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991121 Sunday awed by the power of the word... |
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Keen Umbehr spoke at the fellowship this morning. Until mid-decade, Umbehr was a trash hauler in Wabaunsee County, Kansas. With a lead-in like that, I'm not sure even I'd be interested. He started his presentation in a very charming manner:
His entire presentation was littered with such "aw shucks, I'm just plain folks" observations. Umbehr came to local attention when he sued Wabaunsee County (southeast of here) for breach of contract. He had been a gadfly in the county, questioning the way the commissioners dispensed favors to political donors and engaged in the small town babbitry and political abuse that is probably rife everywhere in America. He repeatedly published his musings in a column in the local paper, even after the commissioners had threatened to terminate his contract if he persisted in criticizing them. He always had audio tapes or photos to support anything he had to say, so the commissioners didn't dispute the truth of his allegations, merely the wisdom of pointing them out. Eventually, the county did terminate the contract, he sued, and the county won on a technicality -- the fact or interpretation that the law apparently did not protect the first amendment rights of an independent contractor. The tenth circuit in Denver reversed the lower court, and the case wound up at the Supreme Court, which decided 7-2 (Scalia and Thomas dissenting) in Umbehr's favor. I'm not a lawyer, so I've probably missed a step or two, but the recounting of his adventures during the lawsuit constituted the bulk of a presentation that was balanced by his affable and amusing way of relating what must have been a horribly difficult time for him and for his family. Since winning in the Supreme Court, he has sold the business to Waste Management, and he and his wife now attend KSU, preparing to go to law school. Apparently, along the way Umbehr learned to do the legal research himself at Washburn University's law library. If he's any good at his research, then in my estimation his research ability coupled with his engaging speaking style will make him a formidable courtroom lawyer, even though he's coming to the law comparatively late (he's 41 and an undergraduate). Later in the afternoon, I called my parents. We hadn't spoken in a few weeks, and Mom was doing okay. She'd had surgery this week to repair some drooping eyelids -- not so she'd be more attractive, but so she could see. I wonder if I have that to look forward to. There's more to say about the phone call with Mom and Dad, but I'll reserve it for tomorrow. It needs some mulling. |
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Charlie K, who convened at the fellowship this morning, read a poem by Vachel Lindsey ("The Leaden-eyed," I think ) that I really enjoyed. A trip to the public library turned up no volume with that poem in it, but it's worth preserving, so I'll contact Charlie for a copy.
Someone mentioned in fellowship today that My Place, a local biker bar, was hosting a memorial service for Tavis R. at 2 PM. I wouldn't mind going to see how that's handled there, but other commitments prevent me. We finally got Margaret G's window moved from the home she has moved from to the fellowship this afternoon. Angie P and Bob H assisted. | |
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