Kennedy

[John Dolva]

Kennedy was just another man with a blend of personas.

He was a politician with a keen sense of politics. He was backed by great intellects within his own family. When considering the Kennedy presidency, one often talks of "the two Kennedys", Jack and Robert. There was also in the early sixties the rising star of Edward. Unfortunately ,for now, later events blocks what could very well be a renaissance. John jr is gone but another is rising in the wings, so it's not over yet. If I was a bush, I'd definitely would closely scrutinise any new gardeners about the house.

Kennedy was a christian first, sure he was a catholic, but while there is ample evidence of the christian within, there certainly is doubt about catholicism. There's definitely more of the protestant there. Still, honor and duty is there in spite of real doubts. His life was one of resolution, of stilling the storm. Part of this was to resolve the contraditctions between his faith and his actions*. He had a father in heaven and a representative of god on earth. I wonder how bound he felt towards his duty and obedience to the Papacy. In other words I think he saw God as the only authority higher than himself. And he submitted, as much as any one caught up in life today can be expected to, to his God. And this god was a god of tolerance, forgiveness, and love.

He was a supremely intelligent and Pragmatic man.

He had come close to death on many occasions, he knew from personal experience what suffering is. He suffered every day of his adult life. He knew Pain, and was loath to inflict that on others.

Importantly, he also knew Relief.

Relief comes when there is peace.

He found this through the periods of profound distress. War experiences, Life threatening physical conditions, a death of a child... amid death threats.

He also found relief in drugs. Good relief, that enabled him to get up and go.

He knew both.

He was a man who came to Martin Luthers side in 1960, before he was elected. When elected he came down on James Merediths side showing he was not kidding.

After his famous civil rights speech in 1963 when he proclaimed that the time for waiting was over, Medgar Evers was assassinated.

Robert flew to Medgars brothers side, sparking off a friendship that grew stronger until cut short when Robert was shot only a few meters away from his friend.

Kennedy was a supreme politician, he knew that as president he would be in a powerful position for change. So what does a Senator do to get to be President. Simple: he gets elected.

In the choice of Jonson and ... he showed a recognition of 'uniting the country' meant a need for

a southerner Vice president, so he made his choices. possibly the worst deciscion he ever made was to choose Johnson.

Which is why it's vitally important to recognise WHY the best choice at the time was seen by him to be Johnson.

The point of all this is to riase the consideration that Kennedy's choices at the times when action was needed, he significantly came down on the side of cilvil rights. And it's those choices that reveal the true Kennedy.

*(At this point I'd like mention a thought: has anyone ever equanimously attempted to analyse the truth of Kennedys infidelities, what exactly was the scale and the meaning of such things. How much is smear tactics and how much is truth? any truth?)