A Leading Light of the South Passes Away

From my days as a C-SPAN junkie during the 80s, Howell Heflin stood out rather easily. His physical stature made him easily recognizable to follow. His accent was close enough to my grandmother's to appreciate their erstwhile geographical proximity (Heflin's being in NW Alabama; Grandma's being somewhere in TN). The greater appreciation I've always had for Heflin is reflected in a story I once asked of my mom regarding that very same grandma. Mom & dad were, at least historically speaking, children of the 60s. Not to the point of hopping a van to go to Woodstock, but rather in demarcating a point in time where younger white southerners knew the racism of the past wouldn't be carried forward. Once upon a time, I asked my mom about how Grandma dealt with all of the change that occurred in civil rights during her time. I was told that Grandma just knew that her kids would grow up in a different time and in a different world then she had to grow up in.

What Grandma knew intuitively, Howell Heflin helped make a reality. So whenever I heard that similar accent, that connection lasted in my memory.

At a towering 6'4 and with a girth of a redwood, Howell Heflin was easy for Chris Farley to caricature on SNL for his performance in the Bork hearings. It'd be easy to just write off Howell Heflin as a cartoon based on a time passed by. Yet, from his 1996 Farewell Adress to America, more poignant thoughts were never spoken:

For much of our history, our national leaders and political parties adopted mainstream, centrist policies aimed at securing economic security and promoting opportunity. Of course, there are times when this has not been the case, but Government has worked best when it has operated from the center of the spectrum. Only when we have strayed too far to the left or right have we fallen so out of favor with the citizenry. To a great degree, that is what has happened over the last few years, with Democrats becoming more liberal and Republicans becoming more conservative. Since the vast majority of the people are politically moderate in their beliefs and values, they have become, in a sense, alienated from both sides, not comfortable with the extreme views the parties have adopted. The bipartisanship that is so crucial to the operation of Congress, especially the Senate, has been abandoned for quick fixes, sound bites, and, most harmfully, the frequent demonization of those with whom we disagree.

It is supremely ironic that as we try to foster democratic principles throughout the rest of the world and have seen democracy make great strides in many areas, we seem to face our strongest threat from within. Some elected officials, media personalities, extreme elements within political parties, and single-issue organizations strive to pit one group of Americans against another. The focus on divisive issues has increased the alienation and driven us farther and farther apart.

In my judgment, much of the answer to this alienation lies in what I call compassionate moderation. Instead of being so concerned with policies which are left and right, Government should be concerned with the principles of right and wrong that come from approaching issues in measured, moderate, and compassionate tones. Both compassion and moderation must be seeded in basic conservatism and responsibility, rooted to induce individualistic growth and opportunity. Even where voters opt for change, they do not favor extremism; instead, they want carefully crafted and nuanced policies that address the concerns of the majority and, where needed, the disadvantaged in our society. This is the kind of responsible and compassionate moderation upon which our Nation was founded. Our Constitution itself came about through a series of great compromises; it was not written by ideologues who clung to their way or no way. Compromise and negotiation--the hallmarks of moderation--aimed at achieving moderate, centrist policies for our country should not be viewed as negatives. They should be valued, for that is the only way to reach consensus on complicated issues and problems that face us.

Rest in peace, Judge.