Former Dayton congressman Tony Hall was the featured speaker at Montgomery County Democrats annual “Frolic For Funds” fund raiser last Thursday, March 29. Hall said that in his work addressing world hunger, he had eight opportunities to meet Mother Teresa. He said the first time he met her, Mother Teresa explained her mission. Asking the congressman to stretch out his hand, she took his hand and counted these five words on his thumb and fingers: “For the least of these.”
Hall said he has always been proud to be a Democrat because Democrats care about the poor.
Hall said that he was deeply moved by what he saw in Calcutta, almost to the point of despair and Mother Teresa told him that not everyone can come to Calcutta, but everyone can, “Do the thing that is in front of you.” Hall built on those words in his short talk and said that Democrats in Dayton have much to be proud of for making the city better and for making people’s lives better.
Hall said that the task before us to make the world a better place seems too enormous and said that at one time a newspaper reporter said to Mother Teresa that what she was accomplishing was just a “drop in the bucket.” She corrected him, that, “It is just a drop in the ocean.” But, she said, “If I didn’t do it, it would be one less drop.”
Hall was congressman for the Dayton area for 24 years. After he left congress, he served as “United States Ambassador to the United Nations for Food and Agriculture” from 2002 to 2006.
In 1993, Hall fasted for 22 days as protest for congress turning away from its work to help world hunger.
Hall said he has always been proud to be a Democrat because Democrats care about the poor.
Gee, Mike, I’ve not seen much care. Please explain efforts to ensure funds for public schools are used wisely. (That would help the poor.) What progress have Montgomery County Democrats made in the dozen years since Congressman Hall asked for a “historical curriculum for use in public schools on the institution of slavery in the United States?”
Are Democrats reluctant to ask teachers to step up to this request without first funding a federal commission? That’s a bad plan–it would leave Republicans asking what they’ve gotten for all the money spent…
Reality seems to be that Hall’s peer, Ted Strickland, left Congress, became Governor, and weakened Ohio’s social studies standards (aided with Federal funding!) Any Democrats see a problem with that?
What President Obama said (quoting Truman): “I have been well aware than I did not really work alone, that you were working with me. No president could ever hope to lead our country or to sustain the burdens of this office, save the people helped with their support.”
What Democrats heard: “Elect me, sit back, munch popcorn.”
Huh? Yup. Van Jones: “The left wing was munching popcorn, hoping that Obama would do it.
Exercise: rewrite President Obama’s Independence Missouri speech so his supporters can better understand it.