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A Nod to JFK
Welcome to Monday, let's make it a fantastic week! This week, we celebrate a man who was a great president, a great soldier and a great person. That man is John F. Kennedy, born May 29, 1917, in Brookline, Massachusetts.
Shortly after graduating from Harvard, Kennedy joined the U.S. Navy and was assigned to command a patrol torpedo boat in the South Pacific. On August 2, 1943, his boat, PT-109, was rammed by a Japanese warship and split in two. Two sailors died, and Kennedy’s back was badly injured. Hauling another wounded sailor by the strap of his life vest, Kennedy led the survivors to a nearby island, where they were rescued six days later. The incident earned him the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for “extremely heroic conduct” and a Purple Heart for the injuries he suffered.
Kennedy went on to serve in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate before becoming the 35th president in 1961.
As president, Kennedy faced a number of foreign crises, especially in Cuba and Berlin, but managed to secure achievements such as the Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty and the Alliance for Progress. He also started the Peace Corps and won the Pulitzer Prize in history for his book Profiles in Courage.
When Kennedy was elected president, he gave one of the most stirring inaugural speeches in history. In that speech, he said the famous words, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.” It was a wake-up call for Americans to take a stand for their freedom and get involved on some level. Kennedy is credited with making Americans feel safe but, at the same time, instilling a deep sense of pride for their country and a willingness to fight to keep its borders safe.
In 1962, the United States discovered that the Soviet Union was building secret missile bases in Cuba. Those missiles would be able to strike the U.S. with nuclear bombs. In the coming days, the United States and the Soviet Union came close to nuclear war. The United States quarantined Cuba in order to keep the missiles out. After negotiations, the Soviet Union agreed to dismantle the bases. In return, the United States agreed to never attack Cuba and to remove missiles from Turkey.
Lee Harvey Oswald shot Kennedy while riding in a convertible in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. Almost every American who was 5 or older on that day remembers it clearly. There’s still a lot of speculation around the mystery surrounding his death and why it’s still such a vivid memory in the hearts and minds of so many. But one thing is certain: He was one of the most beloved presidents – a man who worked hard to bring about peace. This week we celebrate his life.
Something to Think About
What does the phrase, “Ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country” mean to you? Would it have the same meaning if spoken today?
Weekly Activity
We celebrated Armed Forces Day last week, and next week is Memorial Day. How can you honor those who served, or what can you do “for your country”?
Words of Wisdom
“A man does what he must – in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures – and that is the basis of all human morality.” – John F. Kennedy
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.” ¬– John F. Kennedy
“Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.” – John F. Kennedy
“Physical fitness is not only one of the most important keys to a healthy body, it is the basis of dynamic and creative intellectual activity.” – John F. Kennedy
“Let us not seek the Republican answer or the Democratic answer, but the right answer. Let us not seek to fix the blame for the past. Let us accept our own responsibility for the future.” – John F. Kennedy
“If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.” – John F. Kennedy
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