If heaven has a special place for fathers and daughters, Sen. George McGovern is now with his daughter, Terry. Hopefully an eternity of happiness and joy lie ahead. McGovern will, for the most part, be remembered in history as a liberal warrior for the hungry. He had a successful career in politics. Although he was a staunch Democrat, he knew how bipartisanship and compromise were essential, as illustrated by his work with Republican Sen. Bob Dole on the issue of food stamps. He had a Ph.D. in history, taught in many colleges and was a prolific author. And of course, McGovern was a dismal failure in his effort to become president. All of that is well worth noting, but perhaps what all of us can best learn from Sen. George McGovern is the need to better understand mental illness and chemical dependency. 

In Tim Russert’s book, “Wisdom of Our Fathers,” there is mention of a book that was so sad that Russert said he had to put it down repeatedly.  This book, written by McGovern, was entitled, “Terry: My Daughter’s Life-And-Death Struggle With Alcoholism.” Whether you admired, despised or are indifferent to McGovern’s political views, perhaps his passing can inspire us to contemplate how society can better help those disabled by mental illness and chemical dependency. Perhaps his experience can lend some comfort to parents and families whose loved ones are afflicted with chemical dependency and mental illness.  For the rest of the article: http://www.minnpost.com/community-voices/2012/10/mcgovern-and-his-daughter-terry-what-we-can-learn