Today, Jesse Helms, Senator from North Carolina announced he would seek
office again. He has been remembered as a ultra-conservative, one-time
segegationist. This reminded of a conversation I had about three years ago
with Fred Weintraub, a liberal Democrat government laisson(lobbyist, in other
words) for the Council fo Exceptional Children in Washington. At one point,
the ADA languished in a sub-committee in the US Senate, about to be dead in
the water. One senator cast the deciding vote to get the ADA out of
sub-committee. That senator was Jesse Helms. Unbeknownst to most of us,
Helms' wife has taught at Gallaudet all the time they were in DC. We may not
be able to agree with some of his views, but for the disabled community,
Helms is about the most unlikely and unsung heroes we have. Next time you see
Bush's buddy in the Stetson hat, Justin Dart, taking credit for the ADA,
remember Jesse Helms.

Bobby