Paul Wellstone was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1990, the year I started Atlas Games. The previous year, I was privileged to take his introductory Political Science class at Carleton College, which had quite a positive impact on me.

Throughout his career, as a professor and activist and then as a Senator, Paul's career was defined by his belief in inclusion. You could see this in his classes, which always overflowed and had to be moved to larger spaces; he would accept a much larger workload because he did not want to turn away people who came to him. In his class, he was like a preacher for the positive force of involvement in politics. While I did not always agree with his political positions, I did find him a source of inspiration, as he maintained his energy, his enthusiasm, his faith in the democratic political system when it's so easy to succumb to cynicism, and his willingness to do what he believed was right, even when it hurt his popularity.

Minnesota has lost a shining star in Paul Wellstone, and a whole constellation of bright souls who shared the tragic plane with him. Please hold them, and the family and friends left behind, in your thoughts your prayers this evening.

-John Nephew
President, Atlas Games