Sunday, May 3, 2009

Memories of Jack Kemp

We lost Jack Kemp today. I’m sure many who knew him longer and far better will have a lot to say about this great leader but I wanted to add my thoughts because, for me, Jack Kemp was exactly the kind of Republican and American I’d like to be.

Since college I had been a Jack Kemp supporter. He always intrigued me with the way he spoke about American cities. For the last 40 years Republican leaders rarely even mention our cities, and when they do they mention them it only to denigrate them. But Jack understood that a nation’s cities were the foundation of a nation’s culture. When the cities are sick the whole country is sick. So he focused like a laser on helping the cities with little regard to whether it helped him or his party succeed.

Today, for the first time in a long time, young evangelical church planters and organizers are moving their families into the roughest neighborhoods in America’s cities. Going to where Jesus would go, they say. But in a very real way they are following a path beaten out by Jack Kemp who was 50 years ahead of his party on this issue.

I got a chance to meet Jack Kemp in recent years as he became one of the chief advocates for the D.C. Voting Rights Act. My boss, Tom Davis, crafted this legislation to give the people of D.C. a voting member of the House of Representatives. And from day one, Jack Kemp was an enthusiastic supporter.

I saw Kemp argue and threaten and exhort the leaders of my party to support this worthy legislation. And I saw him win, again and again and again. By and large most thoughtful leaders in the GOP privately agreed with Tom Davis and Jack Kemp. But they wouldn’t dare say so publically. I can tell you from personal knowledge that this bill had quiet supporters from the Eisenhower Building to the Capitol to the White House – who were afraid to stand up to the lowest common denominator in the GOP. (Mike Steele being a notable exception.)

But Secretary Kemp wasn’t afraid, he ran to battles like that. He reveled in his wins and shrugged off his losses. I remember seeing Kemp on the floor the day we passed the DCVRA out of the House. In spite of furious opposition, 21 courageous Republicans stood with Tom Davis and Kemp was there to shepherd them in. He was always willing to answer any questions and honest arguments. Every member was a target for him - that was his optimism coming through - he knew he could convince them all.

My favorite memory of Kemp was a few moments I shared alone with him one day where he laughed about how two right wing Christians were right in the middle of the nation’s last major voting rights fight. He encouraged me that it was ok to split from 90% of my party on this important justice issue because this is what Jesus would do.

So now Jack Kemp is gone when we needed him the most. Right when the GOP is struggling to figure out how to redefine itself once again so we can win a few elections. I think we need to take a few notes from Kemp’s life.
We need to quit worrying about outcomes and focus on being right. We need to care about people who may never vote for us and try to make their lives better. We need to affirm that cities and urban communities are vital to the health and future of this nation. We need to remember that leaders lead, they don’t poll their way to the top.

As Christians who work in the public sphere (since that is the primary focus of this blog) we need to remember that the best days are ahead of us, as Jack Kemp is surely confirming right now. So let’s adopt our brother’s optimism. Let’s take up his love for the poor. Let’s learn to love this place to which we’re called and fight for it with force and courage and enthusiasm.

It’s silly to say “rest in peace” in regards to a man like Jack Kemp since that is out of the question so instead I’ll just say enjoy your just rewards brother. You served America well, left a proud legacy for your family and will never be forgotten.