Congressman Cummings Dies

A Gentle Giant — Congressman Elijah Cummings Put “Decency” in His Politics – R.I.P.

In today’s hostile political environment unlike the days, when I was a kid, where politicians went to dinner after agreeing and disagreeing, and had drinks, and started the next day anew.

However, with the change of technology, and social media, grandstanding, hate-baiting and sucking up to followers on Twitter, Facebook etc. and the camera has long left gentleman/woman politics behind. It’s the era of mean-spiritedness.

But you didn’t have to dust off the manners and good upbringing of the honorable Elijah Cummings, who had been in Congress for many moons representing a town, I would work in every other week, when I ran the national Crisis Magazine on Mount Hope Drive, in Baltimore.

I do remember briefly meeting the Honorable Mr. Cummings, and he was decent, considerate and kind. He just start building his legacy. I respected him from afar because he worked across the aisle and had many long-time friends on the G.O.P. side. Many of his Democratic colleagues would chide him for doing so. But they were nuts or stupid, or the combination thereof. You get more done working together for the people’s business.

The late Mr. Cummings had included “decency” and his “respect” in his politics. Even when Donald Trump slammed his district, he didn’t get into a pissing match, but towered above political pettiness and invited Mr. Trump to his district. Well, that is the way he undressed his distractors. Kindness often overrules political stupidity.

It’s clear the late Congressman was influenced by his parents, as they were very religious, and his mother was a preacher, and reporting his father also was somewhat involved in the works of the pulpit.

“When dancing with the Angels, the question will be asked, in 2019 what did we do to make sure we kept our democracy intact,” was one of the late Congressman’s most memorable and soul-searching quotes.

We now know that the good Congressman can now say, “I did my part. I did my best and I did it while respecting the dignity of mankind.” And the Angels and St. Peter will say, “Well done.”

To the congressional family, friends and immediate family members, this October the world pauses, if nothing else to recall individual stories about a gentle, most eloquent speaking giant, who cared about his constituents in Baltimore and the needs of the rest of our nation. Thank you Congressman. R.I.P.