JFK and Defending Democracy Around the World

John F. Kennedy said some amazing things during his life time. When I was in college I became fascinated with JFK and found a book on the speeches he gave during his adult political life.

Now there are speech writers and then there are people who give speeches - I believe Kennedy may have been both. If you go to his presidential library in Boston you can see written speeches that looked as if they were final drafts... only to have Kennedy personally make changes in the margins. A word added here, a new phrase there, but the changes would make the statement perfect and the ideas come to life.

During his 1961 inaugural speech President Kennedy made two remarks that lay the foundation for defending democracy around the world.

Quote 1
"Let the word go forth from this time and place, to friend and foe alike, that the torch has been passed to a new generation of Americans, born in this century, tempered by war, disciplined by a hard and bitter peace, proud of our ancient heritage, and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today, at home and around the world!"

Kennedy layed the ground work for American political and military interest and intervention in other parts of the world that were free or pursuing freedom. "... and unwilling to witness or permit the slow undoing of those human rights to which this nation has always been committed, and to which we are committed today, at home and around the world."

The man most democrats would choose as the most influencial member of their party in the last 50 years clearly stood for pursuing democracy around the world. Almost every current democrat in the U.S. House of Representatives and the United States Senate would stand against John F. Kennedy today, including his own brother.

Quote 2
"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty."

We shall pay any price and oppose any foe to assure the survival and success of liberty. According to the first quote, not just in this country but around the world.

It amazes me to see how many democrats idolize JFK but don't agree with his politics and the things that he beleived to be right. Iraq is a serious challenge and our troops must come home quickly, but what we've tried to do there was worth pursuing. Read Kennedy's writings and you'll see that he would have agreed.

TK