Letter for Wellstone

To the Editors:

Last Friday, the world lost a truly great leader. Paul Wellstone represented a brand of politics unparalled in our time. Whether you agreed with him politically or not, you cannot deny what Paul stood for. Too often our leaders are influenced by money and power, Paul embodied a kind of politics based on principles. We always knew where Paul stood, and always knew that no matter how he voted he was determined to do what was best for the people of Minnesota, the nation, and the world.
Beyond pure politics, Paul was a wonderful friend. He was not “Senator Wellstone” or “Mr. Wellstone,” but simply, Paul. No matter who you where, no matter how seemingly insignificant you where in the realm of American politics, he treated you with dignity and respect. As Senator Tom Harkin of Iowa said at the memorial on Tuesday “made a miner up on the Iron Range know that he was as important as the president of the United States.” Paul was everyone’s friend.
I, personally, was beyond devastated to learn about the tragic accident. As a friend of Paul, his wife Sheila, and Mary McEvoy (one of the campaign staffers on board), I was at a loss to understand how such great people could be ripped from this Earth so suddenly. For the last few days, I’ve been trying to figure out a way that I could honor the memory of these amazing humans. I I’ve realized the best way for us to honor these heroes is to continue their fight for peace and justice. Paul Wellstone may be gone from this earth, but he lives on in our hearts. We must continue to fight for the righteous causes Wellstone stood for—we must keep the dream alive.
Paul: I love you and will never forget you.

Jesse Kanson-Benanav
–College senior
St. Paul, MN