A Touch of Frost – Tue. Jun. 13, 2013 – “A speech given 50 years ago today that made a change in history.” Dear Folks, Today we are being besieged by the most disruptive bunch of scandals to ever come out of Washington. This disturbing flow of alleged cover-ups, vociferous accusations and highly questionable conduct has consumed the attention and concentration of practically every nook and cranny of the US government. Without having to repeat what is painfully abundant in the media, one has to wonder if our nation’s governing bodies and Chief Executive are becoming powerless to cope with this growing web of ruthlessly persistent shenanigans and frolic. How the mighty are the fallen! The notorious circumstances that surround State Department, IRS, Armed Forces and National Security Agency, to name the most egregious, are abuzz with evasive commentary, pitiful excuses and in one case no response at all. In view of all the bad things that are happening I wanted very much to grace this communiqué with positive substance and redeeming value. Those of you who know me know I’m fond of saying, “The main trick in life is to turn whatever happens into good.” I’ve been looking for that component of good – and lo and behold I found it. It’s a speech delivered by President John F Kennedy on the evening of June 13, 1963, 50 years ago – “An Address on Civil Rights.” I was a young man of nearly 22 at the time with a deep sadness in my heart and soul brought on strong by the racial prejudice and ethnic strife that was gripping the nation. African Americans were in a tough struggle for equality, recognition and respect. This turbulent era was to become known as the Civil Rights Movement. George Wallace, then governor of Alabama and an admitted die-hard segregationist, was trying to block two qualified African American students from entering the University of Alabama, in spite of a Federal law that allowed all citizens regardless of race, color or creed to enroll in any public institution of higher education. President Kennedy, who had been uncomfortably slow in fully engaging the volatile resistance to the Civil Rights Movement, made a speech that June night the changed minds, hearts and even fears of many Americans – Black, White, Brown and Yellow. His words and his delivery represented a ray of hope and enlightenment not often seen or heard in those days of endless questions and fear. I think it is important that we pause and reflect on those times and President Kennedy’s June 13th speech, especially now in light of all the bad that is happening around us and because this was perhaps the true beginning of the notion, “…We shall overcome.” To read Kennedy’s address on Civil Right log onto: millercenter.org/president/speeches/detail/3375 To read “Kennedy’s Finest Moment” by Peniel E. Joseph - 6/10/13, an interesting NY Times Op-Ed article on the subject, log onto: nytimes/2013/06/11/opinion/kennedys-civil-rights-triumph.html Frost PS - One closing note for those of you who are under sixty. At the time of this speech African Americans were referred to as Negroes or Colored or Colored People - and a few other unmentionable derogatory terms. Mr. Kennedy used the word Negro in his speech, which might seem offensive to some folks in this day and age but please understand that was accepted language in those times. You must also understand that there was legal racial segregation throughout the South well into the 1960’s and a lot of subtle-but-not-so-hidden segregation in other parts of the nation as well. FW
Posted on: Thu, 13 Jun 2013 17:27:14 +0000
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