Some people accused Gerry Lange of bitterness after Russ Olson unseated him from his longtime seat in the Legislature last fall. Any disgust Lange expressed at the outcome probably had less to do with his personal interests and more to do with seeing the Olson campaign pour over $30,000 (that's a year's salary or better for many of us) into the election. (See all 2006 legislative candidate finances summarized here.) Many of us can share Lange's disgust at an election system that now even at the state level may price farmers, teachers, and other working people out of participation.
Bitterness, disgust, whatever -- I don't see it in our man Gerry this summer. MDL's Jennifer Adams shows us that Lange is still busy getting his hands dirty gardening for the community [Jennifer Adams, "Seniors Appreciate Fresh Garden Produce from Bethel Community Garden," Madison Daily Leader, 2007.07.11]. He has his own farming and big family to take care of, yet for ten years, he's come to town regularly to tend this 50x60-foot garden to help provide free vegetables to old folks around town. He's helping carry out the vision of another notable Madison progressive, the erudite and sorely missed Dr. Don Hillan, who, according to Adams, "had a concept that all spare land in the community should be used to host a garden for older people."
Now pushing 80, Lange is increasing his involvement with the garden, taking over management of the operation. What pushes an old guy to spend even more long hours in the summer sun just to produce handouts from this free garden? "I think it adds joy to people's lives," Lange tells MDL. "It's a gift from God that you make the most of."
There's a pro-life position if I ever heard one.
Photo by Jennifer Adams, Madison Daily Leader, 2007.07.11
Thanks to Gerry!
ReplyDeleteWhile I may not politically agree with him all the time, he is truly a great and caring guy!
Gerry Lange should feel proud it took a war chest of $30,000 to finally retire him from his one-directional "tax the wealthy, but not the wealthy farmers" mentality. Personally, I respect him for standing his ground and feel he was right on some ideas of a corporate income tax, but many ag operations are corporations, and even though he was targeting the WalMarts, Targets and McDonald's of our state, if we're going to be fair, it must be fair for ALL corporations including our subsidy-rich ag folks. Gerry was a great historian, but seemed a little disconnected in his final years of serving in Pierre. I'm sure the Governor signed a huge relief when Gerry's reign was over.
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