Farewell to a Friend...

Charles Edward Lakins
1951 - 2007

RIP
It is with deep sadness that I reflect upon the passing of Chuck Lakins, a man I didn't even know until this past summer. He was a regular at our protests, to the extent that it was possible for him to be there. I know it was an incredible effort for him to come, but it was important to him that he make his dissent known to the world. Conversation was difficult, but we had one exchange that was crystal clear and still makes me laugh. He was showing off his "Down With Fascism" headband, which he loved, and asked me, with a big grin and a twinkle in his eye, if I thought he might get arrested. I'm pretty sure he would have worn getting into trouble with the law as a badge of honor.

I didn't know Chuck before he was stricken with ALS, and the truth is I didn't know much about him even after. What I do know is that he was a man who desired a world where peace, justice, and the common good are the values we stand for, and that he was willing to fight for those things. He desperately wanted stem cell research. Not for himself. He knew it was too late for him. He wanted it for those who would come after him, those whose struggles are just beginning, those yet to be diagnosed with a debilitating illness or disease. That selflessness tells me everything I need to know about Charles Edward Lakins. He was a man determined that his voice be heard, though he could barely speak. A man willing to stand up for what he believed in, even while confined to a chair.
Rest well, my friend. We'll do our best to carry out the mission you have left to us, and we thank you for having touched our lives in such a profound and inspirational way.

As Always, PEACE.

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