What we lost - 22/11/1963 - JFK

[Paul Brancato]

43 minutes ago, Chris Barnard said:

 

Cheers.

I like that speech too, there is a whole paragraph or two that researchers generally ignore, because think it's all about the soviet union. It isn’t. 

The quote is applicable to a lot of things. 

I hadn’t heard the speech before. It seemed to me he was referring to the USSR. What’s your take? 
Have you seen the RFK funeral train? RFK was shy, and as you say he was a real ‘profile in courage’. 
Fan boys - the term rankles. If only the authors of that phrase would do as you have done. I’m not blind to his imperfections, but can’t take anyone seriously who starts there and glosses over everything else. Do they see it as a murder mystery? Or an epic American tragedy? It’s the latter for sure. That has to be our starting point. 

Edited November 24, 2022 by Paul Brancato

[Paul Brancato]

8 minutes ago, Chris Barnard said:

Thank you, Paul. 
 

This is mostly rhetorical but, have you thought about why the tears came? I have thought long and hard about why I have been brought to tears by watching some of JFK’s speeches, they are haunting. I suspect there are multiple reasons. 
 

Good on Leonard Bernstein. What a mark of respect. JFK moved so many. 
 

What is interesting is that my brother gravitates more toward Robert F. Kennedy. I think because he is younger, too, and could empathise with the impossible situation that Bobby was in. Bobby was on that trajectory for assassination from the moment he heard the news from Dallas. Even with his low confidence in public speaking, and his shy, sensitive nature, he could not betray his brother’s memory. He had to mourn, get himself together, and be the guy he was never cut out to be. He got the death threats, like Teddy, heinous stuff like they’d throw acid in the kids faces while at school, stuff which would psychologically paralyse most people. He went on, like a month to a flame, he had to try to get elected and find justice for his brother. Can you imagine having to communicate with LBJ after the JFKA? Having 10 children or something, he knew what the outcome could be. He took a shot at taking on a great foe like his brother, and paid in blood too. I might argue that living with this brother’s killers still at large was more excruciating than what happened to him at the Ambassador Hotel. I feel a deep sadness for him and also an admiration. He was so human, people saw the sadness in his eyes and felt his passion. Perhaps I feel this way because my brother and I are so close. 😞 

 

The tears come because I am so saddened, and long for the trust he inspired. I could never be anything but an idealist, no matter how ‘unrealistic’, and a humanist, meaning I want all the people on this planet to be treated with respect, all Life in fact. In my lifetime he stands out as a principled man and leader. I feel the same about MLK, and am nearly always moved to tears when I hear his words. I feel the loss of our 1960’s leaders deeply, 

[Guest]

51 minutes ago, Paul Brancato said:

I hadn’t heard the speech before. It seemed to me he was referring to the USSR. What’s your take? 

About 95% of it is about the importance of free speech vs the need for security, in relation to the Soviet Union. IMO there are a couple of places that are interesting in terms of the linguistics he uses, particularly when looking at the context, ie it is just a few days after the failed Bay of Pigs invasion. I'll try to do a proper reply tomorrow, when I am less tired.