Days Of Yore
Susie of Suburban Guerrilla reminds everyone of a time when members of Congress had spines.
My faith in the Constitution is whole, it is complete, it is total; and I am not going to sit here and be an idle spectator to the diminution, the subversion, the destruction of the Constitution.
If you are too young, or have never heard Barbara Jordan speak, go to the link and listen, because they have the recording as well as the transcripts. She was a Congresswoman from Houston, Texas, and one of the greatest American speakers ever.
8 comments
My God, what a speech. And with changes of only a few particulars, it could be delivered today, by one arguing for the impeachment of the first president more dangerous to the Constitution than Richard Nixon.
I am proud to say that, whatever else I have suffered in the way of representation since those days, Barbara Jordan was my Representative for several years, including the year of that speech. “I shall not look upon [her] like again.”
Who is today’s Barbara Jordan? Who can fill her role this time around?
thanks.
She had it all, gravitas, intelligence, and a great voice that she knew how to use.
No one on either judiciary committee is even worthy of being her apprentice, much less replace her. It’s not that they are so pitiful, it’s that they don’t have the ability to command attention that Barbara Jordan had. When she condemned something you expected lightning bolts and the earth to open. You know that that’s what the Old Testament prophets sounded like just before the “smiting” started.
You’re welcome, Hipparchia.
She was one of a handful of women in political life that helped inspire me.
Young girls these days are low looking up to the Lindsay Lohan ilk. How sad.
What is it with Texan women? Either they’re champions like Jordan, Ivins, or Richards – or they’re Yes Dears.
I know, it’s a gross generalization.
You are right Andante. Seems like Texas has produced more than its fair share of truly amazing women. Ann Richards, Barbara Jordan, Molly Ivins and many more. We sure could use more of ’em.
Jill, I plead guilty to having to Google to find out what a ‘Lindsay Lohan’ was, another celebrity junkie. My Mother’s last trip to DC was to visit the World War II and FDR memorials, but she was really interested to see how they dealt with Eleanor Roosevelt, one of her heroes.
If she hadn’t had MS, she would have probably been on the Supreme Court, which I would have loved.
Andante, a lot of them, like Lady Bird Johnson, run things, they just don’t let it be generally known. If you listen to the LBJ tapes, there is not doubt who actually was in charge in that family.
I get a feeling, Fallenmonk, that we only hear from the ones that are so fed up, they refuse to play by the “rules” and run things in the background.