Glimmers of hope

We are little more than two weeks from the 60th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, who provided a torch that envisioned a democracy that would lead the nation to greatness in spite of struggles. (As a child in that era, I wondered how I had been so lucky to live in the best country in the world.)

I lived outside the nation’s capital at the time. My father had worked for Estes Kefauver, then the Kennedy administration, and then served as an investigator on Capitol Hill. It was a time when I had respect for the Congress and governmental institutions, when legislators would disagree on issues on the floor, then have dinner with their opponents and their families that night.

Today that seems preposterous. The two Supreme Court justices, Ruth Bader Ginsberg and Anthony Scalia, are perhaps the last example of people across the aisle (so to speak) who had genuine respect and admiration for one another despite their ideological differences.

David Shribman’s column in the Daily Inter Lake on Nov. 2 recalls the United States of the Kennedy years, when he claimed “we observe today not a victory of party but a celebration of freedom.” The quote is from the inaugural speech better known for the “Ask not. . .” adage. Such positivity was also heard in 2008, when Obama uttered those simple words: “Yes, we can.”

Assertions of this kind are not heard in politics today.

Much of what people blame President Biden for are the result of the failed policies of his predecessor — just as many things that improved in Reagan’s first term were the result of policies effected by his predecessor. There is indeed a trickle down effect in presidencies, good and bad.

We see glimmers of hope, however.

For Biden naysayers, consider the “brief, shining moment” last month, when he urged Israel not to allow its rage to render them monstrous, for Israel not to make such mistakes as the U.S. did after 9/11. That is wisdom and leadership.

And a footnote: Kennedy is most remembered for his “Ask not” encouragement to his countrymen and women. But it was not entirely original. It was inspired by his headmaster at Choate, who said, “Ask not what your school can do for you. Ask what you can do for your school.” It called listeners to service to school, as Kennedy’s called his listeners to public service. Certainly this effort to work together is something we can render our troubled nation.

— Lenny Granger, Columbia Falls