Representative Tom Lantos

I wrote this awhile ago, and for some reason didn't post it....

An amazing man recently passed away. I imagine that most of you probably don't know much about him. Tom Lantos. He was a congressman--a democratic representative from California--but that's just the begininng. He was a Hungarian Jew. Survived the Holocaust. Lost his entire family but met his wonderful, adorable wife Annette, who had the same awful background. I first met him in 2000, when I was an intern in Washington, DC. On Febraury 4th of that year he spoke to a group of interns, and I was in awe. He spoke about how there are only two relationships of importance in life: 1) your relationship with a higher authority; and 2) your relationship with others. He spoke about how we need to share in our common humanity. He's an atheist, but his wife Annette, his children and grandchildren are all LDS. So he knew what it meant that we were from BYU. Yet, or maybe because of this, he stressed that theological committment is irrelevant. What matters is integrity, values, and your approach to humanity. As a Holocaust survivor, this view takes on added weight and meaning. He said that you have to be a free thinker--think for yourself! He said that you have NO IDEA how much power an individual has--as long as you don't approach others with arrogance. He pleaded with us to learn about other's way of life. He lived what he spoke. He amazed me.

I got to know him more personally that semester. My friend Kim interned for him, and so I would occassionally go by their office. My friend Matt and I decided we couldn't stand the Colonial Singles Ward scene, so we alternated between the Anacostia Branch and the Capitol Hill Branch, and it was one of the best things I did while there. In the Capitol Hill Branch I got to know Annette Lantos--this wonderful, strong Hungarian accent, these huge, black rimmed glasses. She was short, she was sweet, she was wholly devoted to her husband Tom. She also fell in love with Matt--which earned us personal capital tours and lunches in the Congressional dining room.

You can imagine my joy when I found out that he, of all people, would be receiving an honorary degree from BYU, and would therefore be speaking at my graduation ceremony in April of 2001. For me that small and simple thing was a gift from above.

I hope you will take the time to read this article about him--to read more about his life and what he stood for. He was a man of principle, of integrity. He was devoted to helping others. One of the most moral people I've ever encountered.