This month, Frank Church would be 100. A kid from Idaho grew up to change America | Opinion

This July 25 marks the 100th birthday of former Idaho Sen. Frank Church, a man we had the great privilege of working for, learning from and a man who set our compass toward protecting America’s great democratic experiment.

In the spring of 1941, not yet seventeen, Church departed by train from Boise to Charleston, South Carolina to be a finalist in the American Legion Oratorical Contest. The trip changed his life and cemented his belief in democracy. He won that competition and a full scholarship to Stanford University with a speech entitled, “The American Way of Life.”

Eight months before Pearl Harbor he began his speech with these words: “During the course of the past year the American people have witnessed with apprehension the destruction of democracy in all parts of the world.”

He asked the question about the U.S. response: “Do you believe that it is merely to protect our farms, our industries and our property, or do you believe, with me, that it is primarily to defend democracy, to defend freedom, to defend our American way of life?”

Church served with more than 16 million young Americans to defend the American way of life in World War II. Over his 24-year career in the United States Senate he tackled the toughest issues that faced our nation and the world. His belief in America never wavered and his staunch support for a civil society based on free and fair elections, open debate and dialogue, and, most of all, a commitment to the truth were central to who he was.

Church reminded us many times that it was easy for politicians to put up a finger to the prevailing political winds and go along with the crowd. But that was not what they were elected to do, especially when it came to issues that were critical to a functioning democracy. Their oath mattered greatly.

When it was time to take a stand on the Vietnam War, Church didn’t hesitate. He was one of the first to oppose the war and take the lessons he learned as an intelligence officer in Asia during WW II to make his arguments. He not only spoke out when it was unpopular at home, but he authored key legislation to bring that war to an end.

When large multinational corporations were bribing foreign governments to gain contracts, Church investigated them and wrote the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act to put a stop to such activity, bringing down several governments and keeping our big companies honest.

When our intelligence agencies were engaged in spying on Americans, reading their mail and tapping their phones without warrants, the select committee he chaired shined the light of day on their activities. The Church Committee also took on the CIA and its plots to assassinate foreign leaders as well as to foment coups against democratically elected governments. Permanent intelligence committees were established in the House and Senate and legislation was passed to require warrants, and regulations were established to bring the FBI, CIA and National Security Agency into line.

When it was time to protect our environment and stand up for our wide-open spaces Church helped pass the Wilderness Act, the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act and created the 2.3 million-acre River of No Return Wilderness, now named after him.

Every day we went to work for him, along with so many other staffers, it was always about getting things done, working with Republicans and Democrats, furthering the cause of democracy. He insisted every constituent be treated with dignity. He raised the standards of public service and took on the tough issues, not because they are easy but because they are hard, as John Kennedy used to say.

This July we will celebrate Church’s 100th birthday at a gala and a gathering of many who knew and worked for him but, most important, a traveling exhibit with the Idaho State Museum that highlights his accomplishments for Idaho, the nation and the world.

May his ideas, his work and his words continue to inspire our belief in our vibrant democracy.

Peter Fenn is a longtime political strategist and was a top aide to Sen. Frank Church. Larry LaRocco is a former Congressman from Idaho and also served on the Church staff. Both have been involved with the Frank Church Institute at Boise State University since its inception.