessons she leaves behind. A little girl who lived through a cruel childhood filled with harsh and horrible days, a young mother who did what she had to do to take care of her children, and a woman who never gave up, broke through long-held barriers, and then used her bad times to teach others how to treasure the good – that was Maya Angelou.
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She was an author, a poet, a speaker, an activist and a woman who created history as she went along. She was a champion for equality, peace and justice – with grace, poise, and courage that quietly commanded the respect of all those around her.
Yes, Dr. Maya Angelou will be missed.
She faced the problems in her life, in her country, and in her world head on. She led with dignity. She expressed genuine emotion without fear of vulnerability, but instead with the purity of honesty.
Yes, Dr. Maya Angelou will be missed.
A few years ago, I was blessed with the opportunity to join her for dinner here in Kansas City. I brought our youngest son, Evan, along with me. As everyone in the crowd, including myself, hoped for a coveted seat next to the gifted woman, she reached out to the youngest amongst us, Evan, and invited him to join her. It is a dinner Evan will never forget. But, as always, her actions provided a meaningful lesson for the rest of us to remember, as well. She wanted to include everyone, and demonstrated that the young have a definite and important place at the table.
Yes, Dr. Maya Angelou will be missed.
But her life, her legacy, and her words will continue to inspire us all.
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We must never tire in the defense of our freedom. I recently marked the 146th Memorial Day in Kansas City, in one of the most appropriate places I can imagine, under the shadow of the most majestic World War I Monument and Museum on earth. From urban centers to sprawling suburbs, men and women gathered to bow humbled heads in remembrances of this community's, and indeed this country's, lionhearted warriors. They fell in battle, defending our cherished freedoms.
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So many have lost their lives in defending our liberties, and all have made sacrifices. As I looked out over the crowd at the Liberty Memorial, I thought of those tremendous sacrifices, the captivating stories, and the courage it took to get the job done. Jake Simonitsch (pictured above) served with the United States Air Force 390th Bomb Group 30th B Squadron in the European Theater during World War II. He was only 25 years old when he was sent on his 18th mission.
In 1944 they were in a battle over Magdeburg, Germany when the bailout bell rang. He was captured, and with his crew sent to Stalag Luft I at Barth Germany. Liberation did not come for him until April of 1945. His story is one I hope all are interested in, as he is an amazing American patriot.
Decoration Day, now Memorial Day began with grieving families decorating the graves of their Civil War soldiers. It was not long until those acts of love were extended to the graves of enemy soldiers. It seems as if death erases the lines of war and hatred, leaving only broken hearts of Gold Star families and friends. Death brings a final chapter in the lives of their warrior and that pain is universal.
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In memory of all who have served, we take time to remember and say a prayer for our nation's defenders. Here in Kansas City, particularly at the Liberty Memorial, we understand that liberty is what our military fights for, and the Memorial was built so that we would never forget the price of liberty.
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It was a complete surprise and a wonderful honor as I was presented with an Honorary Lifetime Membership to the Vietnam Veterans of America. I was told my support for Vietnam Veterans, dating back to my days on the city council, prompted the nomination and award given by the membership of the 317. I am humbled and so very grateful to my generation of men and women who served during the Vietnam War. They have my undying admiration.
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I found that the most interesting and informational experiences growing up, were sometimes not in the classroom, but in the hands on projects my teachers would organize. So it was especially nice recently, when I sat down with some students from UMKC who were visiting Washington, to talk about many important issues and answer their questions. The students expressed well thought out opinions, especially in an area that hits home to them right now, education. As the cost of education continues to rise, many students find themselves drowning in debt by the time they get their degree. It was a good chance to meet these talented, smart, young people who are working hard to succeed in school.
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Education was also the topic when I sat down to meet with the Superintendent of the Grain Valley R-V School District, one of the fastest growing districts in the state. It was an enjoyable and informative meeting where we were also joined by former Grain Valley School Board member Phil Hutchinson. All school districts have many issues on their plates right now, including one we have heard a lot about, nutritional requirements for school lunches. I am grateful to have heard the opinions of these leaders, and others, as we move forward on these critical areas.
This Memorial Day I discovered, at long last, why incumbents sometimes hold an advantage over challengers. Following my keynote address at the National World War I Monument and Museum, also called the Liberty Memorial, I spoke with a number of the nice people who attended the program. Amongst those who took the time to respond to my speech, was a woman who shared with me a story. She told my how she had informed one of my previous opponents that she was going to vote for me, even though she was a lifelong member of his political party.
She told me that she explained her position by telling that opponent she had invested ten years in me. "Over the ten years that Cleaver has been in Congress, I have probably sent him over a thousand emails and letters. He knows where I stand on just about every major issue that comes before him." "It's not personal," she told him, "I am 66 years old and I just don't have the time to break in a new Congressman."
The fact that many of us have been repeatedly elected means, in some cases, that we know exactly what our constituents want us to do. We know our voters want us to work together to get things done. And we know they deserve to be treated with respect, and expect us to act like, and truly be, statesmen. They want to turn on the T.V. news and see external statecraft rather internal warcraft.
A political pundit recently said that the voting public is not disappointed in Congressional grid lock because they no longer expect much. I disagree. The public does have high expectations, and we should raise the level of our functionality to meet their expectations.