Yet on this anniversary of President
Kennedy’s death I would like to share a few thoughts with you. They might not
come out with power or be able to hold your attend for long and they certain
will not be Pulitzer Prize musings but they are mind for what they are worth.
These are the thoughts about today what
we remember today from a 60 year old. These are thoughts about our nation,
about us and perhaps what we learned and what we have forgot over the past 50
years.
Today we remember, we recall a tragedy
that took place fifty year ago. It is the 50th anniversary of the assassination
of President Kennedy. I was just ten years old and I remember the day very
well. The most vivid image I have is returning home from school to find the TV
repair man trying to fix our TV and my mother ironing cloths in the kitchen
crying. I would guess at age 10 I did not truly understand the magnitude of the
events of that day but I certainly do today!
Fifty years ago our nation had a
profound sadness, whether you were a republican, democrat, independent or
whatever this day brought great sadness. We were one on this day 50 years ago.
Our dreams and hopes of a new way of life were crushed by an assassin’s bullet.
President Kennedy had given us a vision, a hope. It was going to be a long
journey and there were many obstacles in the way but we had hope. There were
struggle, disagreements, challenges and opposite sides but we had hope. To many
it might have seemed like a fairy tale, but we had hope. There were
republicans, democrats, independents, conservatives, liberals, progressives,
traditionalist, but we had hope!
Yet I believe that today hope is hard to
find. We have wandered very far from what this day meant 50 years ago. As I
journey through the land of the technology, television, the internet, Facebook,
Twitter, to name just a few I often have a profound sadness. We are now a
nation divided, angry and profoundly disrespectful. We would prefer to tear
down then to build up. We would prefer to be against than to find a way to be
united. We would prefer to ridicule rather than honor. We want it only our way
and have no use for what others think unless they think like us. We use the
technology we have to make fun of, criticize, bully, degrade and be negative
rather than find common ground and grow. Today we have republicans, democrats,
independents, conservatives, liberals, progressives, traditionalist, tea
partiers and little cause to hope!
I wonder if President Obama where to
assassinated would the nation be one? Would we grieve, would we mourn, would we
come together? Sadly, I think not! The prejudice, nature, regression, negativity
and hate that consumes us at time as a nation continues to be fed and fortified
with every Tweet, Facebook posting, Instagram cartoon and 24 for hour news
channel. We are a nation divided, angry and selfish. We are a nation were hate
and prejudice has become the norm. We are a nation that has lost our focus, our
respect, as a people of faith, as people united, as people working for a better
world, as a people of hope.
Might we pause for a moment in the midst
of this anniversary to consider what we value, to consider what is important
and perhaps just for a day not bash one another, not degrade one another, not
disrespect one another. Say something good about another person on Facebook
today. Say something good about another person on Twitter today. Say something
good about the President today on Facebook and Twitter or any place else today.
Say something good about our nation and the people in it no matter where and
how they have come to this land!
Let us remember what we lost 50 years
ago. Let us remember what made us sad; what made us one, 50 years ago today.
Let us be dedicated to honor, respect, vision, faith and all that can be good
when people listen, talk and think beyond just themselves. Let us find hope
once again!
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