CONGRESSIONAL RECORD— Extensions of Remarks E1787 HON
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November 16, 2012 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E1787 was on his own, as students of Great Aca- remember accompanying him, when he vis- who have served with me over the past six demics always are. His first dissertation ited San Diego, to the Adams Avenue (used) years while I have been in office. A Member topic required him to do research at the Bookstore (where else would you entertain of Congress’ most important responsibility is to Bibliothe`que National in Paris, where he Ronald Hamowy?). While browsing the provide exceptional constituent services and found the research conditions impossible. stacks, I heard a voice muttering curses, Migrating to Oxford, which had resources somewhere else in the establishment. I found my team is second to none in providing the adequate to another topic in which he was Ronald in a side room, seated amid stacks of best assistance to all in our District. My Wash- interested, he needed the sponsorship of books he was examining, and holding a copy ington, DC office is also tasked with research- some Oxford academic, to get permission to of Barbara Tuchman’s The Guns of August in ing, processing, analyzing, and making rec- exploit the library. He approached Sir Isaiah his hand. Tuchman justified British inter- ommendations on an infinite number of re- Berlin, who rebuffed him. Berlin was ‘‘taking vention in World War I. ‘‘Damned British ports, policies, and legislation. I could not ask no more students.’’ crap,’’ Ronald exclaimed, putting the book for a more talented or dedicated team, and I Ronald, who was only half as tall as other down as if he were giving long-overdue pun- people, looked up at the great Sir Isaiah. take great pride in the work that each staff ishment to a whole school of thought. Which member has done not only on my behalf, but ‘‘Listen,’’ he said. ‘‘I’m very smart. I’m very he was. hard-working. And I’m funny.’’ All that was His life demonstrated that we libertarians also on behalf of the 11th Congressional Dis- true. Sir Isaiah looked down at the small are right: the individual, complex and whole, trict of North Carolina and the United States. student in front of him, laughed, and said, is the mysterious and unending source of all My team has shown a strong sense of dedi- ‘‘All right.’’ that is vital in our world. cation to meeting the needs of our constitu- Ronald was hard to resist. And he knew it. Ronald’s works include The Scottish En- ency. I owe a debt of gratitude to each one of But he was one of the funniest people I’ve lightenment and the Theory of Spontaneous them for the support and friendship which they ever known. If Ronald couldn’t make you Order (University of Southern Illinois Press, have shown me while I have served in Con- laugh, you really weren’t worth the effort. 1987), Canadian Medicine: A Study in Re- And his wit was always . intellectually stricted Entry (Fraser Institute, 1984), Deal- gress. understood. No vulgarity. No easy laughs. ing with Drugs: Consequences of Government Jed Bhuta joined our Washington, DC team Nothing but fun. But not coy, either. Control (edited, Lexington Books, 1987), Gov- as Legislative Director in 2009. Jed helped to One person who resisted Ronald was Ayn ernment and Public Health in America (Ed- shape my legislative agenda and managed the Rand. As one of the young libertarians (Ron- ward Elgar, 2007), The Encyclopedia of Lib- responsibilities associated with my role as Co- ald’s friend Murray Rothbard was another) ertarianism (edited, Sage Publications, 2008), Chair of the Blue Dog Coalition. During Jed’s who were invited to her apartment for intel- and many articles, including one that was tenure in the office, Congress considered sev- lectual discussions, he was cast into oblivion especially valuable for Liberty, on the intel- after a difference of opinion about . Rach- eral comprehensive and controversial pieces lectual argument about the American Revo- of legislation. Jed was a valued advisor as we maninoff. Guests were asked to say who lution (Liberty, July 2008, pp. 37–42). their favorite composers were, and when After his retirement, Ronald and his com- navigated our way through the details of deep- Rand’s turn came, she said ‘‘Rachmaninoff,’’ panion Clement Ho moved into a pretty, ly complicated issues. Jed also demonstrated with specific reference to his second piano three-story house in the Washington suburb great leadership in the way he helped mentor concerto. ‘‘Why?’’ Ronald asked. ‘‘Because he of Rockville, MD. There Ronald completed the rest of the legislative staff, who both re- was the most rational,’’ Rand responded. At his magisterial edition of Hayek’s The Con- spected and trusted his guidance. which Ronald laughed, thinking it must be a stitution of Liberty (University of Chicago Jed should be proud of the service he has joke. He knew that the composer had dedi- Press, 2011), which straightens out a great provided to our District and country. It has cated that concerto to his psychiatrist—and deal that Hayek left, shall we say, been an honor to serve with him and as I re- anyway, rationality had nothing to do with unstraightened. Ronald was already in poor its greatness. But Ronald’s laughter resulted health, requiring the use of a cane and, even- tire from office I wish him the very best in the in exile, and the loss of friends who were tually, one of those personal elevators that future. Western North Carolina is a better dear to him. take you from the first floor of your house to place because of his efforts and I will cherish Ronald was a professor in the Department another floor. He had countless near-death the memories of serving with Jed and the of History at the University of Alberta from experiences—frequently being rushed to the team by my side. 1969 until his retirement in 1998, at which hospital, with only a half hour available to Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleagues to join me time he immediately moved back to the save his life. Yet he bravely undertook a in recognizing and thanking Jed Bhuta for his United States. He detested conformist cul- long journey to Greece and Italy, which he tures, and he regarded both his department hard work on behalf of all of western North enjoyed, and he lived with equivalent brav- Carolina and to wish him continued success in and, it is fair to say, Canada itself as ery from day to day. To see Ronald sitting at epitomes of conformism. I once asked him his desk, surrounded with computer wires, his future endeavors. what was wrong with Canada, and he said, like a snake-charmer among his clients, f ‘‘I’ll tell you. If you walk into a store in Can- watching his computer with one eye and IN RECOGNITION OF THE OPENING ada, and you find a customer having a dis- Cary Grant (Turner Classics, again) with the pute with a sales clerk, 90% of the other cus- other, was to imagine a cultural world that OF THE SUPERMAN EXHIBIT IN tomers will immediately side with the clerk. was, for once, under intelligent control. CLEVELAND HOPKINS INTER- That person is regarded as an official, and Ronald was a combination of supposed op- NATIONAL AIRPORT therefore the one to obey.’’ He attributed posites. He was a fiery combatant, yet a gen- this defect of Canadian culture in large part erous and lenient friend. He was sensitive HON. DENNIS J. KUCINICH to the migration to Canada of people opposed and nostalgic, often to the point of tears, yet OF OHIO to the American Revolution. They set the an unflinching judge of the written word. He tone. struggled, year after year, against the un- IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Ronald himself was always a revolu- countable illnesses that racked his body; yet Friday, November 16, 2012 tionary. He was outraged by any offense to he was always as valiant as a soldier under- Mr. KUCINICH. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in individualism, so much so that he engaged in taking his first combat mission. But there a ferocious online conflict with other gay was no contradiction. His life demonstrated recognition of the opening of a new Superman libertarians, who regarded the move that we libertarians are right: the indi- exhibit in Cleveland Hopkins International Air- Braveheart as a tribute to the heroic indi- vidual, complex and whole, is the mysterious port. vidual. Ronald pointed out that the move and unending source of all that is vital in The history of Superman dates back to the was historically ridiculous and anti-homo- our world. 1930s when it was created by Glenville, Ohio sexual to boot. He argued, convincingly, that Ronald is survived by his friend Clement natives, Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster. The works of art really do need to be judged by Ho, who was with him every step of the way. their fidelity to historical truth, whenever Superman exhibit will be a permanent display Anyone wishing to contact him is invited to located in Cleveland Hopkins International Air- they recommend themselves as historically do so, at [email protected]. true. But the most important thing was Ron- port’s baggage claim area. The exhibit will be f ald’s ability to distinguish pseudo-individ- highlighted by a Superman statue and the ualism from the real thing. Nothing could be HONORING JED BHUTA words ‘‘Welcome to Cleveland—Where the too real for him. One day, when he and I were Legend Began’’ and ‘‘Superman, World’s discussing various versions of libertarian HON.