John Lewis wrote this essay shortly before his death, to be published upon the day of his funeral. That day is today.
While my time here has now come to an end, I want you to know that in the last days and hours of my life you inspired me. You filled me with hope about the next chapter of the great American story when you used your power to make a difference in our society. Millions of people motivated simply by human compassion laid down the burdens of division. Around the country and the world you set aside race, class, age, language and nationality to demand respect for human dignity.
That is why I had to visit Black Lives Matter Plaza in Washington, though I was admitted to the hospital the following day. I just had to see and feel it for myself that, after many years of silent witness, the truth is still marching on.
Emmett Till was my George Floyd. He was my Rayshard Brooks, Sandra Bland and Breonna Taylor. He was 14 when he was killed, and I was only 15 years old at the time. I will never ever forget the moment when it became so clear that he could easily have been me. In those days, fear constrained us like an imaginary prison, and troubling thoughts of potential brutality committed for no understandable reason were the bars.
Baud
Thanks, WG.
Elizabelle
Thank you, WaterGirl.
Here’s the C-Span link to this excellent funeral.
https://www.c-span.org/video/?474223-1/representative-john-lewis-funeral-service-atlanta-georgia&live
laura
Thank you Watergirl! Like a cool hand on a fevered brow.
WaterGirl
@Elizabelle: I don’t believe that C-SPAN allows you to embed their videos in WordPress.
Baud
I wish I could speechify.
rikyrah
I just am crying here.
Elizabelle
Here’s the NY Times essay by John Lewis published today, in full.
Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation
Though I am gone, I urge you to
answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe.
Mr. Lewis, the civil rights leader who died on July 17, wrote this essay shortly before his death, to be published upon the day of his funeral.
Elizabelle
Loved that speech, and all the use of “good trouble.”
Also really like the pastor’s speaking style. Could listen to him more often.
Dorothy A. Winsor
@Elizabelle: Thank you for posting that.
donnah
It’s a lovely and deeply moving service. I am waiting for Obama to speak, to remind us of what goodness and leadership look like.
Elizabelle
For later: here’s a link to a PBS documentary on John Lewis. Streams free.
Get in the Way.
Tom Levenson
Right. Not doing the bigfoot fandango twice in half an hour. Just trashed my post on this.
Baud
@Tom Levenson:
You’re a good man, Tom.
Elizabelle
@Dorothy A. Winsor:
You are welcome. I hope the NY Times does not have it behind their paywall.
Baud
Nice call out on the VRA.
Elizabelle
Kay
@Elizabelle:
It’s a love letter to the young BLM activists and organizers. IMO they haven’t gotten enough recognition in all this, so I’m glad. I read that they don’t want recognition, as individuals, but what they did was extraordinary so whether they want it or not, I think about it. They led this. The rest of us followed.
Baud
It’s too bad W. had to be president. In another timeline, he might have been an ok dude.
TS (the original)
@Baud:
Recent times have seen him in a better light. Hard to believe.
Elizabelle
Love that
trumpis nowhere in evidence.We get a short period of grace and return to saner leadership. W has aged, and he genuinely cares for John Lewis.
Baud
Bill is up.
Leto
@Baud: He looks old.
Elizabelle
Bill Clinton up.
I don’t understand the seating scheme in the church. The unused pews, and others with mourners packed together.
Baud
@Leto: He does. I’m a little surprised given how long his father lived. W. doesn’t look like he’ll make it that long.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Baud: all three politically prominent Bushes could have been much better people, for want of courage or intelligence, depending on the case.
The two brothers’ silence at this moment is as bad as anything W did as president, from Ashcroft to “you’ve covered your ass” to “weapons of mass-destruction-related-program-activities” to New Orleans.
There’s still time for them to stand up.
Elizabelle
I love their lapel portraits of John Lewis with a blue ribbon behind it.
They should sell those, and all proceeds go to voting rights and protecting our vote this November.
SiubhanDuinne
@Leto:
Was just thinking that. His voice sounds worn out too.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Baud: could be a bad day, at various points over the last five years, and often at funerals, I’ve thought about Bill Clinton “Damn, he’s not long for this world” and “damn, he looks like his old self”
Baud
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Bill doesn’t seem too hot right now.
Elizabelle
Where is Hillary? Maybe she will have a surprise speaking appearance, and they did not want to tip off that which tweets from the Oval these long, long days?
Baud
@Elizabelle: Don’t know. I haven’t seen Michelle mentioned either.
Elizabelle
@Baud: Oooh. Right.
ETA: I am relieved that neither President nor Mrs. Carter seems to be there. Protect their health.
Baud
@Elizabelle: I’m sure that’s a health precaution.
Elizabelle
Ah. Character when John Lewis lost an election.
For SNCC. Excellent snark by WJClinton.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
is Obama up next?
TS (the original)
Nancy Pelosi is there & I think they said she is speaking as well.
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: I think before President Obama
Baud
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: I don’t think so. Pelosi, then some other speaker, then maybe Obama.
SiubhanDuinne
@Elizabelle:
They no longer travel. I’m sure they’d love to be at Ebenezer if they could, but they’re pretty well Plains-bound these days.
Baud
I think everyone gets a fresh mic.
SiubhanDuinne
Nancy up!
Elizabelle
Nancy Pelosi up.
In a better timeline, she would be our president. Right now.
Less Americans would be dead.
Baud
Kamala and Corey are there.
Baud
Nancy tearing up.
Leto
@Baud: agreed; he looks a bit bigger around the middle, bit balder. I mean aging does that, not shaming, just observing.
@SiubhanDuinne: him and Bill both. Bill used to be much more dynamic, but again age eventually gets us all.
Elizabelle
Nancy Smash choked for just a second, speaking of the flag that flew over the Capitol the night of JL’s death. It is in the church now.
She mostly is joyous for his life.
hedgehog mobile
Suit up and get marching. Well said, Bill. Best tribute we can give to John Lewis.
/gonna run out of Kleenex here/
Elizabelle
Looking up Troy, Alabama on the map.
Wiki informs: “Between the years of 1763 and 1783, the area where Troy sits was part of the colony of British West Florida.”
Almost the midpoint of a straight line between Birmingham, AL and Tallahassee, FL.
Elizabelle
“John Lewis was always about young people.”
SiubhanDuinne
Lovely tribute by Nancy.
The double rainbow.
MomSense
@rikyrah:
Me too. Bill and Nancy both made me cry.
Elizabelle
Do you know who this gentleman is?
Jim, Foolish Literalist
best public remarks I’ve ever seen from Nancy Pelosi
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Elizabelle: MSNBC says James Lawson, whom the pastor earlier referred to as a living saint among us, IIRC
Elizabelle
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: When she said she and others loved John Lewis, that was true. You could tell. Liked that she noted he was “mischievous” too.
SiubhanDuinne
@Elizabelle:
James Lawson, civil rights activist
Elizabelle
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: He’s an excellent speaker. Gravitas. Youthful voice in a senior person.
Elizabelle
@SiubhanDuinne: Thank you.
Baud
OT: Full DC Circuit will rehear Flynn
dismsaldismissal en banc. Good news.edited.
Elizabelle
@Baud: Yea! Not a surprise, but excellent.
What a news day this has been. The ridiculous, the bad, and the good.
Omnes Omnibus
@Baud:
Portmanteau of dismal and dismissal?
Baud
@Omnes Omnibus: dismissal. Typing too fast.
Omnes Omnibus
@Baud: I liked it as a new word. I was going to give you credit.
Elizabelle
@Baud: Anything WRT Flynn is dismal. I thought it was fine.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Omnes Omnibus: @Baud: I like the Flynn Dismal. Like if Dickens were covering all this for The Spectator.
Baud
Great Society shout out.
Eunicecycle
OMG I didn’t know James Lawson was from the town I am living in. I have never seen anything about him here. Unfortunately that doesn’t surprise me. This is a town that closed down our public swimming pools rather than integrate back in the 60s.
Elizabelle
“We do not need bipartisan politics if we are going to celebrate John Lewis.”
Wow. True. Good he said it.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Elizabelle:
it creates quite an effect
you think GW applauded with everyone else at the mention of Black Lives Matter?
Elizabelle
@Eunicecycle: Where is Mr. Lawson from? No appreciable accent. Tiny bit of a NY there, for a moment.
Plantation Capitalism.
Elizabelle
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Yes. Would guess W applauded. Don’t know what he thought about the “we don’t need bipartisan to celeberate John Lewis.”
How far his party has fallen. He knows.
M31
Lawson is 91! I hope to have 1/3 that energy when I’m that age, if I make it
Eunicecycle
@Elizabelle: Massillon, Ohio. He mentioned it when he said he and John Lewis had gone through similar experiences as children.
Elizabelle
@M31: Love to see someone who is 91 and not going to sugarcoat what really happened.
He also mentioned Marion Barry, who was a better man earlier in life. There was like a before and after with him. I remember him from DC politics and his pre-mayoral career.
SiubhanDuinne
Wow. What an orator.
Eunicecycle
@Eunicecycle: Wikipedia says he was born in PA but he definitely said he had experiences of racism as a child in Massillon, Ohio. Also home of Lori Lightfoot.
ETA: Wikipedia does confirm he grew up in Massillon.
Elizabelle
@Eunicecycle: Thank you. Massillon.
Elizabelle
Do you think Hillary might have been exposed and is in quarantine?
ETA: I just don’t see her staying away, otherwise.
Pastor just read letter from Jimmy Carter.
SiubhanDuinne
Nice message from Jimmy.
SiubhanDuinne
@Elizabelle:
You’d think something like that would have been announced quite publicly.
ETA: I think it’s more likely that she’s spending a good bit of time with Chelsea and Marc and the grandkids, and doesn’t want to risk exposure on their account.
Elizabelle
@SiubhanDuinne: Is a mystery.
Come to think of it, Joe Biden is not there either. She’s gonna be VP! (Kidding.)
TS (the original)
@SiubhanDuinne:
There was quite a restriction on numbers. Perhaps she gave her place to someone else – otherwise is she with Michelle & Barack – wherever they are at this minute.
SiubhanDuinne
@TS (the original):
Well, Barack’s at the church. Going to deliver the eulogy any minute now.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@TS (the original):
That makes sense.
WaterGirl
@Elizabelle: I imagine that both Hillary and Joe Biden don’t want this to become politicized, to become about them. Plus, COVID. It’s really the presidents and not spouses re: Hillary and Michelle.
Elizabelle
@WaterGirl: True. Although Laura Bush is there.
TS (the original)
@SiubhanDuinne: I haven’t seen him – must have missed when he arrived
WaterGirl
@Elizabelle: Had not seen her. Never mind, then.
Elizabelle
The matchmaker for Lillian and John. LOL. Called the previous suitors “bums.”
Jim, Foolish Literalist
I want to sit down and have a few jars with this lady.
Elizabelle
Xernona Clayton.
Elizabelle
John Lewis had friends who loved him. With senses of humor. Quite the contrast from that which tweets.
SiubhanDuinne
@TS (the original):
Maybe he’s going to do the eulogy remotely.
Elizabelle
This has been almost two hours and does not seem that long.
Xernona: “To really give [honor?] to the John we loved, vote.”
WereBear
Mr WereBear and I were quoting “Good trouble” today. We agreed he makes us want to be better people.
TS (the original)
@SiubhanDuinne:
Sounds like he is there – the current speaker just referred to him & looked towards the audience. But it’s 3am in my world & I’m going to have to watch him on replay. Way past bedtime. As well I am retired & don’t have to go to work tomorrow
Elizabelle
@TS (the original): Ciao, TS. Sweet dreams.
Elizabelle
Excellent, excellent speech by the former mayor of Atlanta.
SiubhanDuinne
@Elizabelle:
I haven’t seen him in years. He’s working hard to redeem himself, and seems to be doing a pretty good job. He and his wife used to be *very* tight with my first Consul General and his wife.
Elizabelle
@SiubhanDuinne: The mayor’s name again? Will have to look up what the “redemption” has to do with.
This young deputy chief of staff, Jamila Thompson, is a wonderful speaker too. John Lewis Time. Love it.
raven
@Elizabelle: Bill Campbell.
Marcopolo
This deputy chief of staff, Jamila Thompson, is knocking it out of the park. But then all of the speakers so far have been pretty amazing. A great reflection of his amazing life.
SiubhanDuinne
@Elizabelle:
Bill Campbell. He went to prison on some kind of tax fraud charges — I forget the details — and I think there was something with misuse of city empowerment zone funds while he was mayor. But I’d have to look it up.
JPL
Apparently pissy pants is going to have a press briefing during the last real President’s eulogy.
JPL
If someone has cable, when President Obama speaks, check and see if Fox cuts away to carry pissy pants.
Elizabelle
@JPL: Good. So maybe we can have a split screen. Do you prefer Trump or Obama?
I hope CNN and others do not pull away. Trump has a lot of press availabilities. Me! Me! Me!
raven
@SiubhanDuinne: In August 2004 Campbell retained high-profile attorney Billy Martin to defend him against several indictments by a federal grand jury on racketeering, bribery, and wire fraud. The charges came from a five-year federal investigation into possible corruption during his time as Mayor of Atlanta. Campbell was later acquitted on all charges relating to the indictments; although on March 10, 2006, a federal jury convicted him on three counts of tax evasion. He was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Richard Story to 30 months in prison for the three counts on tax evasion. He was also ordered to serve a year on probation, pay $6,000, and pay more than $60,000 in back taxes. On August 21, 2006 he reported to the Federal Correctional Institution in Miami, Florida.[12]
WaterGirl
@Elizabelle: Trump is not just an embarrassment as president. He is an embarrassment to the human race.
JPL
@Elizabelle: I can’t imagine anyone will pull away, but if one did, it would be fox.
Elizabelle
Not really a surprise that John Lewis surrounded himself with so many good speakers. He was all about giving a voice.
This “6th niece” is wonderful. She gets a standing ovation.
“Weeping may endure at night, but joy comes in the morning. Guess what? It’s morning.”
Baud
Obama up.
ETA: Ok, not yet. This is worse than the teasers for the nightly news.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@JPL: one of my credos for this administration is Fran Liebowitz’s “You do not know anyone as stupid as Donald trump. You just don’t.”
But still I’m a little surprised that in that lizard part of his brain where the survival instinct is, he doesn’t recognize that by doing this he’s hanging a strobe light on his insecurity, his neediness, his vindictiveness, and giant space that Barack Obama occupies rent-free in that brain.
LuciaMia
@JPL: Ye Gods, what a petty, petty little piss-ant.
Elizabelle
@Jim, Foolish Literalist:
And then it turns out she understated the case. Because he’s malevolent too.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Baud: Rachel Maddow organized the program.
Watch this space.
We’ll be right back.
Baud
JPL
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: I assume that staff is trying to convince him not to do this. He called the press to the WH though, so who knows.
Elizabelle
Obama glides in.
M31
holy shit a real president, haven’t seen one of those in a while
Elizabelle
“James wrote to the believers ….”
Immanentize
@raven:
Was this during or after his time managing the Yankees?
Ken
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: With any luck this will backfire in another way. The networks will choose not to cut away from the funeral, so they’ll record the “briefing”. Since it’s not going out live, they have time to watch it first. They realize there’s nothing new or true said, so will just show a couple of clips – and decide they might as well cover Trump that way from now on.
Elizabelle
@Ken: I wish.
artem1s
John the Baptist called to prepare the way. beautiful imagery.
Dorothy A. Winsor
Obama is giving a hell of a speech.
JPL
@Dorothy A. Winsor: I miss him so much.
Elizabelle
I hope Chief Justice John Roberts is watching this. He needs to atone for his violence against the Voting Rights Act, and change it back for the better.
This funeral is seeing a life summed up, in real time, but it is what history is going to say, too. History will judge John Robert Lewis as one of the greats
Chief Justice John Roberts? Over there. With Roger B. Taney. You enabled Trump.
SiubhanDuinne
@Dorothy A. Winsor:
“America was built by John Lewises.”
rikyrah
Amen, 44.
arrieve
I love Obama so much. And I’m grateful for the chance to hear this wonderful eulogy when there is so often nothing encouraging in the news.
A country that produced John Lewis and Barack Obama can’t be beyond redemption.
Baud
Uh oh. Some truth is being spoken.
patroclus
Barack is bringing it!
rikyrah
ATTACKING OUR VOTING RIGHTS.
ATTACKING THE POSTAL SERVICE
Tell it 44
Dorothy A. Winsor
Obama went after the troops in Portland and the suppression of the vote. He is not tiptoeing around.
SiubhanDuinne
Obama is bringing it!
Elizabelle
“Even undermining the Postal Service in the runup to an election with mail in ballots so that people do not get sick.”
Baud
@Dorothy A. Winsor:
I bet he’s still pissed about the beer summit.
Elizabelle
“If we want our children to grow up in a democracy … a true democracy. …”
That is truly where we are.
Elizabelle
“Nonviolent protest is patriotic.”
Tell it.
Dorothy A. Winsor
Ooh. “The Supreme Court weakened the Voting Rights Act.” Roberts is right there.
Elizabelle
@Dorothy A. Winsor: Yep.
Look, Mr. Chief Justice. This is how history sums up a life. You are …. not looking very good.
Baud
@Dorothy A. Winsor:
I didn’t realize he was there.
arrieve
All of the speakers have been wonderful, but Obama is just knocking it out of the park. Yes — make improving voting rights John Lewis’s legacy.
SiubhanDuinne
He’s really laying it out, isn’t he?
Leto
Obama coming out against the filibuster.
JPL
Fulton Cty, GA dropped eighty polling places after Roberts’ ruling. Eighty in one county. When my son lived in Cobb Cty, there was a voting location across the street from where he lived, but he could not vote there. His location was a mile and a half away.
oatler.
Chuck Todd has been VERY silent about the Lewis tribute. Too worried about his 7 figure salary?
Dorothy A. Winsor
And the filibuster!
arrieve
@SiubhanDuinne: He is. It’s exactly the right message and he’s killing it.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Immanentize: I think it was between the times George fired him and rehired him.
Leto
@SiubhanDuinne: NFLTG Obama, the Obama everyone wanted him to be. This is the same Obama that’s always been there, just more forceful now. More urgent.
Elizabelle
This is our Democratic convention, folks.
patroclus
This is one of the very best speeches Obama has ever given (and there’s a lot of competition for that)!
Thaddeu
Can we just not use “Mr. Chief Justice”?
I am referring to him as “Racist-in-Chief ” everywhere. My hope is more people will do so.
He is doing pure evil with his lackeys in Court, with his rulings on voting and election laws and will have done more damage than Trump when he is done
His is the supreme enabler of the white racist system, not Trump. Let us call him by his real name.
bluefoot
I like this Obama with the gloves off.
We will continue to fight to make this country worthy of the vision of people like John Lewis. Of people on the front lines protesting, those working under the shadow of this pandemic. We will make it worthy of our children and all that come after.
Actually, let me quote Lincoln: “That we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain – that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom”
SiubhanDuinne
@Leto:
Yes. I’m in tears. Partly just because I miss him so much, but mostly because it’s such a shock to the system to hear pure truth being spoken. It’s a thing of fierce beauty.
Yutsano
Calling out people who don’t vote. Yus.
SiubhanDuinne
@Elizabelle:
Yup. He’s laying out the platform.
raven
@Thaddeu: And that will do exactly what?
Baud
Elbow bump.
SiubhanDuinne
Wow.
JPL
Who else s reaching for a hanky
japa21
@SiubhanDuinne:
A perfect description.
geg6
I miss him so much. Both John Lewis and my forever president.
Dorothy A. Winsor
I’m guessing every previous speaker is glad they don’t have to follow that.
Yutsano
@SiubhanDuinne: These are the words he never could have spoken when he was President. But he’s free now. Righteousness with hope. I’m tearing up slowly. I love this version of Obama. And oh how much I love that he’s doing this mostly by memory.
Elizabelle
“God Bless this gentle soul who pulled us closer to [the nation’s] promise.”
FelonyGovt
@Elizabelle:
OK that made me start crying
japa21
All I can say is “WOW!!!”
Reminds me of the funeral for Senator Wellstone. A lot of criticism for being too political. Expect to hear that about this as well.
Dorothy A. Winsor
I need a cigarette and I don’t smoke.
japa21
@Dorothy A. Winsor: I quit cold turkey 18 months ago. Am tempted.
Elizabelle
@japa21: Those voices have been diminished, and Democrats are fiercer now. Let them say what they will. They say a lot of ….
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@Elizabelle:
I really like this idea.
JPL
This is the day that Obama became our forever President.
Amir Khalid
We Shall Overcome. Lump in the throat moment.
geg6
@japa21:
Tough shit. John Lewis’ entire life was political. It would be a travesty to leave politics out of it when he lived it every day.
Ken
@japa21: “Being too political” at the funeral for Rep. John Lewis? I don’t think that’s possible.
Baud
@japa21: It won’t gain traction outside the wingnut sphere. Times are different, and John Lewis’s life was devoted to what Obama talked about.
Baud
I’m sure this song was written out of love, but I don’t like it.
Thaddeu
@raven: Break down this fiction that the court is some holy immaculate impartial body
Ideas matter. The court is as much a political entity as anything else, and liberals should treat it just like the right and Republicans do, as a political body
japa21
@Baud: I’m not worried about it. The finest tribute that could be given to Lewis is a call to action and that is exactly what Obama did. I loved it.
catclub
@Baud: I think any song that you write on demand, and debut on a national stage, that is better than horrible, is hard to do. If I were the writer I would be terrified.
I think it could grow on you.
raven
@Thaddeu: right
Elizabelle
Well, that was good for the soul.
And to stiffen our spines for getting the vote out, hell or high water.
Yutsano
@Amir Khalid: I can’t even tell you how amazing that is to sing. My college choir director brought in a choir leader from a traditionally black church for part of a semester. One of the songs she led us through is We Shall Overcome. She also taught us the meaning and importance of that song and why it’s the black national anthem. And we learned to sing it. I have never felt such power and resonance in my voice before. It’s still a strong memory in me.
Elizabelle
C-Span has the coffin moving. I want to see the video of John Lewis dancing to Happy!
Cacti
@Thaddeu: Yep. The SCOTUS has always been a political body, and for much of its history, has tended to stomp on the rights of the little guy rather than uphold them.
Jim, Foolish Literalist
@japa21:
Hit dogs gonna holler, stuck pigs gonna squeal. I think we have more media voices willing to push back. Broder and Russert and Roberts are all dead.
Barbara
@japa21: Wellstone was the candidate and the funeral was close in time to the election. I wouldn’t worry about it.
Elizabelle
@Jim, Foolish Literalist: Truth, all of it.
This time is different. We are on the cusp of change for the better, and already making it happen.
WaterGirl
This was the most moving public memorial service I think I have ever seen.
Elizabelle
@WaterGirl: It was excellent. Thank you for putting it up.
Aretha Franklin’s was more fun, but this was so moving because every single speaker touched on a facet of John Lewis’s importance. I think he got taken for granted a bit as an icon. They brought the man back, and reminded us of all that he endured and fought for, so young and always.
David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch
This Obama (sp?) guy is an extraordinary talent. With any luck, if the chips go right and he hangs onto the friends he makes, this skinny kid one day can wind up being the President of the United States. He’s got it.
Jay
Just north of the Border here, and I am crying. I’m glad I got to witness this tribute, and I am glad that I have been, can be and will be a witness, an ally, and will continue to make “good trouble”.
My SWMBO, who has been mostly apolitical all her life, has been radicalized over the past 10 months, by our situation, her missing past, both her jobs of recent, her coworkers, and works in a place dedicated to making “good trouble”, since it’s founding 30 years ago.
Honorable Senator John Lewis, rest in power.
phdesmond
@WaterGirl: i was entranced by muhammed ali’s funeral day.
WaterGirl
@phdesmond: Interesting! I did not watch that one.
phdesmond
@WaterGirl: this listing is like a candy store:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=muhammad+ali+funeral+
Soprano2
I finally got to listen to Obama’s eulogy. Boy, how much I miss that man’s steadiness. I hope it’s true that he’s getting ready to really get out there and campaign, and this was a small preview of that. I’ve seen some of the silly outrage by conservatives, and I just laugh at it. Obama talked about the things John Lewis cared about and worked toward all his life at his memorial, full stop. It was so nice to hear a president who can actually talk about ideas and tell stories that have meaning, rather than a toddler “president” who whines about how nobody likes him.