There are many monuments on the national mall, but only one statue of a black man.That statue is there because Jim Webb fought to have it included in the Viet Nam memorial. Indeed, the boots on that statue were molded directly from Jim Webb's own combat boots.
Semper Fi
While at Georgetown he began a six-year pro bono representation of an African American Marine who had been convicted of war crimes in Vietnam (finally clearing the man's name in 1978, three years after his suicide).
In 2004 he wrote:
"in fact the greatest realignment in modern politics would take place rather quickly if the right national leader found a way to bring the Scots-Irish and African Americans to the same table, and so to redefine a formula that has consciously set them apart for the past two centuries."
In Jim Webb's America, neither honor nor opportunity have a color.
Josh Chernila is Grassroots Coordinator for the Jim Webb for US Senate Campaign. The ideas expressed here belong to Josh Chernila alone, and do not necessarily represent those of Jim Webb, his advisors.
Jim Webb believes in human equality.
He's a real patriot, and a real leader.
We need him in the Senate.
Go Jim!
The original design included only the wall, Jim Webb was on the committee involved in the design and push for the inclusion of the statue because he felt the memorial should honor all of the Vietnam Vets (not only the dead) and he felt it was too much like a giant gravestone (I don't recall the exact quote). When the idea for the statue was approved it was indeed Webb who fought for the inclusion of a black soldier.
This story can also segue into the story that, while at Georgetown Law, Webb began a six-year pro bono representation of a black Marine who had been convicted of war crimes in Vietnam (finally clearing the man's name in 1978, three years after his suicide). He has written that he continued for the Marine's mother.
Can you possibly imagine anyone writing something like that about George Allen?
Lol.
When Jim was SecNav, we didn't even have Don't Ask Don't Tell. Jim decided the best man for Commandant of the Marine Corps was Al Gray, who had enlisted in 1950, risen to sergeant and was promoted to 2nd Lieut. in 1952. Al was a Marine's Marine. But he was also gay. As Jim has said, there was blood on the floor to get Al Gray confirmed. Myb understanding from Larry Korb, who like Jim had served as an assistant secdef under Reagan, was that the only way they could get it done was to provide some cover- so Al Gray married his mother's nurse. And most of the public and the Marine Coprs never knew. Randy Shilts wrote about it in his Aids book "And the Band Played On" and there was some media coverage at one point of Jim Webb discussing it, but it is still not generally known.
I do not know Jim Webb well. I have been a part-time volunteer for the campaign, when time allows (and with the start of classes this week and coaching soccer there is very little time when i am already working 14-16 hous a day during the week), and have had perhaps e conversations totalling 10 minutes. I have watched, both as he interacted in public settings and in places like headquarters. He certainly is not "smooth" nor does he communicate like a more experienced political figure. But he has more character than almost any public figure I have ever met, and I have met quite a few.
If we can help Jim get known by more people, he will blow Allen away. Josh's posting (here and at dailykos) is one example of expediting that process.
"As my grandmother, great-aunt, and aunt all told it, my grandfather's sin was to explain to the black folk of Kensett that they were being charged higher interest rates than whites at A.P. Mill's store, thus keeping them in an even worse spiral of debt - and also to suggest to A.P. Mills that this was not a particularly Christian thing to do. My grandfather was pointedly warned that he was causing trouble. But all accounts, my grandfather then told A.P. Mills to go to hell. And A.P. Mills, along with some others who controlled the admittedly sparse purse strings of White County, showed my grandfather that there could be such a thing as hell on earth."
Webb goes on to explain how his grandfather could not get a job, was shunned and blacklisted, but continued to speak up for what was right. Then he writes:
"During my initial 'courtesy call' in Will Taft's office, I noticed that he kept a huge painting of President Taft just behind his desk. And so when I returned to my own office, I called my aunt in Arkansas and asked her to send me the old snapshot of B.H. Hodges standing in his boots and overalls, staring ard back at the world that had tried to stomp him. I had the small photo enlarged as far as technology would allow, which resulted in a four-by-seven-inch black-and-white copy. Then I framed the picture with barn wood. And from that time forward, old B.H. has looked down on whatever desk I happen to be occupying, urging me on but also standing watch over my humility."
His choice of a hero certainly tells us something about James Webb and his the value that he places on speaking up for fairness.
I don't have the book on hand at the moment, but Webb's grandfather died at a very young age. Poverty and lack of medical care were major factors.
In his letter to Webb, Edney wrote, "I have come to respect and admire your leadership, integrity, and intellectual capacity more than any other individual I have been privileged to serve under in my 31 years."
GO Jim Webb!!