A Requiem for Robert Bryd

I woke up this morning thinking I'd write about our recent New Hampshire trip. But then I turned on the radio and heard that Senator Robert Byrd had died at age 92 (http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=81190288). Found myself profoundly affected by his passing, more than I would have anticipated. Why? I'd never met the man, and there are people whose lives have been cut a lot shorter, and ended more tragically. What about them? And why write about Byrd, anyway? There's no shortage of other material to write about these days.

Robert Bryd was an American original. He was the longest-serving Senator in U.S. history. But before that, he grew up poor in coal country. Married his high school sweetheart. Joined the Ku Klux Klan, an early (admittedly poor) choice which, along with early segregationist views, dogged him until the day he died. Loved West Virginia unconditionally. Worked after being elected to the U.S. Congress to get a law degree, which took 10 years to earn. Was an unabashed lover of poetry and parliamentary procedure. And federal appropriations. He was once called 'The King of Pork.'

In short, he was a self-made, brilliant, flawed, flashy, complicated man. The kind of person who makes life interesting, even if s/he drives you crazy sometimes.

In an era where soundbytes often drown out substance, where so many people can quote a line from Superbad or Caddyshack but don't understand the interplay between a filibuster and cloture (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cloture)--or why both can have a profound impact on legislative debate that affects our lives, we need more Robert Byrds and less Lindsay Lohans.

In an age where people's confidence in government seems to sink with every crisis that can't be fixed within a 24 hour news cycle, or where debates and discourse often seem to devolve into who can shout loudest, we need more Robert Byrds to remind us of the benefits of public decorum, that institutions like the Senate were built on tradition, and that there is a benefit--and a limit--to the balance of power, no matter what party is in charge. After all, this is a guy who voted for Justices Roberts and Samuel Alito, both with very different political views than him, and who voted not only to censure Bill Clinton over the Monika Lewinsky debacle, but opposed giving the that (and any future) President line item veto authority by invoking the plight of ancient Rome when its senate made Julius Caesar unchecked powers.

We need more Robert Byrds to stand up and admit when they're wrong, like joining an institution that promotes dissention and intolerance, or voting in favor of segregation, and then apologizing for those mistakes, and manning up to acknowledge bad behavior. Over and over again, if necessary.

We need more people in places of power who can quote poetry at will, and aren't afraid to do so, just as they're unafraid to oppose reckless calls to war (http://www.commondreams.org/views03/0212-07.htm) when the time comes, or to eloquently eulogize their friends, and weep openly, unashamedly (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0rOZzpn1O3o).

We need more people to write about things they love, and write about them beautifully, like the U.S. Senate, our families, like how good it feels to breathe, be outside, do yoga--whatever. No matter how much technology advances, human stories, or stories that remind us to be human, keep us connected.

Was Robert Byrd perfect? Was he always right? Did he always exercise good judgement? Hell no, not even close sometimes. But who of us does? Which of us is perfect? Or always right? Which of us constantly exercises good judgement? And who's to say we would do any better in living purposefully and saying what we mean, acting on what we think is best, especially if so much of our lives, scrutiny of our beliefs, and analysis of our real or purported intentions were available for public consumption, dissected by the media and, in the case of the brave new world where YouTube videos can be edited for maximum effect, crying over your dead friend becomes instant fodder for mocking?

Truth is, we all have a little bit of Robert Byrd in us. And I think that makes us better, more interesting people.

Goodbye, Robert Byrd. You are gone, but not forgotten.

May you see your Pilot face to face.