Posted on 07/29/2006 9:09:15 AM PDT by Bad~Rodeo
Vice President Johnson, Mr. Speaker, Mr. Chief Justice, President Eisenhower, Vice President Nixon, President Truman, Reverend Clergy, fellow citizens:
We observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom—symbolizing an end as well as a beginning—signifying renewal as well as change. For I have sworn before you and Almighty God the same solemn oath our forbears prescribed nearly a century and three-quarters ago.
The world is very different now. For man holds in his mortal hands the power to abolish all forms of human poverty and all forms of human life. And yet the same revolutionary beliefs for which our forebears fought are still at issue around the globe—the belief that the rights of man come not from the generosity of the state, but from the hand of God.
We dare not forget today that we are the heirs of that first revolution. 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.
Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty
.
This much we pledge—and more:
To those old allies whose cultural and spiritual origins we share, we pledge the loyalty of faithful friends. United, there is little we cannot do in a host of cooperative ventures. Divided, there is little we can do—for we dare not meet a powerful challenge at odds and split asunder.
To those new States whom we welcome to the ranks of the free, we pledge our word that one form of colonial control shall not have passed away merely to be replaced by a far more iron tyranny. We shall not always expect to find them supporting our view. But we shall always hope to find them strongly supporting their own freedom—and to remember that, in the past, those who foolishly sought power by riding the back of the tiger ended up inside.
To those peoples in the huts and villages across the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required—not because the Communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right. If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich
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To our sister republics south of our border, we offer a special pledge—to convert our good words into good deeds—in a new alliance for progress—to assist free men and free governments in casting off the chains of poverty. But this peaceful revolution of hope cannot become the prey of hostile powers. Let all our neighbors know that we shall join with them to oppose aggression or subversion anywhere in the Americas. And let every other power know that this Hemisphere intends to remain the master of its own house.
To that world assembly of sovereign states, the United Nations, our last best hope in an age where the instruments of war have far outpaced the instruments of peace, we renew our pledge of support—to prevent it from becoming merely a forum for invective—to strengthen its shield of the new and the weak—and to enlarge the area in which its writ may run.
Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.
We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed.
But neither can two great and powerful groups of nations take comfort from our present course—both sides overburdened by the cost of modern weapons, both rightly alarmed by the steady spread of the deadly atom, yet both racing to alter that uncertain balance of terror that stays the hand of mankind's final war.
So let us begin anew—remembering on both sides that civility is not a sign of weakness, and sincerity is always subject to proof. Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.
Let both sides explore what problems unite us instead of belaboring those problems which divide us.
Let both sides, for the first time, formulate serious and precise proposals for the inspection and control of arms—and bring the absolute power to destroy other nations under the absolute control of all nations.
Let both sides seek to invoke the wonders of science instead of its terrors. Together let us explore the stars, conquer the deserts, eradicate disease, tap the ocean depths, and encourage the arts and commerce.
Let both sides unite to heed in all corners of the earth the command of Isaiah—to “undo the heavy burdens…and to let the oppressed go free.”
And if a beachhead of cooperation may push back the jungle of suspicion, let both sides join in creating a new endeavor, not a new balance of power, but a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.
All this will not be finished in the first 100 days. Nor will it be finished in the first 1,000 days, nor in the life of this Administration, nor even perhaps in our lifetime on this planet. But let us begin.
In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than in mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course. Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe.
Now the trumpet summons us again—not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are—but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, “rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation”—a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.
Can we forge against these enemies a grand and global alliance, North and South, East and West, that can assure a more fruitful life for all mankind? Will you join in that historic effort?
In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility—I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.
My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.
As flawed as he was,JFK is,IMO,about the last prominent democRAT who is worthy of the respect of decent Americans.
Ted Kennedy is a disgrace to the memory of his brother
What is chilling is that this Inaugural Speech is prophetic(?)
It was his brother's memory/name that saved Teddy's fat rear end from being thrown in jail murder
He was strong in his opposition to communism, and considered Sen. Joseph McCarthy to be a great American.
This is a great speech, but it is really amazing the amount of faith people put in the power of human reason and science. The fact is, we have never held in our "mortal hands" the power to "abolish all forms of human poverty." Martin Luther King, who was frankly a humanist in a lot of respects (especially towards the end of his life) said essentially the same thing. LBJ certainly believed it, to the extent that he believed anything.
Today's Democrats would start a ceaseless media frenzy if that last line was uttered by a Republican.
JFK supposedly had sex with a couple of girls, but not his own wife Jackie, on the morning of his inauguration. He had terrible personal moral flaws, but on issues of national security and the superiority of democracy and capitalism, he wouldn't fit in to today's Democrat party.
He might be a Republican today. His stands on national security issues and the tax cuts he got through Congress would make him more Republican.
Yep, there are a few mentions of God and a bible verse in this speech. I wonder if Hillary will invoke the Almighty is she gets elected. I wonder if any Democrat would. I hope we don't find out.
JFK would be a Republican today. Today's Democrats are Socialists.
A book I once read (can't recall the title) claimed that their old man was an absolute scumbag when it came to sex and marital fidelity.
In fact,every time my Dad and I used to drive down Commonweath Ave in Boston (parts of which are very rich and classy) he used to point out a small hotel there where he said that he and my mother (sometime during the 40's) saw Joe Kennedy and Gloria Swanson walking through the lobby heading toward the rooms.
One of my favorites!
You would never hear a Democrat today utter these words and have hope of being elected.
Yet, if a Republican said them, they would be prosecuted.
That's sad.
I also recommend FDR's speech as being "prophetic".
http://www.fdrlibrary.marist.edu/4free.html
JFK supposedly had sex with a couple of girls, but not his own wife Jackie, on the morning of his inauguration.
Yes we do, politics and power prevent it from happening. Usama, kim jong ill, abu musab al zarqawi, Nikita, Fidel, Hiltler,...etc.
. DON"T MUDDY UP THE INTENT OF THIS THREAD WITH BS.
(damn liberal...)
Exactly. That is, human nature being what it is, bad governments, wars and incompetence continue to survive. Thus poverty continues. I recall that Christ said "The poor you shall always have among you." Some people will not embrace free market capitalism, the best anti-poverty program in existence.
...unless its the Bay of Pigs and in that case I will not support Freedom Fighters with superior firepower against a bunch of unshaven Cuba Guerrilla fighters!"
Amazing what words from a Kennedy and just 3 short months after his inauguration will do!
JFK was the original Reagan Democrat.
- Womanizer
- Stole an election
- Had medical ailments
- Used poor judgement during the Cuba Missile Crisis
- Bay of Pigs
- Ties to the Mob
Good list.
But with all due respect..
But you're point is 100% correct - he in not worthy of respect from 'decent Americans'. More so, he may have (along with his criminal brother Bobby) had M.M. offed for what she knew.
IMO; He was a pig.
Not a bad poor creatively constructed meaningless spiel, as go creatively constructed bad poor meaningless spiels.
Too bad, though, that the abjectly-amoral, intellectually lightweight, massive-electoral-fraud "elected," drug-habituated, satyriasis-suffering, mobbed-up gangster bastard who publicly performed it had no idea where the "country" he pretended to "serve" ended and where began the "government," whose Hundreds of Billions of Dollars his family and its cronies have for generations looted, neither understood a word of what he was saying nor, had he understood, have meant a single syllable of it!
bttt
<< Well gee Dilbert, brother Teddy caused the drowning of a female at Chappequiddick. What's that's got to do with JFK's inaugural Speech?? >>
Everything.
The Kennedy brothers, sons, cousins and Kennedy père were/are similarly abjectly amoral and intellectually bankrupt satyriasis-suffering sons-of-bitches.
Don't be fooled by a few words some Hollywood flak creatively strung together for "Hapless-Jack" Kennedy to publically perform.
John F. Kennedy is NOT worthy of respect. He was a terrible president who nearly blundered his way into a nuclear war. He stood by and did nothing while the Soviets built the Berlin Wall. He also betrayed the Cubans at the Bay of Pigs. And while JFK was banging Marilyn Monroe and mobster Sam Giancana's girlfriend, the Soviets put missiles in Castro's Cuba.
When he was a senator, JFK was part of the Catholic lobby which pushed for the installation of a Catholic president in South Vietnam. As early as 1954-55 he advocated military intervention to help the French hold back Communist advancement in North Vietnam.
He was instrumental in the installation of Ngo Dunh Diem as Prime Minister. When Kennedy became President, he rapidly escalated the U.S. military involvement in support of Diem's Catholic regime. Later when Diem's persecution of the Buddhists began to draw fire from world opinion, Kennedy chose to pressure Diem to let up on the persecutions. Diem's Buddhist generals seized the opportunity to assassinate Diem. Three weeks later Kennedy himself fell to an assassin's bullet.
The truth of Kennedy's disasterous presidency has been hidden behind the myth of "Camelot" that was very carefully built and nurtured by his widow, brothers, mother, Ted Sorenson, and other Dem media sycophants. Today, many people think JFK was a great president when he was actually one of the worst scumbags ever to disgrace our highest office.
The man was cheating on his wife while she was carrying their third child. The couple was all but officially separated at the time, until Jackie had the boy and he died shortly after birth. Only then did JFK go to her side.
That statement is an absolute insult to everything Ronald Reagan stood for! John Kennedy wasn't fit to shine RWR's riding boots.
John Kennedy would NOT be a Republican today. Like his lousy brother Ted, he'd have drifted ever Leftward with the Dem Party. So he pushed through some tax cuts and gave a couple of speeches with big rhetorical flourishes. Big deal. That doesn't wash away all the terrible things he did while president.
The man was president for just under three full years and had nothing to show for it except the Berlin Wall and a Soviet satellite state 90 miles from Florida. He was an increasingly unpopular president and, in fact, was going to Dallas to shore up support from southern Dems. Had he not been too arrogant to take the Secret Service's advice to use the bulletproof top for his limo in Dallas, there was an excellent chance JFK would not have been reelected, and today he would merely be a footnote in history.
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