I don't mean to suggest by the title of this diary that Senator Orrin Hatch would not show some class regarding the death of his colleague and friend, Senator Ted Kennedy. I do want to thank him, though. I was afraid to turn on the radio on my commute home today, for fear that the news and public affairs programs would be a mixed bag of half-hearted, back-handed compliments along with the more fitting tributes to a man who served our nation for so long without compromising his ideals.
Thank you, Senator Hatch.
I heard an interview with Senator Hatch on NPR, and was actually cheered a bit on what was otherwise a very sad day. Hatch had some funny and touching stories. He described a song he had recently written in Kennedy's honor, and how he was reassured by Senator Kennedy that the title, "Headed Home", was understood to be a song of hope about Kennedy returning to the U.S. Senate.
Of course, the song can be interpreted in other ways, as good songs usually are. NPR played a portion of the song (they also have it linked on the NPR website) and though I don't expect it to win a Grammy, it's pretty good. Maybe others here knew Senator Hatch was a songwriter. I didn't before today.
I know we Democrats and Republicans will soon be back at each other's throats. I also know there is certainly plenty of tasteless and disgusting material about Senator Kennedy's life and death on the cable news channels and the internet, but I'm not going there.
Today should be about mourning and remembering. All of us, even Senator Kennedy's fiercest enemies in the Senate, can use his death as an opportunity for reflection about what it means to be human, and as a reminder that we can find a way to meet our moral and ethical obligations to the poor, the sick, the elderly, and the abused without losing our most basic senses of decency and civility.
Thanks again, Senator Hatch. And goodbye, Senator Kennedy. We will do you proud.
From Catte Nappe in the comments below, here are the lyrics:
Here is a stirring tribute song to my good friend, Senator Ted Kennedy called 'Headed Home.' I wrote this song with the great Phil Springer. Take a moment to listen to the words. You don't have to agree with everyone's politics...none of us agree 100% of the time. But you have to admire a lifetime dedicated to public service and improving the lives of others -- and that is just one of the many things that made Ted great. I think this song captures a small part of Ted's legacy of service. Listen to it and see what you think.
Lyrics:
Through the darkness
We can find a pathway
That will take us half way
To the stars.
Through the rain and fog
We can find a clear day
Shoo the shadows and doubts away
And touch the legacy that is ours.
Yours and mine
And our children's
For all time.
Just honor him
Honor him
And every fear
Will be a thing of the past.
America, America
We're headed home
We're headed home
At last.
Just honor him
Honor him
And on the reefs of despair
We shall not crash.
America
America
We're sailing home
Sailing home
America
America
We're headed home
Headed home
At last.
Written by: Orrin Hatch and Phil Springer