A week of celebrations of Civil Rights icon Rep. John Lewis were recently held across two states and the nation’s capital, and were attended and viewed by many thousands. A decent man gone home to his God, having left the world a better place than that into which he was born in those trying times of racial inequality and Jim Crow. But John Lewis was not the only decent American to pass away recently. Unlike the revered Congressman, these many other decent and beloved people were permitted no such closure ceremonies…
It was hard not to be moved and impressed by the outpouring of farewells for Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), the Civil Rights era icon and Congressman who passed away on July 17 at age 80 after suffering pancreatic cancer.  His memorial service, held in Georgia, was the culmination of a six-day celebration of his life.  Along with family and friends, Lewis’ funeral was attended by three former Presidents, world dignitaries, and 50 members of Congress; they included House  Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), prospective Biden running-mate Sen. Kamala Harris (D-CA),  Sen. Corey Booker (D-NJ), House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-MD) and House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn (D-SC).
The formal remembrance took place at the Ebenezer Baptist Church after which John Lewis was laid to rest at the South View Cemetery.  A week of celebrations of the bona fide Civil Rights hero across two states and the nation’s capital, and attended by many thousands, was over.  A decent man gone home to his God, having left the world a better place than that into which he was born in those trying times of racial inequality and Jim Crow.
But John Lewis was not the only decent American to pass away recently.  Indeed, tens of thousands have also died over the past few months.  And they were just as important to their loved ones, friends, and admirers as Mr. Lewis was to his.  But unlike Mr. Lewis, they were permitted no such closure ceremonies…let alone a week of memorials attended by <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2020/07/28/politics/john-lewis-capitol-lying-in-state/index.html">thousands</a>.  This is due to the draconian dictates of state and federal officials that prohibit large gatherings, such as the very ones we saw for Mr. Lewis (let alone the riots and protests).  Many were not even permitted to visit their dying loved ones in hospital, so great has been the fear of this virus that kills less than one percent of those infected, as estimated by <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/hcp/planning-scenarios.html">the CDC</a>.
Maybe these unsung tens of thousands did not live lives as consequential as did John Lewis, but for those who cared about them, whose lives were touched by those lost to all sorts of killers from old age, to cancer, to heart disease/strokes, car accidents, and, yes, Covid-19, the loss is just as real, just as important, and just as worthy of remembrance and celebration.  But apparently they don’t matter nearly as much.  At least not to those who make and enforce the laws.  To wit, those in power.
If you or I lived in Washington D.C. and were to travel to Georgia, upon our return, by law, we would be required to self-quarantine for fourteen days.  This measure has been instituted by Mayor Muriel Bowser, who forcefully offers: “Our message remains the same: stay home.  Staying at home is the best way to flatten the curve and protect yourself, your family, and our entire community from COVID-19.”  The law applies to anyone not engaged in “essential” travel, government functions, or working at “essential” businesses.  Nor can D.C. citizens take part in any recreational activities not allowed by the Mayor’s Office.
Furthermore, anyone who willfully violates the stay-at-home order may be guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction, subject to <a href="https://coronavirus.dc.gov/maskorder">$1,000</a> fines.  Wow.  So Mayor Bowser is serious about clamping down on this disease, no matter who it inconveniences…or how many funerals it prohibits.
As Georgia is one of the states deemed “high-risk”, it would stand to reason then that the bevy of Congresspersons returning from their colleague’s funeral in Atlanta would have had to comply and immediately go into quarantine for two weeks.  After all, although I am not a virologist, I think it is safe to say that a virus doesn’t know whether it is floating around a Congressman’s funeral, the seat of a bus, a coffee shop, a hair salon, or a restaurant.  But apparently Mayor Bowser must know something we don’t about science because upon their return from Georgia, that hot-bed of plague and infestation so deemed by D.C.’s own mayor, the 50 members of Congress were exempt from the quarantine protocols because &#8220;government activity is essential.&#8221;
Susan Castillo, Press Secretary for Mayor Bowser, explained: “Government activity is essential, and the Capitol of the United States is exempt from the Mayor’s Order.”  When asked by a journalist if attending Lewis’ funeral constituted “government activity,” Castillo said yes.  When further pressed if attendees at non-government funerals in high-risk areas would have to quarantine upon returning to D.C., Castillo again answered: “Yes.”
Got that?  And you thought we were a nation where, as the Democrats have repeated ad nauseum re: Bad Orange Man “no one is above the law.”
I recently attended a funeral for a man whose life was so decent and honorable, and who was so well-loved and respected by family, friends, and co-workers, that he could have easily filled to overflowing the viewing room.  Instead only eight — eight — were allowed to attend what passed for a wake.  And then for only two hours.  Later, when we arrived at the cemetery, only three cars with that magic eight number were even permitted on the grounds.  His own siblings, beloved grandchildren, friends for over a half-century, and those who came to pay their respects were not even privy to the brief prayer offered by a priest in the presence of just his two adult children and wife of over 60 years before his casket was unceremoniously whisked inside the sepulcher by a cemetery staff anxious they not break any laws and suffer the consequences.  The tiny group was left standing awkwardly in the carport of an empty mausoleum driveway.
That was it.  That was a good person’s final send-off.  No doubt there are literally tens of thousands of similar stories out there.  Too bad.  But hey, whatterya gonna do?  After all, there’s only room for 535 in Congress.
I am not saying John Lewis’ tribute was undeserved.  He was a truly brave man — a term I do not use lightly. In 1965, he was literally clubbed nearly to death by Alabama state troopers while peacefully (in the real sense of the word) marching for the sublime cause of racial equality, justice, and equal representation under the law.  And he was only 23 at the time; heck, at that age I was still grappling with such important matters as whether to be a Cubs or White Sox fan.  Mr. Lewis’ legacy is not in doubt.  The point is that everyone matters to God in Heaven and to someone on this Earth.  Thusly, everyone deserves to be sent off into the next life in the proper fashion that adheres to their faith and as per their wishes and those of their next of kin.
But such is not the case for any but the chosen few.  Consider the mere eight mourners allowed to view my loved one.  Now contrast that with the crowds gathered for Mr. Lewis from Alabama to D.C. to Georgia.  One could see that, despite “social distancing protocols,” other than a few chairs scattered here and there in the most controlled and intimate settings throughout the week, that there was no such thing.  One can pull up photos of Mr. Lewis’ fraternity brothers standing by his flag-draped coffin at Troy University standing shoulder-to-shoulder, some without masks, some wearing them, and of the latter at least one wearing it improperly.  Meanwhile, upon the passing of lesser mortals throughout the nation no such farewells of any kind are permitted.
This tale of two funerals — one for the powerful insiders for whom the term “public service” is an oxymoron, and one for the average Joe or Jane — is but an illustration of the larger issues raised in this pandemic without end…at least until Trump is defeated.  The arbitrary nature of so many restrictions were exposed quite clearly in a May ruling by <a href="https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2020/05/27/americans_dont_get_ruled_143306.html">Illinois Judge Michael McHaney</a> who blocked Illinois Governor Pritzker’s stay-at-home orders.
<blockquote>Since the inception of this insanity, the following regulations, rules or consequences have occurred: I won&#8217;t get COVID if I get an abortion, but I will get COVID if I get a colonoscopy. Selling pot is essential, but selling goods and services at a family owned business is not. Pot wasn&#8217;t even legal and pot dispensaries didn&#8217;t even exist in this state until five months ago and, in that five months, they have become essential, but a family-owned business in existence for five generations is not.
A family of six can pile in their car and drive to Carlyle Lake without contracting COVID but, if they all get in the same boat, they will. We are told that kids rarely contract the virus and sunlight kills it, but summer youth programs, sports programs are cancelled. Four people can drive to the golf course and not get COVID but, if they play in a foursome, they will. If I go to Walmart, I won&#8217;t get COVID but, if I go to church, I will. Murderers are released from custody while small business owners are threatened with arrest if they have the audacity to attempt to feed their families.</blockquote>
Then McHaney gets to the heart of the matter.
<blockquote>When laws do not apply to those who make them, people are not being governed, they are being ruled.  Make no mistake, these executive orders are not laws. They are royal decrees.  Illinois citizens are not being governed.  They are being ruled.  The last time I checked, Illinois citizens are American citizens.  And Americans don’t get ruled.</blockquote>
The judge speaks for the people of Illinois, but the broader principle applies to every American who has been deprived final moments with cherished loved ones while politicians are treated to pomp and circumstance and public gatherings. This is an experiment in the limits of raw power being carried out by ruthless people for whom unbridled power is the end in and of itself, not the means to making this a better country.
Two days after returning from the Lewis funeral, a mask-less Nancy Pelosi was out in public speaking with reporters on Capitol Hill.  Quarantine for thee, not for me.  And as with so much of what has happened to this country over the course of this Coronavirus outbreak, the flaunting of protocols to accommodate one Congressman’s funeral, and then applying exemptions to government officials and those connected to them so they may engage in conduct that would have the average American fined and even arrested, has laid bare the schism and the myth of America. The simple fact is there are two sets of laws, two sets of dictates, even two sets of standards of behavior laid down by those in power today.  The average American is being told he/she must obey the law or be nakedly exposed to the wrath of a government led by the small-minded and the cynical who have somehow been allowed to wield far too much power where Civil Liberties are concerned.  But then there are those on the inside for whom terms like “social distancing” and “mandatory self-quarantining” are cute notions, but not intended for them.  Such an obvious double-standard will sow the seeds of resentment for years to come.
More from Brad Schaeffer: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/schaeffer-the-truth-about-the-black-lives-matter-organization">The Truth About The Black Lives Matter Organization</a>
Brad Schaeffer is a commodities trader and writer whose articles have appeared in The Wall Street Journal, New York Daily News, National Review, Celeb Magazine, Zerohedge, Frumforum, and other news outlets.  He is the author of the acclaimed World War II novel Of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Another-Time-Place-Brad-Schaeffer/dp/1682616630">Another Time And Place</a> (Post Hill/Simon &amp; Schuster, 2018).

Nancy Pelosi

SCHAEFFER: Quarantine For Thee, Not For Me

COVID

John Lewis

Dr. Alveda King, niece of civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr., blasted former President Barack Obama on Friday for politicizing the funeral of John Lewis.
&#8220;There are those in power who are doing their darndest to discourage people from voting by closing polling locations, and targeting minorities, and students with restrictive ID laws and attacking our voting rights with surgical precision, even undermining the postal service in the run up to an election that’s going to be dependent on mail-in ballots so people don’t get sick,&#8221; Obama claimed.
King responded to Obama&#8217;s remarks during an interview on Fox News&#8217; &#8220;FOX &amp; Friends&#8221; where she slammed for the former president.
&#8220;Well, I guess we should have expected that the Left, including President Obama, would take that occasion for a political moment,&#8221; King said. &#8220;They’ll grab at any opportunity, that’s to be understood. I have chosen not to politicize the death of congressman Lewis, but to remember him as a peaceful, nonviolent warrior, and encourage everyone to resolve our conflicts peacefully.&#8221;
&#8220;However, President Obama, with word play, took us back to the 1960’s, and that was a time when segregation was still on the books, segregation was still legal, and those in power, some of them were trying to enforce that and keep that,” King continued. &#8220;Today, when the National Guard goes in, sent by the president for example, or the state troopers, they’re trying to protect the people of America in every community and to save lives and protect people. There is a totally distinct difference.&#8221;
&#8220;Also implying without calling any names, he was very clever not to call any names, saying that there was an effort to undermine the voting process,&#8221; King concluded. &#8220;You know, actually President Trump is saying, people, please pay attention, we do want you to vote, use your absentee ballots, go to the polls. He’s even encouraged, you know, people to be poll watchers and poll workers and that kind of thing. President Trump is not trying to suppress the vote. As a matter of fact, you can see in my community, I’m telling everybody, make sure you vote, register to vote, pastors and leaders, encourage your people to vote. We do want people to vote safely and we need the voting process to be fair, and so to politicize the funeral of a peaceful warrior, I mean, I guess they grabbed at an opportunity to be political.&#8221;
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Dr. Alveda King blasts former President Barack Obama for politicizing John Lewis&#39; funeral: The left will &#39;grab at any opportunity&#39; to politicize. <a href="https://t.co/FCTq6beoug">pic.twitter.com/FCTq6beoug</a>
&mdash; (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) <a href="https://twitter.com/jasonrantz/status/1289764099681787904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
TRANSCRIPT:
<blockquote>FORMER PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: There are those in power who are doing their darndest to discourage people from voting by closing polling locations, and targeting minorities, and students with restrictive ID laws and attacking our voting rights with surgical precision, even undermining the postal service in the run up to an election that’s going to be dependent on mail-in ballots so people don’t get sick.
FOX NEWS HOST AINSLEY EARHARDT: Joining me now, the niece of Dr. Martin Luther king, Jr., and Fox News contributor, Dr. Alveda king. Good morning to you, Dr. King.
DR. ALVEDA KING: Good morning, how are you today today?
EARHARDT: I’m good, thank you. So as we were watching that, it sounded more like a campaign event or a rally. I thought it was wonderful that the former president came to honor his friend, Mr. Lewis, congressman Lewis, but he was talking about politics. What did you think of it?
KING: Well, I guess we should have expected that the Left, including President Obama, would take that occasion for a political moment. They’ll grab at any opportunity, that’s to be understood. I have chosen not to politicize the death of congressman Lewis, but to remember him as a peaceful, nonviolent warrior, and encourage everyone to resolve our conflicts peacefully. However, President Obama, with word play, took us back to the 1960’s, and that was a time when segregation was still on the books, segregation was still legal, and those in power, some of them were trying to enforce that and keep that. Today, when the National Guard goes in, sent by the president for example, or the state troopers, they’re trying to protect the people of America in every community and to save lives and protect people. There is a totally distinct difference.
Also implying without calling any names, he was very clever not to call any names, saying that there was an effort to undermine the voting process. You know, actually President Trump is saying, people, please pay attention, we do want you to vote, use your absentee ballots, go to the polls. He’s even encouraged, you know, people to be poll watchers and poll workers and that kind of thing. President Trump is not trying to suppress the vote. As a matter of fact, you can see in my community, I’m telling everybody, make sure you vote, register to vote, pastors and leaders, encourage your people to vote. We do want people to vote safely and we need the voting process to be fair, and so to politicize the funeral of a peaceful warrior, I mean, I guess they grabbed at an opportunity to be political.</blockquote>

US-POLITICS-TRUMP-KING

Dr. Alveda King Blasts Obama For Politicizing John Lewis Funeral: Leftists Will ‘Grab At Any Opportunity’

Alveda King

Barack Obama

The title of this article has been revised to avoid the suggestion that lawmakers who attended John Lewis&#8217;s funeral service in Atlanta were given special exemption by D.C.&#8217;s mayor. The order, passed three days before the funeral, already exempted government activity and the U.S. Capitol is not covered by the order.
Lawmakers who attended the funeral of late Rep. John Lewis (D-GA) in Atlanta earlier this week are exempt from Washington, D.C.&#8217;s, self-quarantine restrictions, according to District Mayor Muriel Bowser&#8217;s office.
According to the mayor&#8217;s July 24 <a href="https://coronavirus.dc.gov/page/mayor%E2%80%99s-order-2020-081-requirement-self-quarantine-after-non-essential-travel-during-covid-19">order</a>, titled &#8220;Requirement to Self-Quarantine After Non-Essential Travel During the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency,&#8221; any residents who travel to &#8220;high-risk&#8221; areas for &#8220;non-essential&#8221; reasons must self-quarantine for 14 days and monitor themselves for symptoms of the virus.
The order mandates in part:
<blockquote>
1. All residents and persons traveling to or from “high-risk areas” within the prior fourteen (14) days for non-essential travel must self-quarantine for fourteen (14) days following their return or arrival to the District.
2. Persons who are self-quarantining after non-essential travel must:
a. Stay at their residence or in a hotel room, leaving only for essential medical appointments or treatment or to obtain food and other essential goods when the delivery of food or other essential goods to their residence or hotel is not feasible;
b. Not invite or allow guests, other than caregivers, into their quarantined residence or hotel room; and
c. Self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 and seek appropriate medical advice or testing if COVID-19 symptoms arise.
3. Persons who are traveling through a “high-risk area,” such as through an airport or by vehicle, shall not be subject to this quarantine requirement.
</blockquote>
The order, which remains in effect at least until Oct. 9, goes on to define &#8220;high-risk areas&#8221; as &#8220;locations where the seven (7)-day moving average daily new COVID-19 case rate is ten (10) or more per one hundred thousand (100,000) persons.&#8221;
By such a metric, the entire <a href="https://www.ajc.com/politics/politics-blog/kemp-to-renew-ban-on-mask-mandates-extend-coronavirus-restrictions/3EKYCVG6VVGWFDX6YIH7YP2QZA/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">state of Georgia</a> is considered &#8220;high-risk,&#8221; and a recent federal report listed it in the &#8220;red zone&#8221; because of its skyrocketing cases of the virus. Atlanta&#8217;s Fulton County averaged 228 cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days, according to most recent statistics from <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/us/georgia-coronavirus-cases.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The New York Times</a>.
Regarding why attendees at Lewis&#8217; funeral escaped the strictures of self-quarantine, Bowser Press Secretary Susana Castillo characterized the ceremony as an &#8220;essential&#8221; government activity, telling <a href="https://justthenews.com/government/dc-says-john-lewiss-funeral-was-government-activity-attendees-exempt-quarantine" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Just the News</a> on Friday, &#8220;Government activity is essential, and the Capitol of the United States is exempt from the Mayor’s Order.&#8221;
The mayor&#8217;s office still appears to deem the funerals of regular people non-essential activity, however. When asked whether attendees of non-government funerals in high-risk areas are still required to self-quarantine under the mayor&#8217;s order, Castillo responded simply, &#8220;Yes.&#8221;
Members of Congress are also exempt from Bowser&#8217;s recent <a href="https://coronavirus.dc.gov/maskorder" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">edict</a> mandating D.C. residents wear masks both in public indoor spaces and even outside if they &#8220;are likely to come into contact with another person, such as being within six feet of another person for more than a fleeting time[.]&#8221; Those who neglect to cover up expose themselves to the possibility of fines up to $1,000 per violation.
The order goes on to stipulate: &#8220;The enforcement provisions of this Order shall not be applied to persons in the judicial or legislative branches of the District government while those persons are on duty; and shall not apply to any employees of the federal government while they are on duty.&#8221;

Lewis funeral

Lawmakers Who Attended John Lewis Funeral Do Not Have To Undergo D.C. Quarantine

Muriel Bowser

Washington D.C.

Representative John Lewis was laid to rest at a funeral in Georgia on Thursday. The funeral — attended by dignitaries, former presidents, and politicians from all over the country including 50 members of Congress — was the culmination of several days worth of memorials and public remembrances for the late congressman and civil rights icon. 
The journey began with a service in an Alabama chapel and another at Troy University. The congressman’s body was ceremonially escorted by a military honor guard, via horse-drawn carriage, over a bridge in Selma with an audience watching. Lewis was then laid in state in DC for public viewing before being brought back down south, to Atlanta, for a series of memorials followed by the funeral. In all, there were more than ten ceremonies across five different cities. The final ceremony, the funeral, was invite-only, but many of the pews were still filled with people sitting shoulder-to-shoulder. 
Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t begrudge a prominent figure his memorials and posthumous celebrations. Lewis obviously is not the first such figure to get this kind of send off. John McCain, who died two years ago, had a similarly packed schedule of memorial services. But the difference between two years ago and today is, obviously, the coronavirus and the accompanying lockdowns and restrictions. 
For months now, many Americans have either been prohibited from holding any funeral service at all for their deceased loved ones, or have been forced to hold very small gatherings attended only by immediate family members. The CDC labels large or medium-sized in-person funeral services as “highest risk” events, and in many places, such events are still banned. As a funeral director wrote in The Washington Post, saying goodbye to a loved one has become a lonely affair. But not for everyone. 
A whole series of exceptions were made for the congressman, just as they were made for George Floyd’s various memorials and funerals. And the exceptions don’t just apply to the events themselves. As Buck Sexton <a href="https://twitter.com/BuckSexton/status/1288951529668575232?s=20">points out</a>, DC regulations require that travelers coming from Georgia must self-quarantine for 14 days. Will the 50 congressmen who attended Lewis’s funeral in Atlanta proceed directly to self-quarantine on their return to the capital? Somehow I doubt it.  
And this has always been the problem with the coronavirus policies and restrictions. It’s not just that they represent infringements on our constitutional liberties — though they do — but that they are blatantly arbitrary. From the beginning, exceptions have been granted in service to politics, ideology, and elitism, rather than sound medical and scientific reasoning. Why can John Lewis have a dozen memorials in 5 cities while you weren’t allowed to have even one for your beloved grandmother? The answer is, quite simply, that your grandmother’s life wasn’t as important as the life of a Democratic congressman — at least according to the Powers That Be. Why can’t you go to church even while thousands of left-wing demonstrators and rioters cram together on the street? Because the same authorities don’t care about your church or believe in its message. They do care about left-wing movements and their messages, however. So one is allowed but not the other. 
This arbitrary imposition of liberty-infringing policies is a true outrage and a disgrace. This is perhaps the most explicit case of “rules for thee but not for me” that we have seen in modern times. It is the very definition of tyranny. 
More from Matt Walsh: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/activist-teachers-say-its-not-safe-to-go-back-to-work">Activist Teachers Say It’s Not Safe To Go Back To Work, While Many Attend Mass Protests</a>

Funeral Held For Rep. John Lewis At Atlanta’s Ebenezer Baptist Church

WALSH: John Lewis Memorial Services Highlights Arbitrary Double Standards Of Coronavirus Policies

Democratic Party

Giving a eulogy for late Congressman <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/john-lewis">John Lewis</a> on Thursday, former President Barack Obama took repeated shots at his successor, President Donald Trump.
&#8220;Today we witness with our own eyes police officers kneeling on the necks of black Americans,&#8221; Obama <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/john-lewis-funeral-live-stream-watch-obama-trump-wife-family-george-bush-a9646641.html">said</a>, according to The Independent. &#8220;George Wallace may be gone, but we can witness our federal government sending agents to use tear gas and batons against peaceful demonstrators.&#8221;
Following weeks of violent unrest by rioters in Portland, Oregon, Trump authorized the deployment of dozens of federal agents to protect the federal courthouse.
Attorney General William Barr staunchly <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ag-barr-defends-sending-federal-agents-to-portland-since-when-is-it-okay-to-burn-down-a-federal-courthouse?%3Futm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social&amp;utm_campaign=dwtwitter">defended</a> the move on Tuesday. “What unfolds nightly around the courthouse cannot reasonably be called protest. It is, by any objective measure, an assault on the government of the United States,” the AG said. “Since when is it okay to burn down a federal courthouse?”
Obama wasn&#8217;t done. The former president suggested Trump was trying to suppress votes of minorities and hit the GOP for pushing basic voter ID measures.
&#8220;Even as we sit here, there are those in power who are doing their darndest to discourage people from voting by closing polling locations, and targeting minorities and students with restrictive ID laws, and attacking our voting rights with surgical precision – even undermining the postal service in the run up to an election that&#8217;s going to be dependent on mail-in ballots so people don&#8217;t get sick,&#8221; said Obama.
On Wednesday, Trump posted video of a CBS News experiment on mail-in voting. After numerous issues with obtaining the planted &#8220;votes,&#8221; there were still 3% of the votes that never materialized, which, as noted by CBS, could swing a real presidential election.
&#8220;CBS News This Morning&#8221; co-host <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-vote-by-mail-ballot-counted-election/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/covid-19-vote-by-mail-ballot-counted-election/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1596220997713000&amp;usg=AFQjCNG0PKWtI3wdyfH9ZH9oqD4rEHKcRQ">Tony Dokoupil</a> conducted the experiment, which included a fake P.O. Box to determine if ballots were adequately counted.
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/cbs-mail-in-voting-experiment-shows-potentially-serious-issue" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.dailywire.com/news/cbs-mail-in-voting-experiment-shows-potentially-serious-issue&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1596220997713000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHPFliVJun-l96B2rfL203o1YiEAA">The Daily Wire</a> reported on the mail-in experiment:
<blockquote>Dokoupil sent out 100 mock ballots in the Philadelphia area, using the same size envelope, weight, and class of mail to simulate genuine mail-in votes, albeit without the expedited “Election Mail” insignia. After the post office box was set up, 100 more faux ballots were sent out.
“We’re gonna see somewhere between probably 80 and 100 million voters receiving their ballot that way,” a former Arizona election official told Dokoupil.
After a week, 97% of the ballots Dokoupil mailed had been returned. “Three simulated persons, or 3% of voters, were effectively disenfranchised by mail by giving their ballots a week to arrive,” CBS noted. “In a close election, 3% could be pivotal.” Even four days after mailing the second round of fake ballots, 21% of the fake votes had failed to materialize. Almost half of states allow voters to receive ballots less than half-a-week before the election.</blockquote>
Trump has also highlighted the &#8220;disastrous&#8221; mail-in voting that has recently taken place in <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/07/new-york-election-failure-mail-in-voting/614446/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2020/07/new-york-election-failure-mail-in-voting/614446/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1596220997713000&amp;usg=AFQjCNHBzYnkdzAbipmMJX960-bqkgXAIQ">New York</a>, which has been described as a &#8220;failure&#8221; by left-leaning publication The Atlantic. &#8220;The first large-scale test of mail-in voting in the pandemic has left one in five New Yorkers with their votes tossed out,&#8221; the outlet said.
&#8220;New York Mail-In voting is in a disastrous state of condition,&#8221; Trump posted via Twitter on Wednesday. &#8220;Votes from many weeks ago are missing – a total mess. They have no idea what is going on. Rigged Election. I told you so. Same thing would happen, but on massive scale, with USA. Fake News refuses to report!&#8221;
Obama said during the eulogy that he knows &#8220;this is a celebration of John&#8217;s life,” and that “there are some who might say we shouldn&#8217;t dwell on such things, but that&#8217;s why I&#8217;m talking about it. John Lewis devoted his time on this earth fighting the very attacks on democracy, and what&#8217;s best in America, that we&#8217;re seeing circulate right now.&#8221;
WATCH:
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Former Pres. Obama:
&quot;There are those in power who are doing their darndest to discourage people from voting &#8230; attacking our voting rights &#8230; even undermining the postal service in run-up to an election that&#39;s going to be dependent on mail-in ballots so people don’t get sick!” <a href="https://t.co/onKmkIXWau">pic.twitter.com/onKmkIXWau</a>
&mdash; NBC News (@NBCNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCNews/status/1288900994047369217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Obama Takes Trump Shots During Hyper-Political Eulogy For John Lewis

Donald Trump

Last month, CNN anchor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/chris-cuomo">Chris Cuomo</a> raised more than a few eyebrows when he argued on his show that <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-cnns-chris-cuomo-protests-dont-have-to-be-polite">protests do not have to be &#8220;peaceful,&#8221;</a> despite the U.S. Constitution specifying that citizens have the right to &#8220;peaceably&#8221; assemble.
“Now, too many see the protests as the problem,” he said “No, the problem is what forced your fellow citizens to take to the streets – persistent and poisonous inequities and injustice. And please, show me where it says that protests are supposed to be polite and peaceful. Because I can show you that outraged citizens are the ones who have made America what she is and led to any major milestones.”
“Be honest, this is not a tranquil time. They’re not here to make power, or you or me, comfortable. They’re here to yell, criticize, blame, and shame. You don’t have to like it. But why not focus on remembering the reason for the pain that fuels their purpose?” he continued. “Police are the ones who are required to be peaceful, to de-escalate, to remain calm. They are, in fact, trained to do exactly that. So, when one kneels on someone’s neck for a long time and other police don’t stop obvious deadliness, that’s the problem.”
Cuomo said this at the height of the riots, during which cities across America were burning at the hands of violent Antifa and BLM activists. Nearly two months later, Cuomo said on Monday that he was quoting the now-deceased civil rights icon John Lewis.
&#8220;Now, I was borrowing from Brother Lewis when I said, &#8216;Who says protests are supposed to be peaceful and quiet and polite?'&#8221; Cuomo said. &#8220;I know it says &#8216;peaceful&#8217; in the First Amendment, but if you just go in and sing your songs and go home, nothing changes. And that&#8217;s what he was encouraging.&#8221;
As noted by <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/cnn-chris-cuomo-john-lewis">Fox News</a>, Cuomo went on to differentiate between &#8220;good trouble&#8221; and &#8220;bad trouble,&#8221; arguing that the latter is rioting to hurt and destroy while the former is the Black Lives Matter movement. He also said that focusing on the riots over the protests is &#8220;bad trouble at work.&#8221;
Cuomo and other members of the mainstream media have repeatedly emphasized that the BLM and Antifa riots are just a small fraction of what the protests actually are. For this, many critics have accused the media of a double standard. Fox News host <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/ingraham-imagine-pro-life-christians-portland-riots">Laura Ingraham</a> argued on Monday that the media would not be so charitable if, perhaps, riots frequently erupted in the streets when pro-lifers led a protest outside of an abortion clinic.
&#8220;Imagine if thousands of pro-life Christians decided to surround a federal courthouse in Texas where pro-abortion rights cases had recently been decided,&#8221; she said on &#8220;The Ingraham Angle.&#8221; &#8220;Now, imagine if some of these protesters were peaceful, but others came to cause real trouble. Imagine if they threw bottles of cement, bricks, and shot fireworks. Imagine if they used lasers at federal officials who were protecting the building. Imagine they made Molotov cocktails and set cars on fire and that they did this night after night after night.&#8221;
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-cnns-chris-cuomo-protests-dont-have-to-be-polite">WATCH: CNN’s Chris Cuomo: Protests Don’t Have To Be Polite</a>

WarnerMedia Upfront 2019 – Arrivals

Chris Cuomo Claims He Was Borrowing A John Lewis Quote When He Said Protests Need Not Be ‘Peaceful’

Black Lives Matter

Chris Cuomo

Law Enforcement

Race

The late Congressman <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/john-lewis">John Lewis</a> lay in state in the Capitol on Monday, drawing a socially-distanced crowd of bipartisan lawmakers who went to pay their respects to the civil rights icon. 
According to <a href="https://apnews.com/49f76cd3296678f9c5645250b6b8b13b">The Associated Press</a>, the ceremony in the Rotunda was attended by several dozen lawmakers, and both Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) spoke highly of Lewis’ legacy. 
“The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice,” said Senator Mitch McConnell (R-KY), quoting a long-gone mentor of the late congressman, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. “But that is never automatic. History only bent toward what’s right because people like John paid the price.”
The ceremony for Lewis, the second African-American lawmaker to lie in state and the first in the Rotunda, also featured an audio message from him, in the form of an old commencement address, reports <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/procession-begins-late-rep-john-lewis-lies-state/story?id=71999770">ABC News</a>. 
&#8220;It was many, many years ago, when we would visit the little town of Troy, visit Montgomery, visit Tuskegee, visit Birmingham, I saw those signs that said white men, colored men, white women, colored women, white waiting, colored waiting. I would come home and ask my mother, my father, my grandparents, my great grandparents, why? They would say that’s the way it is. Don&#8217;t get in the way. Don&#8217;t get in trouble,&#8221; said Lewis in the old commencement message. 
&#8220;But one day in 1955, 15 years old in the 10th grade, I heard about Rosa Parks. I heard the words of Martin Luther King Jr. on our radio. 1957, I met Rosa Parks at the age of 17. In 1958 at the age of 18, I met Martin Luther King Jr. and these two individuals inspired me to get in the way, to get in trouble. So I come here to say to you this morning, on this beautiful campus with your great education, you must find a way to get in the way,&#8221; he said. 
&#8220;You must find a way to get in trouble. Good trouble. Necessary trouble,” he said, echoing his civil rights mantra in the Capitol one final time. 
After the ceremony, Lewis&#8217; casket was taken outside to lie in state on the east steps of the Capitol so the public, which was prohibited from the Rotunda ceremony, could also pay their respects. 
According to <a href="https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2020/07/23/john-lewis-procession-selma-montgomery-route-viewing-alabama-capitol-troy-university/5498778002/">The Montgomery Advertiser</a>, Lewis will lie in state at the Capitol on Tuesday as well, and will then be taken to the Georgia state capitol, in his home district, for the culmination of the six-day ceremony.
Senator Tim Scott (R-FL), one of only three African American members of the senate, praised Lewis’s fight for equality, specifically invoking his financial literacy efforts, during an interview on <a href="https://uk.news.yahoo.com/sen-scott-praises-rep-lewis-155512398.html">Fox News</a> on Monday, and also mentioned the personal advice he gave him upon entering Congress. 
“He was one of the first to invite me in and sat me down, and as if he could foreshadow the future, he told me not to be bitter,” said Scott, adding: “He was very paced and clear on his advice not to let the challenges of life and the bitterness of this congressional and political process to seep into my soul where it would impact how I saw other people.”
“You only saw through the eyes of love,” Scott recalled of Lewis’ advice to him. 
Lewis will be buried on Thursday.

John Lewis Lies In State At The U.S. Capitol

John Lewis Lies In State At Capitol

The school board of Fairfax County, Virginia, voted on Thursday to rename Robert E. Lee High School after the late Rep. John Lewis (D-GA), effective this fall.
The high school, which despite the name change will remain in the <a href="https://www.fcps.edu/node/33383" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Lee School District</a>, said the motion was decided on after taking input from the public for a month.
According to a <a href="https://www.fcps.edu/news/school-board-renames-robert-e-lee-high-school-late-congressman-john-lewis" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">statement</a> from the board, School Board Chair Ricardy Anderson said, &#8220;It was important for us to be mindful of these comments and to select a name that reflected the diversity and multiculturalism that currently exists at the school and in our community. Rep. Lewis was a champion of the Civil Rights movement, and our Board strongly believes this is an appropriate tribute to an individual who is a true American hero. We will also honor his life’s work by continuing to promote equity, justice, tolerance and service in the work that we do.”
According to the <a href="http://schoolprofiles.fcps.edu/schlprfl/f?p=108:13:7238446703310889::::P0_CURRENT_SCHOOL_ID:160" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">demographic data</a> from the 2019-2020 school year, the high school is majority-Hispanic, who make up 45.46% of the student population. Asian students make up 23.94%, followed by white students at 14.93% and black students at 12.97%.
“The name Robert E. Lee is forever connected to the Confederacy, and Confederate values are ones that do not align with our community,” said Lee District School Board member Tamara Derenak Kaufax, who proposed the name change along with a colleague. “Our schools must be places where all students, staff, and members of the community feel safe and supported. I believe that John Lewis’ extraordinary life and advocacy for racial justice will serve as an inspiration to our students and community for generations to come.”
Lewis died last Friday at age 80 after battling pancreatic cancer. The Democratic congressman, famous for the role he played in the civil rights movement, represented Georgia for 33 years and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama in 2011. He will <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/john-lewis-to-lie-in-state-at-capitol" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">lie in state</a> in the Capitol next week.
The school board&#8217;s decision comes as Confederate names are being expunged and statues toppled nationwide amid a widespread push to remove vestiges of slavery and racism. In the demonstrations that erupted in the wake of George Floyd&#8217;s death, protesters in the former Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/11/us/Jefferson-Davis-Statue-Richmond.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">ripped down</a> a statue of Confederate President Jefferson Davis along the city&#8217;s tree-lined Monument Avenue.
The mayor of Richmond later mandated that all Confederate statues on city property be removed, leading to the removal of Confederate Gens. Stonewall Jackson and J.E.B. Stuart, as well as Confederate Naval commander Matthew Fontaine Murray.
On Wednesday, the House of Representatives voted to remove all statues of Confederate figures from the Capitol, including a bust of Chief Justice Roger B. Taney, whose Dred Scott decision in 1857 ruled black people could not claim the rights of citizenship conferred under the U.S. Constitution.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/statues-of-christopher-columbus-stonewall-jackson-taken-down-abraham-lincoln-statue-to-be-removed-in-boston" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Statues Of Christopher Columbus, Stonewall Jackson Taken Down. Abraham Lincoln Statue To Be Removed In Boston.</a>

Lee/Lewis

Robert E. Lee High School In Virginia To Be Renamed After Rep. John Lewis

American Civil War

Cancel Culture

Confederacy

Political Correctness

The late Congressman John Lewis will lie in state at the Capitol next week, an honor that has been bestowed upon only a few dozen American politicians since the practice began in 1852.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) announced in a statement Thursday that the two-day ceremony will begin on Monday.
However, the event will have public health restrictions in place that will significantly alter the nature of the tribute, which was most recently afforded in 2019 to the late Congressman Elijah Cummings.
“Given COVID-19 precautions, Congressman Lewis will lie in state at the top of the East Front Steps of the U.S. Capitol for the public viewing, and the public will file past on the East Plaza,” said the duo in the statement. “Per the Washington, D.C. Mayor’s order, masks will be required to enter the line, which will begin at the corner of First and East Capitol Streets NE. Social distancing will also be strictly enforced.”
The portion of the ceremony typically held inside of the capitol will be off limits to the public due to the coronavirus, although a procession throughout the city will also occur. The Lewis family has also asked that people from out of town not attend in-person, due to coronavirus concerns, said the statement.
According to <a href="https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/news/2020/07/23/john-lewis-procession-selma-montgomery-route-viewing-alabama-capitol-troy-university/5498778002/">The Montgomery Advertiser</a>, Lewis will be honored with nearly a week’s worth of ceremonies beginning over the weekend, when his body will be taken to several places including across the Edmund Pettus Bridge, the location of Selma, Alabama&#8217;s Bloody Sunday.
After traveling to Washington, D.C., to lie in state on Monday and Tuesday, his body will be sent to the Georgia state capitol in Atlanta, which includes the district Lewis represented since his election in 1987.
The son of sharecroppers, a civil rights leader, and a widely respected congressman, Lewis died last week following a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 80.
After his death, President Donald Trump said he was saddened by the news, and ordered flags to be flown at half-staff. Other politicians, both Democrats and Republicans, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/congressman-john-lewis-dead-at-80-elected-officials-praise-his-civil-rights-legacy">talked positively </a>of the late congressman’s legacy as a public figure and as a person.
Vice President Mike Pence said Lewis was “unfailingly kind” and that his “selflessness and conviction rendered our nation into a more perfect union, and his example will inspire generations of Americans.”
Former President Barack Obama, who awarded Lewis the medal of freedom in 2011, commended the late congressman for giving “himself to the cause of freedom and justice” and inspiring “generations that followed to try to live up to his example.”
In a statement at the time of his death, Pelosi called the late congressman a courageous “titan of the civil rights movement.”
“John Lewis was a titan of the civil rights movement whose goodness, faith and bravery transformed our nation – from the determination with which he met discrimination at lunch counters and on Freedom Rides, to the courage he showed as a young man facing down violence and death on Edmund Pettus Bridge, to the moral leadership he brought to the Congress for more than 30 years,” she said.

Senate Luncheons

John Lewis To Lie In State At Capitol

Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) apologized after mistakenly tweeting out a photo of himself on Saturday with the late Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-MD) to commemorate the death of Rep. John Lewis (D-GA).
&#8220;Earlier today I tweeted an incorrect photo,&#8221; a penitent Rubio tweeted. &#8220;John Lewis was a genuine American hero I was honored to appear together in Miami 3 years ago at an event captured in video below My God grant him eternal rest[.]&#8221;
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Earlier today I tweeted an incorrect photo 
John Lewis was a genuine American hero
I was honored to appear together in Miami 3 years ago at an event captured in video below
My God grant him eternal rest<a href="https://t.co/aEm4MxKxBP">https://t.co/aEm4MxKxBP</a> <a href="https://t.co/0UpWSG3vNQ">pic.twitter.com/0UpWSG3vNQ</a>
&mdash; Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) <a href="https://twitter.com/marcorubio/status/1284572127421698050?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
After taking flak on Twitter for his gaffe that confused the two late civil rights leaders, Rubio deleted the incorrect tweet that he had briefly made into his profile picture.
“It was an honor to know &amp; be blessed to serve in Congress with John Lewis a genuine &amp; historic American hero,” Rubio wrote with a picture of Cummings.
&#8220;That is Elijah Cummings,&#8221; tweeted Astead Herndon, a reporter for The New York Times, which was a sentiment many others on Twitter reiterated, including Rep. Adriano Espaillat (D-NY).
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This is Elijah Cummings <a href="https://t.co/y68fbahAJm">https://t.co/y68fbahAJm</a>
&mdash; Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) <a href="https://twitter.com/AsteadWesley/status/1284564198111031297?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/marcorubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@marcorubio</a> this is a disgrace and as the senior U.S. Senator from your state, you as well as your staff should know the difference between the late Congressman Elijah Cummings and Congressman John Lewis. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DISGRACEFUL?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DISGRACEFUL</a>&#8230; correct it and get it right! <a href="https://t.co/nfFwBtBOiN">https://t.co/nfFwBtBOiN</a>
&mdash; Adriano Espaillat (@RepEspaillat) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepEspaillat/status/1284566235389341697?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Marco Rubio’s tribute to John Lewis obliviously features a photo of him and Elijah Cummings. He even made it his avatar. <a href="https://t.co/Go0OtgdvRm">pic.twitter.com/Go0OtgdvRm</a>
&mdash; Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) <a href="https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1284566299063070721?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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That’s the late Elijah Cummings, Senator <a href="https://twitter.com/marcorubio?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@marcorubio</a> <a href="https://t.co/2bIvwcCGRd">pic.twitter.com/2bIvwcCGRd</a>
&mdash; Yashar Ali 🐘 (@yashar) <a href="https://twitter.com/yashar/status/1284565425112530944?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Rubio spokesman Nick Iacovella blamed the mistake on a photo originally taken for The Philadelphia Inquirer that was mislabeled, according to <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/18/us/marco-rubio-elijah-cummings-john-lewis.html?smtyp=cur&amp;smid=tw-nytimes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The New York Times</a>.
Joining Rubio in his gaffe was Sen. Dan Sullivan (R-AK), who posted an image to Facebook of himself with Cummings in front of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History in Washington, D.C.
&#8220;America has lost a legend with the passing of Congressman John Lewis, of Georgia,&#8221; wrote Sullivan in part, who later deleted the post. &#8220;Congressman Lewis&#8217; courage and principled leadership helped guide America through one of the most challenging periods in its history, calling our country to live up to its highest ideals with justice and equality for all people regardless of color or creed.”
According to The New York Times, a spokesman for Sullivan sent out an email that said, “Senator Sullivan’s staff made a mistake trying to honor an American legend.&#8221;
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Sen. Dan Sullivan joins Sen. Marco Rubio in posting a picture of the late Elijah Cummings in their tribute to civil rights icon John Lewis. <a href="https://t.co/EdrUWmKIw7">pic.twitter.com/EdrUWmKIw7</a>
&mdash; Travis Akers (@travisakers) <a href="https://twitter.com/travisakers/status/1284597807928811522?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Lewis and Cummings were sometimes confused, which led Lewis to release a tongue-in-cheek <a href="https://johnlewis.house.gov/media-center/press-releases/rep-john-lewis-announces-plans-grow-beard" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">statement</a> last year announcing he would grow a beard to prevent being confused with his congressional colleague. “Just this weekend, I went to church in Maryland. Someone came up to me and said, ‘Hi, Mr. Cummings! I vote for you all the time,’’’ the statement quoted Lewis in part. “I just said thank you. What else could I say? That’s when I decided, I should just grow a beard.”
&#8220;Rep. Lewis’s announcement comes after years of &#8216;baldist&#8217; press reports that have confused the two famously clean shaven, African-American members of Congress,&#8221; the statement continued. &#8220;Both are outspoken opponents of the administration and have served in the House more than 53 years combined. To make things even more confusing, Rep. Cummings is chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee, while Rep. Lewis chairs the Oversight Subcommittee of the House Ways and Means Committee.&#8221;
Lewis <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/congressman-john-lewis-dead-at-80-elected-officials-praise-his-civil-rights-legacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">died Friday at age 80</a> after battling pancreatic cancer. He was a major figure of the civil rights movement, participating in lunch counter sit-ins during the 1960s, and was the youngest member of the &#8220;Big Six,&#8221; a group of leaders who organized Martin Luther King Jr.&#8217;s March on Washington in 1963.
RELATED: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/congressman-john-lewis-dead-at-80-elected-officials-praise-his-civil-rights-legacy" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Congressman John Lewis Dead At 80; Elected Officials Praise His Civil Rights Legacy</a>

Marco Rubio.

Marco Rubio Apologizes After Tweeting Out Photo Of Elijah Cummings To Commemorate John Lewis

Elijah Cummings

Marco Rubio

Congressman John Lewis (D-GA), an icon of the 1960s civil rights movement and ardent proponent of nonviolent protest, died Friday after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 80.
The late congressman’s family announced his death “with inconsolable grief and enduring sadness” late Friday evening, according to a statement obtained by <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/john-lewis-dead-civil-rights-icon-age-80-pancreatic-cancer/">NBC News</a>.
&#8220;He was honored and respected as the conscience of the U.S. Congress and an icon of American history, but we knew him as a loving father and brother. He was a stalwart champion in the ongoing struggle to demand respect for the dignity and worth of every human being. He dedicated his entire life to non-violent activism and was an outspoken advocate in the struggle for equal justice in America. He will be deeply missed,” said the statement.
The son of sharecroppers, Lewis was drawn to the civil rights movement as a teenager, and participated in lunch counter sit-ins in the early 1960s. He later became the <a href="https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1414336">youngest member</a> of the “Big Six,” the colloquial name for the group of civil rights leaders, including Martin Luther King Jr., who organized the March on Washington.
Shortly after his passing, politicians from across the political spectrum spoke positively of his memory and defining contributions to American history.
“John Lewis was a titan of the civil rights movement whose goodness, faith and bravery transformed our nation – from the determination with which he met discrimination at lunch counters and on Freedom Rides, to the courage he showed as a young man facing down violence and death on Edmund Pettus Bridge, to the moral leadership he brought to the Congress for more than 30 years,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) in a statement.
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) praised Lewis’ civil rights work, and talked about the humbling experience of “joining hands with John as members of Congress and” singing “We Shall Overcome at a 2008 ceremony honoring his friend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.”
“It could not have been more humbling to consider what he had sacrificed so those words could be sung in that place,” said McConnell.
President Donald Trump said he and First Lady Melania Trump were “saddened to hear the news of civil rights hero John Lewis passing,” and were sending prayers to the late congressman’s family.
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Saddened to hear the news of civil rights hero John Lewis passing. Melania and I send our prayers to he and his family.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1284549896389955585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 18, 2020</a></blockquote>
Vice President Mike Pence, who considered Lewis a “colleague and a friend,” said he was “unfailingly kind” and that his “selflessness and conviction rendered our nation into a more perfect union, and his example will inspire generations of Americans.”
Former President Barack Obama said of Lewis that he “loved this country so much that he risked his life and his blood so that it might live up to its promise. And through the decades, he not only gave all of himself to the cause of freedom and justice, but inspired generations that followed to try to live up to his example.”

U.S. Rep. John Lewis Delivers Keynote Address At Harvard University Commencement

Congressman John Lewis Dead At 80; Elected Officials Praise His Civil Rights Legacy

Civil Rights

Democratic Congresswoman Alma Adams (D-NC) apologized on Saturday for spreading an unverified, and ultimately false, claim that Congressman John Lewis (D-GA) was dead.
“We deeply regret a previous tweet based on a false news report,” tweeted Adams, who deleted the false tweet about the congressman’s alleged passing.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
We deeply regret a previous tweet based on a false news report. <a href="https://t.co/na2nYmPScf">https://t.co/na2nYmPScf</a>
— Alma S. Adams (@RepAdams) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAdams/status/1282029829450334208?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
Adams posted another tweet an hour later affirming that she was glad Lewis was still, in fact, alive, and apologized to those close to him for declaring otherwise.
“I am deeply sorry to Congressman John Lewis, his family, and his staff for the erroneous information posted to our social media accounts earlier today. Rep. Lewis is one of my friends and heroes and I am relieved to know he is at home resting,” said the congresswoman.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
I am deeply sorry to Congressman John Lewis, his family, and his staff for the erroneous information posted to our social media accounts earlier today. Rep. Lewis is one of my friends and heroes and I am relieved to know he is at home resting.
— Alma S. Adams (@RepAdams) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepAdams/status/1282043113624698883?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 11, 2020</a></blockquote>
A spokesperson for the 1960s civil rights leader promptly debunked the reports of his death in a statement to an Atlanta-based newspaper.
“It’s only rumors,” Michael Collins, Lewis’ chief of staff, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution after the rumors first spread. “He is resting comfortably at home.”
Adams’ tweet touched on her relationship with Lewis and lauded him for his work advocating for justice: “Words cannot do John Lewis Justice because everything he did was in the service of Justice. He gave everything – including his blood and his body – to the Movement. It was an honor to make ‘good trouble’ with John in the House, and I will miss both my friend and the man himself.”
According to <a href="https://www.ajc.com/news/state--regional-govt--politics/rumor-rep-john-lewis-has-died-are-untrue-spokesman-says/y3ZdCuC98eO2gD7w7NoOSM/">the Atlanta Journal-Constitution</a>, Adams and a “blog that focuses on news about historically black colleges &amp; universities” were among those that spread the false rumor. However, it’s not clear where the rumor originated.
Lewis was diagnosed with Stage IV pancreatic cancer last December, but told his constituents in a statement that he would continue to serve in Congress.
“While I am clear-eyed about the prognosis, doctors have told me that recent medical advances have made this type of cancer treatable in many cases, that treatment options are no longer as debilitating as they once were, and that I have a fighting chance,” said the congressman at the time.
“So I have decided to do what I know to do, and do what I have always done: I am going to fight it and keep fighting for the Beloved Community. We still have many bridges to cross,” said Lewis, later concluding the statement, “Please keep me in your prayers as I begin this journey.”

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