Betty Ford made a difference to millions of Americans who were either stricken by cancer or struggled with addiction. While it is sad to say good-bye to one of our best first ladies, her life should be celebrated, for she made an enormous difference to countless others who would have suffered needlessly if it were not for her dedication, transparency and honesty.
Ford’s candor in confronting the stigma over cancer and the misunderstanding over addiction will remain her lasting legacy. Sure, there was her advocacy of the Equal Rights Amendment, and her challenge of social norms--not to mention the gasps she elicited when she said she would share a bed with the president. But her ability to get people to talk about cancer, to get checked, and her views that addition should be treated like an allergy or illness, not as shame, are why we say good-bye to a trailblazer. Perhaps Betty Ford’s legacy is for her work she completed after she left the White House in 1977. Regardless, at a time when our politics are so toxic and polarized, let’s take some solace in that there was a time when our leaders, regardless of their political persuasions, could work together.
Read about the passing of another 1970s icon, Dick Williams, here.
The grace with which Betty Ford carried herself shows below. Her husband, Jerry Ford, lost his voice after a hard-fought re-election campaign, which he lost to Jimmy Carter. She spoke for him to his supporters, and that clip from C-Span is here:
About The Author
Leon Kaye
Leon Kaye is the founder and editor of GreenGoPost.com and its advisory division, GGP Media. Contact him to discuss how he can work with your organization or event.
His focus is making the business case for sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
He writes for San Francisco-based Triple Pundit, Inhabitat and now The Guardian, for which he writes about corporate responsibility, water, and green building. He has also written for AIA's Architect Magazine.
Leon works out of Fresno and Silicon Valley, California, and when he has free time, he enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking, weightlifting, and planning his next trip to one of the 60 countries he has visited. He has an MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business and is also a proud graduate of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) and Cal State-Fresno.
Betty Ford made a difference to millions of Americans who were either stricken by cancer or struggled with addiction. While it is sad to say good-bye to one of our best first ladies, her life should be celebrated, for she made an enormous difference to countless others who would have suffered needlessly if it were not for her dedication, transparency and honesty.
Ford’s candor in confronting the stigma over cancer and the misunderstanding over addiction will remain her lasting legacy. Sure, there was her advocacy of the Equal Rights Amendment, and her challenge of social norms--not to mention the gasps she elicited when she said she would share a bed with the president. But her ability to get people to talk about cancer, to get checked, and her views that addition should be treated like an allergy or illness, not as shame, are why we say good-bye to a trailblazer. Perhaps Betty Ford’s legacy is for her work she completed after she left the White House in 1977. Regardless, at a time when our politics are so toxic and polarized, let’s take some solace in that there was a time when our leaders, regardless of their political persuasions, could work together.
Read about the passing of another 1970s icon, Dick Williams, here.
The grace with which Betty Ford carried herself shows below. Her husband, Jerry Ford, lost his voice after a hard-fought re-election campaign, which he lost to Jimmy Carter. She spoke for him to his supporters, and that clip from C-Span is here:
Leon Kaye is the founder and editor of GreenGoPost.com and its advisory division, GGP Media. Contact him to discuss how he can work with your organization or event.
His focus is making the business case for sustainability and corporate social responsibility (CSR).
He writes for San Francisco-based Triple Pundit, Inhabitat and now The Guardian, for which he writes about corporate responsibility, water, and green building. He has also written for AIA's Architect Magazine.
Leon works out of Fresno and Silicon Valley, California, and when he has free time, he enjoys hiking, gardening, cooking, weightlifting, and planning his next trip to one of the 60 countries he has visited. He has an MBA from USC's Marshall School of Business and is also a proud graduate of the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) and Cal State-Fresno.
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