A poignant contrast in governorships

Walking my dog in Chicago’s Horner Park near my neighbors Rod and Patty Blagojevich, I glanced up at the memorial to Henry Horner, governor of Illinois, 1933-40. Horner helped ease our state through the Depression and died in office. The memorial includes this tribute: “With a devotion to his state that knew no limits, he poured out his life in line with his vision of the welfare of his state.” On the side of the memorial are these words: “Selfish considerations must be forgotten. Partisan differences must be cast aside. All of us must put the common good before all else.” Henry Horner.

I guess Rod never read or grasped these words as he walked past this memorial to vote in the Horner Field House, our precinct voting site. Sad. The neighborhood is sad today. Sad for Rod and Patty and especially their girls, Amy and Annie. Sad for the state. But let us not forget that there are some distinguished governors in our history, one of whom is memorialized, ironically, just a few blocks from the Blagojevich residence.

Rev. Martin Deppe

Chicago