U.S. civil rights pioneer, congressman John Lewis dies

[rooster59]

U.S. civil rights pioneer, congressman John Lewis dies

By Patricia Zengerle

 

FILE PHOTO: Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) testifies to the Senate Judiciary Committee during the second day of confirmation hearings on Senator Jeff Sessions' (R-AL) nomination to be U.S. attorney general in Washington, U.S., January 11, 2017. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - John Lewis, a pioneer of the civil rights movement and long-time member of the U.S. House of Representatives, died on Friday.

 

Lewis, a member of Congress from Atlanta who had announced in December that he had advanced pancreatic cancer, was 80.

 

"He loved this country so much that he risked his life and his blood so that it might live up to its promise," former President Barack Obama said in a statement. "And through the decades, he not only gave all of himself to the cause of freedom and justice, but inspired generations that followed to try to live up to his example."

 

Former U.S. President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a joint statement, "We have lost a giant. John Lewis gave all he had to redeem America’s unmet promise of equality and justice for all, and to create a place for us to build a more perfect union together."

 

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Lewis "a titan of the civil rights movement whose goodness, faith and bravery transformed our nation."

 

Lewis was a protege of the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., whom he met after writing to him when Lewis was just 18. He was the last surviving speaker from the 1963 March on Washington, having stood beside King when he made his "I Have a Dream" speech.

 

Lewis kept up the fight for civil rights and human rights until the end of his life, inspiring with others with calls to make "Good Trouble."

 

In 2016, Lewis led a "sit-in" by House Democrats to demand a vote on gun regulations. He made his last public appearance last month, as protests for racial justice swept the United States and the world.

 

Using a cane, Lewis walked with Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser on a street by the White House that Bowser had just renamed Black Lives Matter Plaza. It had just been dedicated with a large yellow mural - large enough to be seen from space - reading "Black Lives Matter."

 

Tributes quickly began pouring in from other politicians, Lewis' fellow Democrats and Republicans.

 

The Republican Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate, Mitch McConnell, said Lewis had a place "among the giants of American history" even before he was elected to Congress, noting his rise from a family of sharecroppers in segregated Alabama.

 

"The Senate and the nation mourn the loss of Congressman John Lewis, a pioneering civil rights leader who put his life on the line to fight racism, promote equal rights, and bring our nation into greater alignment with its founding principles," McConnell said.

 

"John Lewis was an icon who fought with every ounce of his being to advance the cause of civil rights for all Americans," said Senator Kamala Harris, the first African American to represent California in the Senate, on Twitter. "I'm devastated for his family, friends, staff - and all those whose lives he touched.

 

(Reporting by Patricia Zengerle in Washington; Additional reporting by Trevor Hunnicutt in New York, Richard Cowan in Washington and Kanishka Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by William Mallard and Gerry Doyle)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-18

 

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[Puchaiyank]

I personally did not like the guy for a variety of reasons...but he doggedly served his community and earned the respect of his peers...RIP

[ThailandRyan]

One of the few who actually accomplished things during his tenure versus those who just suck up the countries money and boast about never having had a real job...RIP Congressman Lewis

[Cryingdick]

Trump tweeted his condolences to the family. That's about all you can really expect. Are you going to make a flowery speech about somebody who tried to destroy you 6 months earlier? Here just staying civil is good enough.

Edited July 18, 2020 by Cryingdick

[Cryingdick]

1 minute ago, Bluespunk said:

No, it’s not enough but it’s probably all trump is capable of. 

 

So you would sing the praises of somebody that tried to destroy you? Seems you want Trump to say something but only the words you would like to hear no matter how insincere they would be. 

 

That's the left these days.

[Bluespunk]

5 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

 

So you would sing the praises of somebody that tried to destroy you? Seems you want Trump to say something but only the words you would like to hear no matter how insincere they would be. 

 

That's the left these days.

George W Bush’s statement. 
 

Bush released a statement on Saturday morning, saying Lewis “worked to make our country a more perfect union”.

“America can best honor John’s memory by continuing his journey toward liberty and justice for all,” Bush wrote.

 

 

Edited July 18, 2020 by Bluespunk

[Cryingdick]

Just now, Bluespunk said:

George W Bush’s statement. 
 

Bush released a statement on Saturday morning, saying Lewis “worked to make our country a more perfect union”.

“America can best honor John’s memory by continuing his journey toward liberty and justice for all,” Bush wrote.

 

 

 

So what? Bush and Lewis had beef a long time ago. Anyway you don't seem to get it. If you don't have something nice to say don't say.... 

 

That's what Trump will be doing or hopefully sticks to. Should he show up at the funeral and start cracking little witty jokes about fond memories of how Lewis hated him and tried to impeach and imprison him? What sort of fantasy world do you live in? 

 

Should Trump start singing about how great Lewis is it would be criticized anyway. People would instantly say Lewis hated Trump etc and it would become a more prolonged thing. Give it three days to clear and nobody will remember Lewis is dead.

[Opl]

 

https://za.usembassy.gov/the-passing-of-u-s-congressman-john-lewis/

 

Ambassador Lana Marks Statement - July 18, 2020

"Today, as we celebrate Nelson Mandela and Mandela Day, we also mourn the passing of U.S. Congressman John Lewis, whose life was similarly dedicated to working toward racial equality. From marching with Martin Luther King Jr.to his visits to South Africa, John Lewis spoke often of the ties of solidarity and struggle between the United States and South Africa.

Please take a moment to hear him describe the echoes of the American civil rights movement he heard in Johannesburg during his 1994 visit.

 

Rest in peace and in power, John Lewis."

 

"International leaders paid homage to the late Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), signifying the global reach of the civil rights leader’s legacy."

https://thehill.com/policy/international/507943-international-community-pays-homage-to-american-civil-rights-icon-john

 

Edited July 18, 2020 by Opl

[Cryingdick]

I forgot to add RIP.

[nattaya09]

Most will remember him for his time in Congress which was far less memorable.

[Tug]

We have lost a good decent and courageous man rip mr Louis I’m sure he was aware of and took comfort in seeing the sea of white faces supporting the blm movement he knows he’s not marching alone he knows progress has been made a fine example of a life well lived rip mr Louis I salute you 

[Chomper Higgot]

A mountain of a man who left the world a whole lot better than he found it.

 

Thank you John Lewis.

 

RIP

[Somtamnication]

Politics aside, he was one of the few who knew he would get beat up when marching peacefully and stood up for his rights. An American hero. He is finally in peace.

[metisdead]

A post of a callous nature and the replies have been removed.

 

A post containing content that was copy and pasted from another site has been removed as well as the replies:

 

14) You will not post any copyrighted material except as fair use laws apply (as in the case of news articles). Please only post a link, the headline and the first three sentences.

 

Some posts trolling about golfing and the replies have been removed. 

 

Some other troll posts have been removed.

Edited July 19, 2020 by metisdead

[mtls2005]

A HUGE loss, especially given the loss of C.T. Vivian.

 

Thank you for all you've done to help our country get a few steps closer to its ideals.

 

Jon Meacham has a bio due out in a few months.

 

I think this image - taken from a video still I think as it was broadcast live - will forever be seared in my memory...that is John Lewis on the ground in the forefront.

 

Selma, Alabama Bloody Sunday, March 7, 1965

 

 

 

[Bluespunk]

Great tributes for a courageous man. 
 

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/jul/18/john-lewis-barack-obama-oprah-winfrey-tributes-civl-rights?CMP=Share_iOSApp_Other

[stevenl]

13 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

 

So what? Bush and Lewis had beef a long time ago. Anyway you don't seem to get it. If you don't have something nice to say don't say.... 

 

<snip>

Trump should be able to say something nice about him without being a hypocrite.

It seems you're the one who doesn't get it, while accusing others of that.

[earlinclaifornia]

44 minutes ago, stevenl said:

Trump should be able to say something nice about him without being a hypocrite.

It seems you're the one who doesn't get it, while accusing others of that.

I agree. She could have just added his condolences was well spoken and left it at that. I think it is so sad, the bitterness that we see so much of since the trump era.

 

[Cory1848]

13 hours ago, Cryingdick said:

That's what Trump will be doing or hopefully sticks to. Should he show up at the funeral and start cracking little witty jokes about fond memories of how Lewis hated him and tried to impeach and imprison him? What sort of fantasy world do you live in? 

 

Should Trump start singing about how great Lewis is it would be criticized anyway. People would instantly say Lewis hated Trump etc and it would become a more prolonged thing. Give it three days to clear and nobody will remember Lewis is dead.

I agree with you -- Trump should just shut up. And he should stay as far as he can from the funeral, where he and everything he stands for will be unwelcome. He should play golf that weekend, or something. I’m sure that Trump would more than happily oblige on all this.

 

You’re wrong about Lewis, though; he’ll be remembered throughout the course of US history as an icon of civil rights. Trump too will be remembered because he was elected president once, but his remembrance will be of a different sort.