Great Writting on the Kennedys

One of the best written pieces on the Kennedys, Anne Laurie nails it. Please read it if you haven't already.

The "Luck" of the Kennedys

Ted Kennedy 2/22/32 - 8/25/09 RIP

I have not been a huge fan of the Kennedy clan over the years. But I have to say that he was a good guy. He went not just the extra mile, he went several extra. Two brothers shot down in the prime of life, in political life, just because they wanted to bring equality to all Americans. He was wealthy and did not need to spend his entire life trying to make people's lives better. He could have spent his life getting richer, thinking only about himself. He did not. If we had a few more politicians like him this country, this world would be a better place. It was a better place for him being here, even with all his human failings. He joined and served as an enlisted man in the Army, something I did not know till today. But even without military service he should always be remembered as a patriot, a person who loved his country. He may have been born into a family of privilege, and even enjoyed that privilege, but he did not act like a privileged person.
I am old enough to remember JFK being elected and assassinated. I watched and listened to Bobby Kennedy and was amazed at the depth and direction of the man. Ted lived up to that, his brothers would have been proud.


His great quote at his brother Robert's funeral:

"My brother need not be idealized, or enlarged in death beyond what he was in life; to be remembered simply as a good and decent man, who saw wrong and tried to right it, saw suffering and tried to heal it, saw war and tried to stop it.

Those of us who loved him and who take him to his rest today, pray that what he was to us and what he wished for others will some day come to pass for all the world. As he said many times, in many parts of this nation, to those he touched and who sought to touch him: 'Some men see things as they are and say why. I dream things that never were and say why not'."



The words stand today and ring true about Ted, just like they did for Bobby.

Liberty and Health Care

I'd like to be a great writer. Well actually I'd like to be great at quite a few things. But as I'm just a blogger I get to link to great thinkers and writers. Not the same but there you are.

Read Digby today, hell read Digby everyday. It probably won't make you a better writer (it is possible!) but it will always be worth your time.
This one's a keeper:
What's So Good About It?

Some days I just have to wonder what is with our world? You know the one here in the states, the one where our education and political systems brings us a VP candidate who can't even speak in clear, understandable language. Where people rant against their fellow citizens having health care. Where slavery is not dead, it's just moved from the plantation to your boss's office. Your boss gets to keep you captive because otherwise you may not be able to keep living.

More about fascism

Sara Robinson's post on fascism at FDL, http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/6987 has raised quite a stink.

Some of us think that it may be one of the most important posts ever. Some disagree.
But as I look around I see people who seem to be too stupid to find out any actual facts and to see that their only source of facts info is the Glen Bullshitters of the airwaves. As Sara's post is about the sinking of democracies by their crazy, seemingly disenfranchised citizens and we are right on schedule to be at the point of no return I think that should be depressing.
The only way to get past this and keep the country that we know is to recognize this, and now, so that we can act on it.
The only problem with the right wing talking about fascism is that they don't realize they are talking about themselves.

More H/T EB Misfit

Where to from here?

Please read the following post at FDL by Sara Robinson
http://seminal.firedoglake.com/diary/6987

With all the lies and fear mongering from the right on an issue that would help almost everyone in some way and most likely not harm anyone, what we're actually seeing is a desperate last grasp power grab. And that is truly depressing. I thought that is what was but Sara's post brings the history of this kind of movement front and center. I wish with every fiber of my being that it can be turned around, headed off, reasoned with, whatever. But I'm afraid that we won't be able to.
I think what we're seeing is the start of the death of a nation. I've never wanted so badly not to be an eye witness.

H/T Earth-Bound Misfit