Sunday, August 4, 2019

Bill Crawford: We Need More Sonnys

The day before election days harried politicians scurry to and fro making last minute connections and headlines to squeeze out those last few votes.


The first "day before" this year for Mississippi elections landed on August 5th. That is also the birthday of a Mississippi politician who seldom had to scurry for last minute votes. The late Congressman G.V. 'Sonny' Montgomery would have turned 99 this year. That's also about the margin of his tightest race, his 1955 election to the Mississippi State Senate over then Lauderdale County School Principal Donald Williamson.

In remembering Sonny, the stark contrast between him and today's state and national politicians stands out. Aggressive partisanship embraced today casts those from the other party as enemies. Sonny was above partisanship, seeing others as potential allies. Indeed, Sonny worked tirelessly to unite, not divide.

Former Senate Majority Leader and Republican Senator Trent Lott said at Sonny's 2006 memorial service, "A long-time Democrat, Sonny was truly above party. And no one, on either side of the aisle, ever questioned his sincerity, his integrity, or his independence. A loyal son of Mississippi, one of ours, from his birth to his passing, he really belonged to the nation. For although he saw things from the wisdom and experience of Mississippi's people, what he always looked out for was the national good."

Hmmm. "Above party … national good," attributes all but erased from today's politics.

Sonny believed there were some things too important to leave to partisan politics. One was the absolute necessity for the transition from the draft to an all-volunteer military to succeed.

Army historian, Col. Michael Meese, Ph.D., explained, "Transitioning to the All-Volunteer Force was the most important change the Army made since WWII; the Montgomery GI Bill was the policy vehicle that allowed this to happen." This comes from a book appropriately entitled "Across the Aisle." It chronicles Sonny's persevering seven-year bipartisan leadership to get this historic legislation enacted.

The unabashed partisanship of today suggests there are no decisions needed in Mississippi or Washington that are too important to leave to partisan politics.

If so, leaders like Sonny must no longer be needed.

In a letter to Sonny, former Republican Senator Saxby Chambliss of Georgia wrote, “You are one of the most reassuring things I have found in congress. Your honesty, your statesmanship, your commitment to your country & your love of God will be sorely missed.”

“We loved his humor, we loved his patriotism and we loved his faith,” said the late and former First Lady Barbara Bush at Sonny's memorial service.

Those of us who knew and worked with Sonny saw and appreciated these attributes. He was a true peacemaker (Matthew 5:9).

We miss you Sonny and do need more like you.

(For you history buffs, Sonny's next closest vote occurred after his 10 years of service in the state senate during his first race for Congress. In the 1966 Democratic primary, Sonny won in the first with about a 99 vote margin over three other candidates. He won the general election with 65% of the vote, the next general two years later with 70%, four of the next 11 with over 90% with the other seven uncontested. He won in 1992 with 81% and in 1994 with 68%. Sonny retired after 30 years in the Congress in 1997.)

Crawford is a syndicate columnist from Meridian.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

If this is about Sonny's BBQ on 80, defunct, I agree. Otherwise, Crawford is, as always, an imbecile.

Anonymous said...

I went to Sonny Montgomery's funeral and George H W Bush was so grief stricken that Barbara Bush had to speak for the ex president. It was a wonderful ceremony with military flyovers, etc. That is not what we have going on in D.C. these days. They were absolute best friends. There was absolutely no bi-partican rhetoric..

Anonymous said...

It wouldn't matter if we had more like him today because he would never get elected today. He would be called a Hollywood Libtard and accused of being a Socialist.

Anonymous said...

8:34...among other things.

Anonymous said...

Sonny's BBQ?

Anonymous said...

I'm sure that Montgomery was a fine man; loved dogs and children and was kind to old people. But the last thing we need is another 30 year Congressman. Do you know why government is so large and complicated; why our national debt is mind boggling? It is because the longer elected officials remain in power the bigger and more complex they get. Congress and this nation get into the predicament we are today by men and women serving a couple of terms and then going to the house.

Anonymous said...

You obviously don't know much @8:34 because if you did you'd realize that Sonny couldn't get elected as a Democrat in today's United States.

Anonymous said...

8:34 pm is right. We can't seem to elect people who put their duty to country first or who can get along well with others.

Of course, in the past, the political parties could vet the candidates on their slates. It kept out those who were obviously mentally unbalanced and unqualified or who had easy to find shady backgrounds.

Also, in the past, newspapers would quote a lie without also printing why it wasn't true after a fact check. Commentators had some expertise in the subjects they discussed and weren't drug addicts and didn't have a shady personal history.

But, in the past, winning and money was less important than honor and truth. And, being self-centered was seen as character flaw.




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If you get tired come relax at the Fox News Tent. To gain admittance to the VIP section, bring either your Republican Party ID card or a Rebel Flag. Bringing both will entitle you to free drinks.Get your tickets now. Since this is an event for trolls, no ID is required, just bring the hate. Bring the family, Trollfest '07 is for EVERYONE!!!

This is definitely a Beaver production.

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