Lewis’ backing of Capuano stirs ill-considered tempest
When Congressman John Lewis, a son of sharecroppers who was bloodied and jailed more than 40 times while becoming a civil rights legend, is portrayed as a misguided relic, it says more about the shallowness of his critics than it does about the depth of this 78-year-old icon.
What exactly did he do to become persona non grata?
While in town to address Boston University graduates, he also did a bit of campaigning for Michael Capuano, his longtime congressional colleague, including a joint appearance they made at Roxbury’s Twelfth Baptist Church.
In days gone by that would have made perfect sense to liberals who have always seen Capuano as one of their own. But this became a very different day for Capuano when Ayanna Pressley, 44, the first woman of color to win a seat on the Boston City Council, decided she had outgrown that small pond and was ready to swim with the big fish in Washington, D.C.
All that stood in her way was Capuano, the 66-yearold incumbent.
Anyone comparing the two would have concluded there wasn’t a dime’s worth of difference between them, with one obvious exception.
And that, of course, is the problem: The difference not only shouldn’t be obvious, but shouldn’t even exist.
Let’s call it by its name: She’s from the city and he’s a Somerville guy.
Hopefully that won’t matter in the next life, but there’s no getting away from it here, thanks in large part to yahoos who have made a cottage industry out of constantly adding fuel to inflammatory issues they profess to abhor.
Regrettably, that goes for Jeffrey Brown, too, the assistant pastor at Twelfth Baptist, a Pressley enthusiast who boycotted the congressman’s visit.
The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library will probably give the missing preacher a Profile in Courage Award for that selfserving gesture, though there was nothing courageous about it.
The implied rap is that John Lewis has become a turncoat.
How dare anyone imply this man has forgotten where he came from?
And then to audaciously suggest he’s not entitled to his opinion?
Lewis risked life and limb in hopes of a day when color would not matter. Now he’s being vilified by airheads who would have you believe nothing matters more.
That should offend Pressley more than anyone, for it suggests she has nothing more to offer, which is hardly true. She’s a lady of grace, dignity and accomplishment, but you’d never know it by the behavior of those now crowding around her.
Doesn’t she realize she’s better than that?
Someone ought to tell her.