The Hellraiser

I'm one of the few individuals of my generation that remember watching the 1992 Democratic National Convention live, where former Governor and current Senator Zell Miller riled up Madison Square Garden, inducing the crowd into chants of "Give 'Em Hell, Zell." It is that moment which causes me, to this day, to have somewhat of an affinity towards Zell Miller. The poster boy for an education governor, he has done an outstanding job at championing and expanding public education in the state of Georgia. Zell Miller did a great job at bringing a lot of infrastructrual development to Georgia, which helped pave the way for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. He is even responsible for introducing to Governor Bill Clinton, two men who would become two of his most influential advisors, Paul Begala and James Carville. Despite his near-lunatic rantings and ravings as a Senator, his time here as Governor was nothing short of commendable.

It is hard for non-Georgians to grasp this about Zell Miller, but I've been there for the whole shebang. Because of Miller, I've seen the state become one of the top-five fastest growing states in the country (we are currently the 9th largest in population). Because of Zell Miller, my younger cousins started school at the age of four in Pre-K instead of Kindergarten, giving them a head start for educational success. Because of Zell Miller, I could go to any school in the state of Georgia and have my tuition completely payed for. Because of Zell Miller, I enjoyed a computer in all of my classrooms in grade school. And so, instead of saying "good riddance" like many of my peers on the left, I bid former-Governor Miller a farewell that comes from the bottom of my heart, and maybe one day, the prodigal son will return. AJC writes:

[A]s Zell Miller's more than 40-year political career closes this week with his official exit from the Senate, friends and colleagues say he will be remembered more for the legacy he built in Georgia than for his actions in Washington.

Indeed.