Posted on 01/18/2009 5:59:51 AM PST by markomalley
Anh "Joseph" Cao - the hot new property in Congress, Mr. Upset, the first Vietnamese American elected to the U.S. House or Senate, the first Republican to win Louisiana's 2nd Congressional District since before Louis Armstrong was born - is driving across this Gothic American bayou. He's relating how, as a Jesuit seminarian in the slums of Mexico nearly 20 years ago, he experienced a crisis of faith.
He was dispirited by how God could let such human misery exist, he says and then stops himself.
"Do you ever read Kierkegaard?" he asks.
Um, the 19th century Danish philosopher is in our memory bank, but ...
"Kierkegaard had this story about a man going through life. The man reached an abyss. He had to make what Kierkegaard called the leap of faith. In life's journey, you sometimes reach a level of uncertainty that you have to make such a leap.
"That's what happened to me in Mexico. I was working in extremely poor conditions, and I wanted to promote social change. I came to believe, over the course of two or three years, that the best way to do that would be to enter public office. It would also allow me to have a family - the celibate life can be quite lonely. So I drafted a course of action for myself to enter politics. But it was a quite painful discernment. It implied I would have to leave the seminary. I would have to start life over again. I would have to make that leap of faith."
Cao (pronounced "gow") is 41. Until recently, he was an immigration and personal-injury lawyer. He stands just under 5-foot-2. He is a very good listener. He runs five miles every day before dawn.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
A philosopher among the sophists in congress? They will despise this man.
Thanks for posting. Interesting.
Unfortunately, the liberal Louisiana people will promptly retire this new member in the 2010 general election. He will be in the position of Michael Flanagan of liberal Illinois, the caretaker between Rostenkowski and Blago. The Democrats will reunite behind a very liberal contender who won’t be shunned by some of the “moderates” as Jefferson won.
Nice story about an up-and-coming Republican. (Shocking considering the source.
Neely Tucker writes for the Washington Post. Looking at his bio and background gives me the impression he travels to a different drum beat. Thus the tenor of this article I suspect.
Neely Tucker: http://neelytucker.com/
Only time will tell if he is a Conservative Republican.
Conservative Republicans are the only true Republicans.
Thx for posting this very uplifting article.
Even if that happens, if he distinguishes himself in the Congress, he may have a future in statewide office (and if Jindal becomes President, in a larger national capacity). Here’s to his success.
“I wanted to promote social change”
That is pretty telling. Every time I hear “Social Change” for some odd reason the word “Progressive” pops into my mind.
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