Alan Page deserves recognition, no matter who presents it

Recently, Canton, Ohio, was well represented on the national stage, as native son and retired Minnesota Supreme Court Justice Alan Page received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest award a president can bestow upon a private citizen.

Page played football at Central Catholic High School, at the University of Notre Dame, for the Minnesota Vikings, where he was part of the legendary “Purple People Eaters” defensive line, before finishing his career as a member of the Chicago Bears. His excellent play in the NFL landed him a bust in the Pro Football Hall of Fame — a shrine Page helped to build as a teenager in the 1960s.

After retiring from football, Canton’s loss was Minnesota’s gain. Page remained in Minnesota, where he achieved his childhood dream of becoming an attorney.

In 1985, he was appointed special assistant state attorney general, and later he was promoted to assistant attorney general. In 1992, he became the first black candidate elected to the Minnesota Supreme Court. He was re-elected in 1998, 2004 and 2010.

In 1988, he and his wife, Diane, who died about two months ago, established the Page Education Foundation, which has raised millions and awarded more than 6,500 student grants.

Last year, a middle school in Minneapolis was re-christened Justice Page Middle School.

Some people have said Page, who supported Hillary Clinton in 2016, should have declined to accept the medal from President Donald Trump.

They point to Trump’s rocky history with minorities, in particular his steadfast refusal to admit he was wrong about the Central Park Five, and to the federal housing discrimination lawsuits the Nixon administration filed against Trump and his late father, Fred.

As president, Trump has suggested Africans see America as a way to escape their “huts,” and he reportedly referred to some nations of color as “sh—hole countries.”

He is tougher on black women reporters than he is on the Saudi kingdom, which murders journalists.

A big deal

He has demonized Latinos with tales of the MS-13 criminal gang and an “invasion” of Central American refugees.

He publicly has bickered with Gold Star military families of color — and, well, a few white ones, too, most notably the late Sen. John McCain and retired Admiral William McRaven, who oversaw the capture of Saddam Hussein and the killing of Osama bin Laden.

That Page’s award was bestowed by a president who hardly has been exemplary in matters of truth and diversity doesn’t at all diminish a life wholly dedicated to excellence, education and justice.

Being awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom is a big deal, no matter who hands it to you. It is the embodiment and perfect illustration of what we mean when we talk about “the American dream.”

There is always debate over merit and motive every time a president or any elected official offers someone a special recognition.

Not in this case. Justice Alan Page is an accomplished American whose contributions will benefit this country for years to come.

He rightly was honored. That’s what counts.