38 years later, we still need to hear these words.....
"Too much and too long, we seem to have surrendered community excellence and community values in the mere accumulation of material things. Our gross national product.... if we should judge America by that-- counts air pollution and cigarette advertising, and ambulances to clear our highways of carnage. It counts special locks for our doors, and the jails for those who break them. It counts the destruction of our redwoods and the loss of our national wonder in chaotic sprawl. It counts napalm and the cost of a nuclear warhead, and armored cars for police who fight riots in our streets. It counts Whitman's rifles and Speck's knife, and the television programs which glorify violence in order to sell toys to our children.
Yet the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education, or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages; the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage; neither our wisdom nor our learning; neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country; it measures everything, in short, except that which makes life worthwhile. And it tells us everything about America except why we are proud that we are Americans."
Bobby Kennedy, speech at the University of Kansas, March 18, 1968
posted by Ellen at 2:30 PM
7 Comments:
Excellent idea, of putting Bobby's speech up here. It's been awhile since I've gone over any of them-
I remember the assassination day at school, the AV-TV was hooked up for the news, and all the Nuns crying all day.
We really missed out on a leader who could've changed the economic struggles today!
Makes perfect sense to me, what we're NOT proud of- what the world of money we created has become-
The GNP - time to re-examine where it's going today... food for thought
Wow! You got that right...
Question, if someone were to give this speech today - who would you recommend giving it that would be well received by most of the US?
Good morning Ellen.
Eloquent words.......it reveals just why he was so admired. I too remember the day he was shot and the subsequent funeral.
I was wondering the same question as Barbara? I wonder if the public would accept the words from another politician as genuine? I guess it's all in the delivery.........
because I think if someone stepped up to the plate who was believably authentic, he would win hands down.
I remember that all so clearly, first thing I did when I arrived here was go to the hotel and see where it all happened.
snaggle~
It might have been that I had just got through watching a documentary about Bobby, and found his words are just as powerful today.... or it might have been that I was having a flashback to 68. Not sure which, but I feel as you do. We did miss out on having someone in the White House that could have changed the direction of this country... but we'll never know.
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barbara~
Really good question! I think anyone who has truth in their heart, is ruthless enough to by-pass the greed of entitlement, and wants to get down in the dirt (so to speak) to make a difference against injustice, has a chance of saying it effectively. It's all in the heart.
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awaqreness~
Good point! Being believably authentic is a tall order to fill these days. Finding a person who has no smears in their past is hard to find.
Our system of campaigning is only too willing to fall upon the mud-slinging sword in order to sway the masses.... and it's hard for the voters to find an authentic person through all that muck. Yet, we plod along hoping that we don't end up with the foolish administration we have now... and look how that worked?
I may get a lot of flack for this... but I still feel we were robbed by not getting Gore in office in 2000. He made some mistakes (who hasn't?) in his campaigning... as well as had to suffer the backlash of Clintons follies, but I think he would have been effective in bringing this country down a different path. And we wouldn't have had to suffer through the decisions of Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, and Donald Rumsfeld.... who really called the shots, not Jr. Bush. Bush finally flexed his arm a bit with the firing of Rumsfeld... but we are far too entrenched into the policies to make any real difference at this point.
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skye~
I watched an interview with Emelio Estavez who said his Dad took him to the very spot it happened as well. That must have been a chilling experience.
Is the hotel still up? I heard that they have since closed their doors... but are they planning to re-open it at all?
Ellen;
How fitting that I would be reading your post on the anniversery of JFK's assassination. The question that will always beg to be answered is what would have happened had both of these leaders lived?
History can be cruel at times.
Love Karl
karl~
Well said!.... and yes, history can be cruel, and we can only hope to learn by it if we are smart enough to pay attention, huh?
Too many anniversaries this time of year, especially for us. Hard to believe we are looming so close to 30 years without Mom.
I would like to spend a little time away from house and oven this weekend to catch the movie out about Bobby. It will be interesting to see the take on it.
Good grief... I still remember the actual events so well.
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