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Guest Opinion/Commentary*

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Remembering Robert Kennedy’s ‘ripple of hope’
  Society piece by Guest: Kendall Wingrove

There are uncertain times.  The political, social and economic orders that governed for generations now seem jeopardized by bad decisions and overwhelming events. Everyone is asking how to address these problems.

Some thought-provoking answers can be found in a book written four decades ago.  While preparing for the 1968 presidential campaign, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy issued “To Seek a Newer World.”

As we observe the 83rd anniversary of Kennedy’s birth this month, his warnings apply to our current condition. In the book’s concluding paragraphs he outlines these “dangers” of change:

The danger of futility.  Too many believe there is nothing one man or woman can do.  Kennedy said that at the heart of western freedom is the belief that the individual man, a child of God, is the touchstone of value and all groups and states exist for that person’s benefit. 

There are alternatives to hopelessness.  We cherish the brave souls who championed causes at great personal cost.  Those willing to pay the ultimate price, such as Jesus Christ, have changed the world.  As it says in James 2:25: “He who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.”

Futility isn’t the sole possession of voters who fail to exercise their rights at the ballot box.  Too many elected officials fail to recognize their abilities or achieve their agendas.  It takes tenacity and skill to push meaningful solutions through any deliberative body and it requires persistence to attack the status quo. 

During his acclaimed 1966 speech in Capetown, RFK saluted the “numberless, diverse acts of courage” that have shaped human history.  He said: “Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, these ripples will build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.”

The danger of expediency.  Too often lawmakers let hopes and beliefs take a back seat to immediate necessities.  While flexibility has its place, basic values should not be discarded for political gain.  This short-term strategy may yield temporary dividends, but its long-term consequences can be devastating. Lawmakers must remember that they are stewards, not owners, of the government and the public purse. 

Too many are slaves to the latest polls. If lawmakers spent less time chasing the winds of political fortune and devoted more energy to serving those they were elected to represent, everyone would benefit.

The danger of timidity.  Few national figures are willing to brave the disapproval of their peers, the censure of the media or the wrath of society.  As one newspaper editor lamented several years back: “where are the Hamiltons and Jeffersons of our time?”

During desperate situations, leaders always have emerged.  Yet doing “the right thing” isn’t always popular.  How many individuals do we have today who are willing to put their careers on the line and make tough decisions, whatever the cost?

Who will display the profiles in courage in the early days of this 21st century? 

Kennedy made many mistakes, but his words resonate across the generations. RFK’s voice should haunt the indolent and inspire the involved.  He said, “The future does not belong to those who are content with today, apathetic toward common problems and their fellowman alike, timid and fearful in the face of new ideas and bold projects.  Rather, it will belong to those who can blend passion, reason and courage in a personal commitment to the ideals and great enterprises of American society.”

It’s time for each of us to follow his example and send a tiny ripple of hope in our corner of the world.  As Kennedy said, “Let us go forth and 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.”

Kendall Wingrove

Kendall Wingrove is a free-lance writer from East Lansing, Michigan.

Posted by Guest: Kendall Wingrove on 11/20/08 at 07:20 AM
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UPSSA United Progressive Socialist States of America