The Pure Water Gazette Proudly Awards Its Celebrated and Much Coveted Hero Award To
the late Senator Wayne Morse (1900-1974) of Oregon.
Where is Wayne Morse Now that We Need Him?
Ever heard of Wayne Morse? Probably most younger readers haven't. In the McCarthy era, he was a staunch opponent of the anti-Communist madness that took over our government. He was an outspoken defender of civil liberties during his twenty-four years in the Senate.
Originally a liberal Republican, he abandoned his party affiliation in protest of Eisenhower's choice of Richard Nixon as his vice-presidential candidate. For a time he sat in the center aisle of the Senate as an independent before eventually becoming a Democrat. . Morse made many enemies, and these included five presidents, since he usually voted his own mind and did not bow to party pressures. It was after he had become a Democrat that he drew the ire of the Democratic administration of Lyndon Johnson for refusing to toe the party line
But for that story, you'll have to read Norman Solomon's excellent article about the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on New York and Washington, and a subsequent Solomon article about the Iraqui crisis in July 2002.
