Reflections on JFK. 50 years from his assasination.

When I first moved up to Boston, one of my first visits was to the JFK Presidential Library.  Having never been to a presidential library, I was going with a skeptical attitude.  I had a conclusion that these libraries/museums existed solely to deitize our leaders, similar to the Roman temples of the Empire period glorifying the emperor.  To an extent, these still do, but that visit and knowledge I learned about Kennedy inspired me to do good.

Walking though the library, I enjoyed seeing the exhibits and documents from different parts of his life.  I chuckled at his report card in Harvard, but also lamented the fact that he got into the university based upon connections instead of merit.  At the same time, while he was not good in school, he was certainly intelligent, a phenomenal speaker and writer.  This was apparent in various excerpts from his writing throughout the museum, and it inspired me to pick up and read  'Profiles in Courage.'

An incredibly inspiring text, something our current politicians need to re-read read and take to heart,

The visit inspired me to read that text, and since then I've greater appreciated courage, particularly in the little things we do that take tremendous amounts of courage in our day to day lives.

Today I am also thinking about a specific moment in my visit to the JFK library.  One of his most often quotes is "And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country."  It is a line taken from his inauguration address.  A television in the library was playing a video recording of the entire speech and I sat down to take a listen.  I was interested, but also I was extremely hot and tired since there was a heatwave, I had no air conditioning, and I wanted to drag out my visit in the library as long as possible to enjoy the sweet cool refreshing air of government sponsored climatisation.  

There is a famous movie, famous in the cult-sense of the word, called "Snakes on a Plane".  (Yes I've jumped from JFK to SoaP with no apparent transition.)  Before going to see this film, I already knew about the successful internet campaign to add 'that line' to the movie... but I didn't know when it was going to happen.  When Samuel L Jackson finally said it, it was an intense moment of glorious satisfaction.  I knew what the penultimate moment would be but had no idea what the buildup was like.   But it was a glorious movie-nerdgasm moment.

A similar feeling (yes) was when I saw the JFK speech.  I knew about the famous quote, but knew nothing of the rhetorical brilliance leading up to it.  To this day, when I become depressed, frustrated, or sad about my life and the world, I skim over his inauguration speech and am reminded of the desire he argued for Americans and humanity to unite and build a better future.