Henry Hyde and the Sixtieth Anniversary of Israel's Statehood

He's gone, and with his passing a huge void exists inbeen (at that time) a Representative for more than
The House of Representatives. He was dignified, a25 years, and he was willing to give up his seat, his
class act, and was known as the defender of thepension, and his reputation to protect these precious
weakest in our society: the preborn. A spokesmanhuman beings.
for Washington's Rush University Medical Center saidMany of his colleagues say his most remarkable
Henry Hyde died Thursday at 3 a.m. CST at thatachievement was the Hyde Amendment. The
hospital. There was no immediate word on the causemeasure became the law of the land in 1976 and it
of his death. However, his family told The Chicagobans public funding of abortions through Medicaid. The
Sun-Times that he had suffered complications fromNational Right to Life Committee once conservatively
open-heart surgery.estimated that the Hyde Amendment has prevented
As a young man, former Illinois Representative Henryat least one million abortions.
Hyde was a football player. His remarkable career inHyde retired from Congress at the end of the last
public office included 32 years as a representative forsession. Before he officially left government service,
the suburban 6th District. He has been described byPresident Bush bestowed upon him the Presidential
some political insiders as one of last few remainingMedal of Freedom. He was too ill to attend the
"statesmen" in Washington and a never-tiring fighterceremony. His son, however, accepted the award on
for life.his behalf. The White House praised the Illinois
Early in his political career, which spanned fourRepublican as a leading foe of abortion, as a
decades, Hyde courageously introduced an"powerful defender of life" and an advocate for a
amendment to prevent federal funding of abortion.strong national defense.
Congress adopted the measure, which becameDie-hard Democrats will remember him as Henry
known as the Hyde Amendment and continues toHyde, the Republican who steered the impeachment
protect preborn babies.proceedings against President Clinton. During that time
He later led the battle to pass the ban on partial-birthit was revealed that Henry, himself, had been
abortion. In addition, Hyde authored the Mexico Cityinvolved in an adulterous affair 30 years prior. He
policy, which prohibits federal money from being useddidn't deny or make excuses for it. His response was
to support abortions abroad.in keeping with his usual class and decorum: We come
The Illinois Republican was a Roman Catholic whoto this difficult task as flawed human beings, under
during his 30 years in Congress blocked federaljudgment.
funding for abortion, which he called an "evil" takingHenry's death has some interesting thoughts for me.
of innocent life. Henry Hyde was a passionate man,First of all, he died on the 60th anniversary of Israel's
but his behavior was never unseemly. He was a manStatehood. I am a Christian, and I do not believe in
who lived out his belief of what The Bible directs uscoincidences. But I'm unsure of what to make of the
to do: Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice tohistorical timing of Henry's death.
the afflicted and needy. Deliver the poor and needy:Secondly, I think how proud Henry's family must be
rid them out of the hand of the wicked.of his legacy. I wonder what legacy I will leave behind
(Psalm82:3-4)for my children. Will it be said of me, as it has been
I heard his passionate pleading for the unborn as hesaid of Henry, that I was a passionate woman who
said there were no weaker, needier people in ourtried to make the world a better place?
society than the pre-born humans. He said he hadOh, dear God, let it be so.