The seventh of nine children born (1925) to a political dynasty, Robert Kennedy would emerge from the shadows of his enigmatic older brother as a defender of humanity--a civil rights activist who paid the ultimate price to better the lives of his fellow man. Kennedy's noteworthy political career began humbly when he left Harvard (later graduating in 1948) to join the US Navy. He obtained a law degree from the University of Virginia and began a meteoric rise in the political arena by working with the US Department of Justice before leaving to facilitate his brother's successful presidential campaign. Appointed by his brother John F. Kennedy as the US Attorney General, Bobby Kennedy became the president's most trusted advisor and helped him navigate such tenuous matters as the Cuban Missile Crisis, the enactment of Civil Rights legislation, the battle against organized crime, and the Vietnam War. The 1963 assassination of President Kennedy--along with the United States' increasing involvement in Vietnam--galvanized Bobby Kennedy's presidential aspirations. Shortly after winning the California primary on June 5, 1968, and addressing his campaign supporters, Robert Kennedy was assassinated by Palestinian radical Sirhan Sirhan, allegedly for his support of the Jews during the six-day war.
The legacy of Bobby Kennedy was forged in the fight against oppression and for social justice. He was an outspoken opponent of the Vietnam War who questioned the morality of any war against a third-world country, and he readily allied himself with Cesar Chavez in protesting the treatment of migrant farm workers in California. Kennedy's most impassioned mission, however, was that of civil rights. While serving as attorney general Kennedy enforced legislation that dismantled Jim Crow laws and enfranchised blacks, and he sent US Marshals--and later deployed reservists--to Oxford, Mississippi, to enforce a Federal Court Order admitting the first black student, James Meredith, to the University of Mississippi. A close confederate of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Kennedy carried the torch ignited by King after King's assassination.
Bobby Kennedy was committed unabashedly to the moral imperative of equality, alienating many in the wake of his fervor. He did so knowingly, admitting that he would likely not become president, but he believed that, "Somebody has to speak up for the Negroes and Indians and Mexicans and poor whites"(Simkin). Like his staunch opposition of Vietnam War, Kennedy's beliefs regarding civil rights were largely unpopular, but this did nothing to dissuade his efforts in working toward racial equality. Kennedy's commitment to the cause of social justice--and his knowing sacrifice in order to achieve this mission--engendered the success of the Civil Rights Movement and left a lasting legacy of service to the down-trodden and suffering.
Civil rights. (n.d.). Robert F. Kennedy. Retrieved September 23, 2010, from
http:///en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_F._Kennedy
David, L., & David, I. (1986). Bobby Kennedy: The making of a folk hero. New
York NY: Dodd, Mead & Company
Kennedy, R. F. (1969). Thirteen days: A memoir of the Cuban missile crisis. New
York NY: W.W. Norton
Robert Kennedy. (2010). Encyclopedia of world biography. Retrieved September 25,
2010, from http://www.notablebiographies.com/Jo-Ki/Kennedy-Robert.html
Simkin, J. (1998). Robert F. Kennedy: biography. In Spartacus educational.
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USAkennedyR.htm
As I read your blog on Bobby Kennedy, I tried to find similarities in our choices. The few that I found surround their passion for what they believed in. Otherwise, their differences lie in their medium. Kennedy’s focus was on society at large, while Jobs’ was in the business field. They both did try to improve the lives of others, of course based on different platforms, but their drive defined them. You call Kennedy a visionary, and here I found a consensus in our choices. Jobs and Kennedy were visionaries. They envisioned a different world and they each believed that they could be instrumental in shaping that world.
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ReplyDeleteRose Sember said...
I too am a fan of Bobby Kennedy and have always been impressed by his vision and compasion for those in need. I believe that Bobby Kennedy and Randy Pausch have similar moral character and the power to motivate others into action. They also both died at a young age. Although their deaths were both tragic, both lived life to the fullest in the short time they had. There differences would be in their backgrounds and career choices. Randy Pausch was an educator while Bobby Kennedy was in politics most of his adult life. However, both are careers where charisma is key to success.
Heather, You have chosen a true leader of American history. While in history books, movies and the internet world, Robert is often overshadowed by his brothers and other family members, a study of this man’s journey will without doubt demonstrate the remarkable leader Robert Kennedy was. Although on surface value, it does not seem plausible to compare a politician to an entertainer, however, if you research closely, you will discover many similarities between Robert Kennedy and Walt Disney.
ReplyDeleteLike Disney, Robert had strong moral character and remained closely connected to his family throughout his life. Kennedy served as his brother John’s most trusted confidante and main political advisor. Walt Disney was a true innovator in the entertainment industry and brought many new ideas and techniques to his industry. Robert Kennedy gave society a new idea, a new beginning, a revolution. He set new standards for politicians as Disney did for entertainers. He had his goals set on equality, liberty, and societal change. He made boundaries for what Americans deserved. His leadership played a major role in political themes for the sixties and carried into the seventies and remains vital even to this day.
The most glaring similarity between Disney and Robert Kennedy comes in their remarkable character to not fear failure. As you wrote, Kennedy’s most notable quote on failure remains a staple for all leaders of our world today. Disney was known to be motivated and driven by his past fail attempts in his business. As Walt Disney did for the entertainment industry, Kennedy influenced our society for the better, and gave the nation greater expectations for political advisors. Walt Disney and Robert Kennedy represent two very distinct careers paths; however, they share the definition of two great American Leaders.