Elaine
08-30-2009, 08:08 AM
IN the context of Ted Kennedy’s passing, I went back to a few of his speeches, one of which was so eloquent and powerful parts of it have remained with me through the years, even though it was given decades before the luxury of review afforded by YouTube. Here is the Eulogy… http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9JTYnMpRyg
As I listen again to Teddy’s impassioned speech I am carried back to a time of my life that profoundly shaped who and what I am. There was a time in my life and in this country when we valued public service and contribution over the acquisition of personal wealth and private advantage. There was a time when we paused to listen to each other, a time when, as a society, we valued and sought out people of ideals who inspired and challenged us to rise to the best of our impulses and the best of our abilities, rather than listening to parasites (like Mr. Limbaugh and Mr. Riley) who generate nothing of value, but merely twist and distort events to drive up numbers of viewers and fatten their bank accounts.
What will we each leave behind, what will our legacy be?
As I listen again to Teddy’s impassioned speech I am carried back to a time of my life that profoundly shaped who and what I am. There was a time in my life and in this country when we valued public service and contribution over the acquisition of personal wealth and private advantage. There was a time when we paused to listen to each other, a time when, as a society, we valued and sought out people of ideals who inspired and challenged us to rise to the best of our impulses and the best of our abilities, rather than listening to parasites (like Mr. Limbaugh and Mr. Riley) who generate nothing of value, but merely twist and distort events to drive up numbers of viewers and fatten their bank accounts.
What will we each leave behind, what will our legacy be?