John Lewis is my congressman, and I am a proud constituent

Welcome to AJC! | ajc.com: "No one in Congress today is more familiar with arrest etiquette than Lewis, the civil rights leader who has been jailed more than 40 times in his 66 years, most recently Tuesday for protesting in front of the Sudanese Embassy over the widespread violence and starvation in Darfur.

There's no shortage of congressmen facing the possibility of prison and ruin these days on charges far more flagrant than civil disobedience.

But even by this unorthodox measure, Lewis, the Atlanta Democrat approaching his 20th year in Congress, stands apart. When Lewis goes to jail, his moral authority --- the source of his political clout --- is enhanced. Respect for him on Capitol Hill grows."