Thursday, June 05, 2008

bobby


Eleven years old, school just out, waking up in my sister's room on an early summer morning, thinking about the lazy days lying ahead. I hear my sister crying and then the door opens and my mom comes in to tell me that Bobby Kennedy has been shot. What a terrible loss. It's a rare person who brings to public office the gift of true generosity and compassion. The sixties were frightening years and too often tragic. War, environmental destruction, riots, assassinations, chaos: terrifying. I am too quick to forget that when I take a nostalgic look back at the countercultural movements. Remembering Bobby Kennedy gets me to thinking how things might have been. Such a loss.

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9 Comments:

Blogger Joe said...

You know, having been born in February, 1968, I really wasn't even that aware of how big a deal this was. JFK & MLK, sure, those are assassinations that everyone is familiar with.

I actually enjoyed seeing the film "Bobby", directed by Emilio Estevez, last year, although I know it wasn't well received. It gave me a good sense of what things were like and how unbelievable that time of all those assassinations was. I can't imagine what it was like for people waking up to yet another one that June.

June 05, 2008 11:38 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I was very young at the time, but I remember the news footage, the grief of my parent's and older siblings, and the other's in my neighborhood. I have also wondered what could have been with Bobby and MLK still involved in national politics, and social change. There is a big fear just under the surface that Obama might face the same end, and I cringe at the thought of what might happen to this country, once all the pent up rage is released.

June 06, 2008 4:58 AM  
Blogger Shakedown Crews said...

I hate to say it, but the Kennedys are overrated. A bunch of hypocritical rich socialists, ready to take what little wealth we've been able to accumulate in order to empower themselves and entrench themselves as Washington Elite. Jack was a corrupt, womanizing immoral SOB, Ted the same. Bobby, I don't know.

It's time to move on, Belle. Hopefully Obama will prove himself to be of better mettle than the Kennedys.

June 06, 2008 5:59 PM  
Blogger LSL said...

Wonderful picture, wonderful man.

June 06, 2008 8:58 PM  
Blogger Jackie said...

Great post Belle.
Shakedown cruise,
The Kennedy's are no angels, I'll grant you that. But, their contribution to America is significant. The reason they are backing Obama is because he fosters and inspires the same important attitude they do. That is that this is a participatory government and we all should be active and realize "we the people" make the difference. Kennedy's start teaching their children at a very young age to give back. That their wealth is not the norm and that they are never to look down on those who don't have. It's drilled into them that public service is not only important, it's an obligation. It's ludicrous if you think that these rich folks couldn't find other ways to occupy themselves.
The Kennedy's are responsible for Head Start, which directed education toward the value of pre-school. Also, Peace Corps, Job Corps, and Special Olympics were Kennedy initiatives. Now, the present generation of Kennedy's are just as involved in public service. As belle says, true generosity and compassion and I'll add service and sacrifice to the list. As a family that could have taken the Paris Hilton do nothing route, they chose to get off their rich duffs and inspire us all to do the same.

June 07, 2008 2:14 AM  
Blogger Doralong said...

I remember the day, it was a terrible loss indeed. I really have always believed that if those three men had not been murdered we'd be in a vastly different country today.

June 07, 2008 7:04 AM  
Blogger Unknown said...

short but a bittersweet post Belle. Thanks cher'.

ps..I put it up on Sirens..

June 07, 2008 8:13 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

"Remembering Bobby Kennedy gets me to thinking how things might have been"

The potential is daunting isn't it? Sad it is still yet to be realized. I hope it will someday.

June 09, 2008 1:42 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

How come we don't observe the Day of Chappaquiddick, in honor of Mary Jo Kopechne.

June 27, 2008 2:55 PM  

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