I'm Okay Now

Lester Maddox is the answer.

I recently purchased a book from a former History professor by the name of James F. Cook. The book is called "The Governors of Georgia" (Third edition, revised and expanded. Mercer University Press, Macon Georgia. 2005) and from what I have read so far, it is quite interesting.

The account of each governor is broken down into easily digested vignettes. Last Sunday I just turned to the one on Lester Maddox. He was Governor from 1967 to 1971 and I remember him. I can still remember black and white images of him on television, riding a bicycle backwards - that was his trademark.

I don't think my Dad particularly liked Maddox. Dad, being a staunch Republican, probably voted for "Bo" Callaway. I don't remember "Bo" Callaway - he probably couldn't even ride a bicycle.

Lester Maddox was something of a martyr. After the Civil Rights Act of 1964, he closed his very successful fried chicken restaurant - the Pickrick - rather than abide by court orders to desegregate. He was something of a champion of state's rights and private property rights.

Maddox 's segregationist views were something of an embarrassment to the Democratic establishment when he ran for Governor in 1966. It was a large field of six contenders and Maddox somehow found himself in a run-off with Ellis Arnall, who did not take him seriously.

Lester Maddox campaigned hard and pulled off an upset. He would face the Republican, Howard "Bo" Callaway.

"Bo" Callaway, it seemed, would quite possibly be the first Republican Governor of Georgia since Reconstruction. But it was not to be (that honor was reserved for Sonny Purdue in 2004) . . . there was a write-in campaign for Ellis Arnall and so neither Maddox nor Callaway earned the majority vote. Finally, the Democratic General Assembly appointed Maddox as Governor.

Cook says, "Until Maddox became governor, neither the news media nor the other candidates had taken him seriously." He goes on to point out that despite his lack of education and political experience, he tried to be a good governor. He surrounded himself with people of good judgement; ironically, he appointed more blacks to advisory boards and into white-collar jobs than any previous governor; he even instituted "People's Day"- a specific time set aside each month when anyone who wished to see the governor personally could do so.

At the end of his term, many of his political enemies had to concede that he had served the state well.

So what's the point? - Why is Lester Maddox the answer?

Well, a few days ago I submitted yet another political post ("Thou Shalt Not Comment"); in it I expressed my frustration over the political dilemma in which we find ourselves in this country. At one point, I expressed angst over what the "system" had handed us. But I misspoke. The great system of government that our founding fathers derived with all its checks and balances, is not flawed. Just the fellas running it right now.

And while the elections holds out no great hope for me. I have learned in Lester Maddox that sometimes even a severely flawed official can end up doing some good things.

This system of government (which I believe was inspired by God) is so resilient that it is very difficult to set it back - even when there is incompetence at its helm!

I saw Lester Maddox up close just a few years before he died, he visited a class I was taking at Kennesaw State University. He was still sticking to his guns, referring to the Atlanta Journal -Constitution as "the fish-wrapper" and declaring that he was not and never had been a racist - he just believed in private property rights.

Cook provides an epilogue to the Lester Maddox story that I find quite satisfying. Following his term, he was the first Georgia governor to seek the office of Lt. Governor. He won handily and proved a constant thorn-in-the-side to the rising governor - a peanut farmer from Plains, by the name of Jimmy Carter.

Since reading that chapter, I have found myself less anxious about the plight of our country as a result of this upcoming election. I am hopeful that the dream of this nation as a "shining city on a hill" will survive - not because of the next president - but because of the people that make up this nation. . . and the God Who governs in the affairs of men.