Fw: [NaijaPolitics] TRIBUTE TO JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY, FIFTY YEARS AFTER!

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: rotimi fashakin <rotfash@yahoo.com>
To: NaijaPolitics@yahoogroups.com
Sent: Friday, November 22, 2013 2:01:18 AM
Subject: [NaijaPolitics] TRIBUTE TO JOHN FITZGERALD KENNEDY, FIFTY YEARS AFTER!

 

John Fitzgerald Kennedy: undying dreams, unforgotten legacy.

On Tuesday, 19^th November, 2013, Caroline Kennedy, the only surviving child of the assassinated American President, John F Kennedy (JFK), rode gloriously a horse-driven cart – in a respectful conformity with 19^th century Japanese tradition – before submitting her letter of credence to the Japanese Emperor, Akihito. The colorful parade was witnessed by enthusiastic Japanese, some of whom had travelled hundreds of kilometers to be part of the ceremony. Today marks the 50^th year of the cruel assassination of one of America's most charismatic President, John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

Born on May 29, 1917 in Brookline, Massachusetts; John Kennedy had an illustrious academic career having turned- in late 1940-  his honours thesis at Harvard into a best-selling book, 'why England slept'.  The steely make-up of JFK played up in his refusal to allow the excruciating Back pain to keep him from achieving enviable heights in American military and political leadership.

As a young lieutenant in the American Navy, JFK commanded a Torpedo Squadron PT-109. On August 1, 1943, while on duty in South Pacific, a Japanese destroyer tore through the Boat, killing instantly two members of the 13-man crew. He jumped into the sea to rescue the boat's thirty-seven-year-old engineer, Pat 'pappy' McMahon who was badly burned and could not swim. This eventually translated into swimming for five hours in the open sea before leading the survivors to a safe island where they were airlifted by rescue team. There, a legend was born! When eventually another boat (PT-59) was placed under his leadership, many crew members of PT-109 opted to be under him again. This was a firm attestation of his selfless leadership capability.

As a Congress man, the genius of the man was hampered by the debility from his nagging back pain. As President, he had his mistakes, especially the ineffectual 'bay of pigs' invasion which left the American state bruised militarily and diplomatically. Also, he could not push the passage of two bills – Civil rights and Tax cut – which were dear to his heart. His Vice and successor, Lyndon Baines Johnson, clearly more astute as regards legislative politics, was able to ensure the enactment of the bills into law after his brutal and painful assassination.

On May 25, 1961, JFK stated that the United States should set as a goal the landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth" by the end of the decade. Though outlived by the implementation of this vision, the goal was achieved on July 20, 1969 by Neil Armstrong and his crew on the Apollo 11 expedition.

The greatest achievement, according to very perceptive Homo sapiens, was in the deployment of enviable leadership acumen in the Cuban missile crisis of October 1962. He never flinched in his belief that diplomacy should prevail over a military invasion which could have imposed an apocalypse on this Earthy plane. He maintained a legendary clear-headedness in the midst of 'hawkish' admonitions from his military chiefs and close partners in government, including his Vice (Lyndon Johnson); Nikita Khrushchev, Soviet President, finally backed down on the stock-piling of Nuclear weapons on the Cuban Island. The World indeed owes to the memory of John Fitzgerald Kennedy a deep appreciation for allowing sanity to prevail over moment of madness.

Throughout his public service, he worked assiduously and patriotically, not minding the infirmity of his physical being. He gave real essence to the timeless words: the Candle burns itself to give light. In death, JFK still lives on. A true American indeed!

 

By:

Engr. Rotimi Fashakin.

Email: rotfash@yahoo.com

 

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