I never heard his name spoken while I was in school.

[The Polack MSgt]

Literally, he existed only as a printed entity - easily ignored - until I was almost 30 years old, and was required to attend a Social Actions Racial awareness brief.

Shit that sounds exactly as aweful as it really was. Our education system has always been a tool in the hands of racists...

Sorry, I got a bit carried away - this post is about Rep Lewis.

John Lewis outlived the active attempts of his local, state and federal government law enforcement to erase him.

He out lived the news blackouts that Civil Rights advocates labored beneath for decades, and became more than just "famous" he became a long serving member of The House.

He became an Icon.

John Lewis will forever be an example of "American Exceptionalism" - in the only way that that concept is admirable.

[mr_lebowski]

1. Hear Hear! (nt)

[KT2000]

2. A good man has left us

and a nation emptier without his example.

[Gothmog]

3. RIP

Link to tweet

[Cha]

4. Mahalo, TPMSgt..

[The Polack MSgt]

6. In my eyes John Lewis was more than a fragile fallible human

In his own words and deeds, of course he rejected that description.

Fuck this blurry low quality monitor for getting to blurry to read every time I type about John Lewis...

I know.

We all knew this was coming but that just doesn't help when the reaper finally arrives

[The Polack MSgt]

8. +++

Thank you

[Dem2theMax]

11. Thank you for providing that link.

I don't have a Facebook account, and I rarely even think to go to a Facebook page.

It was wonderful to read President Obama's words about John Lewis. As always, he finds a way to give us hope, even in a very sad moment.

[Duppers]

10. K & R

Wonderfully put, wonderful thread.

[kyburbonkid]

12. Same here.

However, John Lewis won me over on a CSPAN speech several years back. I was very impressed. Still, it says a lot about our education system in Ky. I'm really embarrassed to say that I had never heard of, or read, the Dred Scott vs Sandford Supreme Court decision of 1857 until a co-worker and descendent of American enslaved Africans, and good friend suggested it. He said, if you want to understand racism, read about Dred Scott. It's on Wikipedia and it's a very good read. How bad nay ... evil a decision that was. It was such a bad decision we are still living with it today.

It should be required reading in Jr High school and beyond. In our Jr Highschool, we learned all about NIXON and how he was one of America's great presidents. Hummmm. What a brainwashing we had back then.

[brer cat]

13. Amen.

Well said.