I wish to say a few words about Wisconsin’s former Senator, William Proxmire, who died yesterday. I believe that Senator Proxmire was a rare political incarnation of everything I and (I believe) this site aspire to be. Independent without being indecisive, passionate without being partisan, Proxmire stood up for his ideals and pushed for each of us to live up to our own as well.
Though most of the obituaries for Senator Proxmire have focused on his admirable efforts against corruption and government waste, I believe he has a greater legacy to his name: American ratification of the Genocide Convention. Without his efforts, which went above and beyond what anyone could have asked, this critical piece of international law and human rights might still be unratified today.
My full tribute is over at The Debate Link. Please take the time to read up on this extraordinary American and true hero.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.