[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 154 (2008), Part 14]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 19344]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                       HONORING MARGARET MEHRING

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LOIS CAPPS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 16, 2008

  Mrs. CAPPS. Madam Speaker, thank you for this opportunity to speak 
today about my dear friend Margaret Mehring, who passed away on July 3, 
2008. Margaret was someone that we all want to--and need to--remember. 
She was an educator, filmmaker and author. She was a political 
activist, fighting against the McCarthy era excesses and standing firm 
for the freedoms we cherish in this country.
  She also worked hard to help Native Americans tell their own stories, 
with her work being expanded to the founding of the Media Training 
Development Program for Tribal College around the country. She managed 
political campaigns and even wrote a pamphlet about running grassroots 
campaigns that I got into the hands of top Democrats in Washington. How 
many of her lessons are finding their way into this election, I often 
wonder.
  Margaret Mehring was all this and much, much more. She was a friend, 
a mentor, an always present conscience to many of us in this room. 
Margaret and I became friends when my late husband Walter was beginning 
his improbable run for Congress. That was back in 1994. Long before 
most people even knew who Walter was, Margaret was one of his strongest 
supporters. She and Walter--and I--connected on a very deep level. She 
understood the importance of building a community of hope and purpose. 
But she also knew the value of organizing a community around an idea 
or, in this case, a person and political movement. Margaret dedicated 
herself to organizing and turning out the vote for Walter so he would 
be elected to Congress.
  She was someone who really recognized the importance of grassroots 
organizing, mobilizing a community, and turning out the vote. She was 
instrumental in galvanizing many of her friends and neighbors to 
support Walter's, and later my, candidacy. And I will always be deeply 
grateful to the tireless work she devoted to my campaigns.
  But what makes me remember Margaret and miss her was larger than the 
help she provide Walter and me, as important as that was.
  Margaret's work was dedicated as much to strengthening our democratic 
traditions and our civil society as it was to any one candidate. She 
was concerned about the vitality of our democracy and the health of our 
society. Ensuring that we leave this wonderful Earth a better place 
than we found it was what drove her every day. Clearly Margaret was a 
valuable member of the Democratic party, but more importantly she was 
an asset to the Democratic process.
  I will miss Margaret dearly, I already do. But I carry with me--every 
day--the lessons of her commitment to her community, her dedication to 
making the world a better place. It is a source of strength and a 
constant inspiration to me. Thank you for letting me offer my thoughts 
today.

                          ____________________