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AFA Activism Support John Ashcroft's NominationWhy Attorney General Designate Senator John Ashcroft Struggles to KneelPoignant perspective of a man aptly qualified to be Attorney General
by Dr. Frank Wright Director of the Center for Christian Statesmanship January 9, 2001 Back in 1995, a newly elected senator gathered with close family and friends in a room adjacent to the U.S. Capitol building just hours prior to his swearing-in ceremony. It was a solemn time of dedication and commitment. The senator's 83-year old father -- frail from a debilitating heart condition -- summoned the strength to issue a simple admonishment to his son. He warned of the "arrogance" of life in Washington and charged his son to embrace humility. "Nothing of lasting value in the world had ever been accomplished in a spirit of arrogance," the father said. As those assembled prepared for a moment of private prayer, the senator noticed his father struggling to get out of the sofa and join in the prayer. "Dad, you don't need to struggle to stand," he said. His father responded, "Son, I'm not struggling to stand. I'm struggling to kneel." That marked the last full day of Robert Ashcroft's life. As those who know Robert Ashcroft's son can tell you, John Ashcroft has been "struggling to kneel" ever since. I offer this as more than just a poignant story. To both the supporters and detractors of President-elect Bush's newly nominated Attorney General, I offer it to give perspective on a man who I believe is aptly qualified to serve as head of the Justice Department -- a man who will "struggle to kneel" in his new role of service to this nation. For four years, I have been privileged to observe Sen. Ashcroft up close as he has worked on Capitol Hill. I can confidently say there is no one in public service today that I hold in higher regard. Sen. Ashcroft is a man of character, principle, and commitment. He is a leader who, by his example, demonstrates the reality of those qualities in his life, day by day. Most of all, he has a trait that may never come through during those 10-second sound bites: he's a humble leader, a quality which is especially essential in the executive branch of government. That's because the executive branch is responsible for executing the laws of the land. Such governmental authority is discretionary in nature, which gives executive branch officials considerable power. Just ask any local district attorney who must use his or her discretion in determining which cases to prosecute and which to ignore. The law is rigid, but those rigid laws must be applied to real-life situations. That is the role of the executive branch. This is not to say the executive branch is without constraints. In fact, there are many constraints. The law itself. The Constitution. The desires of the chief executive. The political climate of the day. But there is a more important constraint for those who hold the power of government in their hands, and it's something perfectly portrayed by the image of a dying father who was struggling to kneel. I have seen John Ashcroft struggle to kneel as he has fulfilled his duties as Missouri's distinguished senator. I have seen John Ashcroft struggle to kneel in his hesitance to accept the highest honor conveyed by my organization. And most recently, I saw John Ashcroft struggle to kneel in the face of defeat during last November's elections. With members of his own party pressuring him to challenge the results of a race he lost to the recently deceased Mel Carnahan, John Ashcroft showed a graciousness and humility that is quite uncommon in any field of endeavor. He quickly conceded the election and accepted defeat. He thanked "the people of Missouri for their kindness" and offered his hopes that Jean Carnahan would receive some "matter of comfort" from the election results in light of the enormous tragedy she had just faced. In accepting President-elect Bush's nomination, Ashcroft reflected on his recent election loss in saying that defeat "brings more than emotion and pain, it brings perspective." He then said, "You have my word that I will administer the Department of Justice with integrity, I will advise your administration with integrity and I will enforce the laws ... with integrity." I don't know if you saw it in his eyes or heard it in his voice, but watch and listen closely over the coming weeks and months and I am confident that you will see a man who is still following his father's footsteps ... and still struggling to kneel. This article first appeared in Crosswalk.com
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