Robert Drinan dies : peace activist, congressman, law professor

[MBS]

The courageous anti-war activist, congressman, and law professor Robert Drinan died yesterday. He aslo filed the initial impeachment resolution against Nixon, and was the first Catholic priest elected to Congress.
The Boston GLobe wrote a superb account of his incredible life:

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2007/01/29/congressman_priest_drinan_dies/?page=1

A lovely quote from John Kerry, who was Drinan's campaign manager in 1970

"Father Drinan was a forever gentle, resilient, tenacious advocate for social justice and fundamental decency," said Senator John F. Kerry, who was Father Drinan's campaign manager in 1970. "He lived out in public life the whole cloth of Catholic teachings. In the most divisive days of Vietnam when things were coming apart, this incredible man and most unlikely of candidates showed America how a man of faith could be a man of peace."

A flavor of the things he accomplished. .

A five-term member of the House of Representatives, Father Drinan was one of its most liberal members. His strong anti administration stands earned him a place on the Nixon "enemies list." His upset victory over US Representative Philip J. Philbin , a 14-term incumbent who was vice chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, in the 1970 Democratic primary in Massachusetts Third Congressional District was a high-water mark in the New Politics, which brought the antiwar movement to the ballot box. . .

In January 1974, George H. W. Bush , who was then Republican Party chairman, said there wasn't another congressman whose defeat he more strongly hoped for than Father Drinan's. He promised a major GOP drive to unseat him. None materialized.
Last night, several of Father Drinan's colleagues said his character and conscience made him a strong voice on Capitol Hill. In a statement, Senator Edward Kennedy cited Father Drinan's principled commitment to, among other causes, ending the war in Vietnam. "He was a profile in courage in every sense of the word, and the nation has lost one of the finest persons ever to serve in Congress," Kennedy said.
"When I arrived in Congress, Father Drinan was already serving as the conscience of the House of Representatives with every vote he cast," US Representative Edward Markey of Malden said. " He was a man of faith who never stopped searching for truth, and he was a committed educator who stayed true to his faith."

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. It's really worth reading the entire story of this amazing man.

[blm]

1. Such an honest voice - he was an anti-corruption, open government Democrat

and helped to show the way to those honest Democrats who followed his example to not back down from the truth even when it is unpopular.

Robert Drinan embodied the BEST of the Democratic party and humanity, itself.

[whometense]

2. He was a wonderful man,

and a true inspiration to a whole generation of Massachusetts youth, even those who weren't Catholic.

A beautiful piece.

[blm]

3. He was also BRAVE. He worked to EXPOSE government corruption, even when

many of his party wanted to just move on and not make an issue out of it.

This country needs more Democrats like that than the Hamilton/Clinton/Lieberman wing that Covers up for corrupt GOP administrations.

[blm]

4. Sad that so few DUers realize what this man means to this nation's history.

.

[WI_DEM]

5. He was a great and good and brave man. Go to your just reward.

[Dystopian]

6. I just cried....

I remember him so very well...
Thank you for posting..

recommended...
Father Drinan was a beautiful man of peace~