So now we know who’s responsible for Lou Dobbs. It’s the American Legion.

Before announcing his resignation from CNN last week, the Rupert-bred commentator told the Legion that his experience with itsnationwide oratorical contest at Minico High School shaped both his world view and choice of career.

Dobbs, now 64, was 1961 Idaho state champion as a sophomore.

“The discussion was ‘individual rights and responsibilities.’ That experience was fundamental to my ability to communicate in public. It gave me an opportunity to think more deeply and to express those rights and those responsibilities. It’s been an element of my life throughout my life. I never think about rights or privileges without thinking about responsibilities.”

Dobbs, who later founded the Web site space.com, became a star-gazer in Rupert, he said.

“From the time I was a kid on the plains of southern Idaho, I have been fascinated by rocketry, fascinated by astronomy ... (The space program) was a magnificent time, a wonderful time in the national character, to see what this nation could do.

“That’s why I find it so difficult to understand why so many people accept our limits as a nation, rather than talk about our potential, and the opportunities that we should be fulfilling.”

• • •

I’m searching for south-central Idaho folks with forebears who were Civil War veterans who lived and died here. Bob Locke of Gooding says his great-grandfather, Joseph Nelson Byram, is buried in Twin Falls.

“He served in the 59th Illinois Infantry for four years during the Civil War,” Locke said. “He was born in Kansas and died in Hansen, where he was living with his son, Sidney Byram.”

Know anything about any of these south-central Idaho Civil War vets?

William Andrews, died in Twin Falls County in 1918 (94), 46th Ohio Infantry; Texas Angel, died in Blaine County in 1903 (64), 27th New York Volunteer Infantry; S. Avery, Twin Falls County, 22nd Michigan Infantry; Thomas Baldwin, died in Blaine County in 1918 (78), James Balantine, died in Blaine County in 1907 (68), 193rd Pennsylvania Volunteers; R.E. Ballou, died in Blaine County, 1st Wisconsin Regiment; Francis Barker, died in Lincoln County in 1891 (47), 14th New York Heavy Artillery; Charley Bates, died in Blaine County in 1933 (98).

Steve Crump is the Times-News Opinion editor.