Back in the early 1970s, as an opponent of the Vietnam War and a potential draftee (if not accepted to medical school), I supported George McGovern for President. Raised by a Conservative, devoutly religious father, this commitment proved to be the earliest rift in our relationship which, until that time, had been rather tame.
Of course, it is not unusual for a twenty-one year old college student to disagree with his or her parents but, in my case, many of the principles set forth by Senator McGovern set the stage for a philisophical divide that widened over the years. His campaign instilled a social liberalism in my soul that has lasted to this day; in concert, I have come to doubt the wisdom of military campaigns and have lost trust in both the message and the motivation of organized religion. Though my commitment to environmental issues stems more from an early interest in natural science, my support for industrial regulation and conservation initiatives assured that the gulf in our political views would never mend.
So, on reading of George McGovern's death this morning, I was taken back to those formative years when, learning to think for myself, I broke from the conservative philosophy that ruled my father's life. Many will acknowledge similar patterns in their own families and some will mourn the loss of tradition that such divides produce. But I thank George McGovern for his inspiration and firmly believe that human progress depends upon our capacity to doubt, our willingness to reject failed policies and our commitment to find new solutions for our many social, political and environmental problems.
