John F. Kennedy

Just some thoughts that came to mind while reading Heather Cox Richardson’s report today. Because she mentioned Senator John Kennedy, that made me think about President John F. Kennedy.

People have been pointing out that the rich are bad news and they should not be running the country because they are disconnected from the rest of society. They don’t understand what it’s like to struggle financially. They’ve never had to worry about money. They’ve never had to worry about not having food or being able to pay the rent. They’ve always had everything they needed or wanted. Jim Wright reminds us that the rich always fear the poor, that the goal of the rich is to keep the poor down and that we need to stop electing rich people.

I agree. But I suppose there are a few exceptions. Weren’t the Kennedys always one of the wealthiest families in America? I feel that several members of the Kennedy family, particularly those involved in today’s government, are a threat to our nation and humanity. But from what I know about John F. Kennedy, during his short presidency, he actually did work to make life easier for people who were struggling.

Am I right about that? I didn’t experience that era. John F. Kennedy was assassinated fourteen years before I was born. I know he wasn’t perfect, and I’ve heard about his behavior when out of the public view. But when on the job, my understanding is that he devoted his time to fighting for minority communities and the poor.

Maybe that’s what got him assassinated. Did other rich people feel that he was a threat to them and their way of life? It would explain why we still don’t know for sure who assassinated Kennedy. The rich and powerful have shown us that they can and do cover their tracks.