Sunday, December 9, 2018

Bill Crawford: Ramsey Reminds Us How We Could, No, Should Be

"Civility, service, family," award-winning cartoonist Marshall Ramsey wrote in the starry sky of his pictorial tribute to the late President George H. W. Bush.


"Today, we remembered a president and what he was capable of being," Ramsey wrote last week in a discussion of the cartoon. He noted Bush's overwhelming, and mutual, familial love. He noted his ardent civility. And, he noted Bush's purposeful commitment to service after two brushes with death, one from Japanese anti-aircraft fire.

At his father’s poignant funeral, former President George W. Bush said, "Dad taught us the public service is noble and necessary, that one can serve with integrity and hold true to the important values like faith and family."

Bush biographer Jon Meacham said, "George Herbert Walker Bush was America's last great solider-statesman, a 20th Century founding father."

A USA Today headline proclaimed, "George H. W. Bush's funeral services stand as America's goodbye to the Greatest Generation."

Author and former news anchor Tom Brokaw, coined the phrase "the greatest generation" in his book of the same name about veterans who served in WWII, an accomplished generation composed of heroes as well ordinary citizens.

"It is a generation that, by and large, made no demands of homage from those who followed and prospered economically, politically, and culturally because of its sacrifices," wrote Brokaw. "It is a generation of towering achievement and modest demeanor, a legacy of their formative years when they were participants in and witness to sacrifices of the highest order."

Ramsey's chosen attributes to highlight — civility, service and family — fit Bush and others I hold dear from that generation. Bush's great friend, the late Congressman G. V. "Sonny" Montgomery was of similar nature and character. Sonny was a man of strong faith and integrity renowned for his positive patriotism and commitment to stay the course on any major undertaking. He loved people and had an uncanny ability to relate to those from all walks of life. He was particularly committed to serve every veteran and active duty soldier.

I was blessed to have a father from that generation with such traits. Oh, he was no hero or noted leader, he was just a humble citizen who served in the war and was civil in the most difficult times to people from all walks of life. He was committed to serving his fellowman and had that overwhelming and mutual love with family and friends. I still remember Pop's 75th birthday when so many turned out to express that love and affection.

"We're supposed to be snarky and pick social media fights with people who slight us," wrote Ramsey. "That's the way of the 21st century, right?"



"After watching the funeral today, I don’t think so," he concluded.

"The most decent and honorable person I ever met was my friend, George Bush," eulogized former Sen. Alan Simpson.

“He had perseverance and strength of character, tempered always with humility and compassion,” eulogized Mack Fleming in 2006, one of Sonny’s former staff members.

These eulogies and Bush’s funeral remind me of my father and many other ordinary citizens of that generation who personified what my music minister calls Jesus’ “others first” message to a “me first” world.

Thanks, Marshall, for the reminder of what we Americans have been and are capable of being… no, what we should be.

Crawford is a syndicate columnist from Meridian.

24 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hear, hear.

Anonymous said...

Marshall Ramsey does very nice tribute cartoons for people's deaths. Otherwise, he is terrible.

Messick said...

Not the way we should be but, the way we were. Those in the media, education, and entertainment businesses bear much of the blame for what society has become.

Anonymous said...

1:41 you failed to mention politicians, even in good ole Ms. And Trump is the worst mentor, I can remember in my lifetime of over 70yrs. He will hang anybody out to dry, then throw them under the bus. He needs some attention badly, beginning with a haircut.

Anonymous said...

What Messick said....

Anonymous said...

12:24 he is NOT terrible, you are. Smart ass little nobody.

Anonymous said...

There’s some sad, bitter old folks on here still bitter about Meridith’s getting into ole miss and ready to post their venom if anybody isn’t on the Trump-Bryant team. Y’all are pitiful. The guy is getting national recognition and y’all want to post anonymous internet smack.

Anonymous said...

12:24 must be one of the people that Marshall draws so well, where he often exposes a trait of the individual that isn't very flattering but is absolutely humorous to the rest of us. I find it amazing that as good as Marshall is, he is still in MS and at the CL.

Anonymous said...

The genie is out of the bottle @6:08. Get over it and yourself.

Anonymous said...

I have the cartoon framed of Fordice threatening to take Molpus to the woodshed. And it's autographed by Kirk.

Anonymous said...

I’d say Ramsey nails it every time he draws a local political figure. Bryant? Tate? Gunn? McDaniel? All spot on. Maybe that’s why this board hates him.

Anonymous said...

I sometimes like Marshall’s cartoons and other times I don’t. His politics are left of mine for the most part, but that’s ok. And regardless of his cartoons and politics, Marshall is a good person.

Anonymous said...

It's telling that some of you have chosen to object to or defend Ramsey.

You have missed the point of Mr. Crawford's post.

This article is about the admirable character traits of our 41st President shared by many of those in his generation.

If you are too lazy to read the article in it's entirety, the first three words will do.

Now look in the mirror and ask yourself if you embody those traits.

Anonymous said...

If you don't have Twitter, you have to get one, the President is telling it like it is.

Anonymous said...

A political cartoonist's job is to poke fun at our leaders or address issues in a lighthearted way. Too many old crabby types don't like Marshall because he draws cartoons poking fun at republicans, but who else is he supposed to draw in a state dominated by republicans? Comes with the territory I suppose.

Now Crawford, I don't like that guy.

Anonymous said...

The President is a serial liar.

Anonymous said...

Marshall Ramsey love fest here. If he is so magnificent, why is he part time at the Clarion-Ledger?

Anonymous said...

9:13 - Except all those years when you Democrats were 'in charge' his cartoons did not feature the likes of Holland, The Worm Farmer, Hobby Bryan, Musgrove or others of that stripe. He always found a way to wiggle his pencil over to the right side of the aisle.

Anonymous said...

Who said he was telling the truth? Their is no smocking gun!

Anonymous said...

One reason Marshal is successful is that his cartoons have an underlying optimism. He's been here long enough that most have forgotten his predecessor, Mark Bolton. Bolton was a very negative person and his cartoons had an undercurrent of "everything sucks." I am sure some on this board remember him fondly, but whenever I had a meeting or discussion with him I always walked away wondering how someone with so much talent could be such a downer.

Anonymous said...

Trump is done like that Thanksgiving Turkey, they can charge him now or they can wait till his term ends. They have until 2021 on the Campaign finance charges and who knows what else there is.

Plain ol' Catfish said...

Marshall's cartoons are hilarious. He makes fun of everyone.

The way he draws the Eagle on top of the Capitol building always cracks me up.

One time he did a cartoon regarding the heat in the summertime and he had a rotisserie chicken on top of the Capitol building! LMAO!!!! That sh*t had me hollering! LMAO!!!

But he has some deep emotional stuff, like when Bert Case passed away and ol' Fordice and the dogs greeted him into heaven. Or the one he did for Frank Melton with his dog. As a Mississippian that follows Mississippi politics, I love what he contributes to our state.

Anonymous said...

Can't imagine who is crazy enough to take the Cheifs of Staff Job.

Anonymous said...

Marshall Ramsey usually does a good job. Sometimes a great job. He has a certain ability to not only capture, but direct the essence, of the issue he is drawing about. It's not to fancy, and it's not too shabby. It just is what it is. And that's what makes it so unique.
I really like the way he draws the Phil Bryant chairicature. Phil doesn't look like that at all, but it's still funny.

If y'all could learn to laugh at yourselves every once in while, life just might not be so grim.



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