Originally Posted by chelsea24

First, let me say, you can have all the megabucks in the world and not get elected or re-elected, so that argument doesn't hold water and JFK NEVER took a penny of his salary as President... it was donated to charity. Joseph Kennedy Jr. completed his 25 combat missions and was eligible to return home, he volunteered for an Operation Aphrodite mission in which he died on August 12, 1944. Yes, fighting for YOUR country. Kathleen Kennedy, who could have easily remained a socialite, devoted all of her time to the Red Cross before being killed in a plane crash.

Did JFK use his family's influence? Yes -- "Kennedy had used his family influence to get into the war quickly. The Allies were in a campaign of island hopping since securing Guadalcanal in a bloody battle in early 1943. Kennedy was assigned PT-109 upon arriving at Tulagi. By August 1943, the Allies had captured Rendova and moved PT boat operations there. The US Army was driving the Japanese out of Munda airfield at New Georgia by August. All of the islands around Blackett Strait were still held by the Japanese."

Kennedy was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for his lifesaving actions following the collision; it was established in 1941 for heroic actions at risk of the person's own life but not involving actual combat. During his presidency, Kennedy privately admitted to friends he didn't feel he deserved the medals he had received, because the PT 109 incident had been the result of a botched military operation that had cost the lives of two members of his crew. When asked by interviewers how he became a war hero, Kennedy's grim reply was, "It was involuntary. They sank my boat."

Profiles in Courage is a 1955 Pulitzer Prize-winning book attributed to John F. Kennedy, describing acts of bravery and integrity by eight United States Senators from throughout the Senate's history. The book profiles senators who crossed party lines and/or defied the public opinion of their constituents to do what they felt was right and suffered severe criticism and losses in popularity because of their actions.

I could go on through Robert, Eunice, Teddy and more. All children born into wealth that didn't have to do a damn thing but sit back and count their money, but instead fought and worked everyday of their lives to make YOUR country better. Were they perfect? No, none of us are. Were they flawed? Yes, all of us are. But your should thank God everyday that the Kennedy dynasty was and will live on through their children. Why? Whether it's Civil Rights or boosting the minimum wage, or getting in the trenches to fight for freedom -- they made this country better. If you can't respect that, there's something reeeeallly wrong.

But it has become apparent that there is great division in this country. And it's not the left and right. And it's not between clear thinking Repulicans and Democrats. It is between the logical, thinking, hopeful, God loving, constructive, caring people and the chest bumping, bible thumping, gun toting, yelling, destructive extremists.

I noticed that both you and SteveZ listed Vietnam in your profiles. I'm guessing you both must have served there and I can't even imagine the hell you must have gone through. My own Godfather served and has had to date 26 operations on his leg to try to reconstruct it. In fact, he was just in a coma a few weeks ago from a medication that went wrong. Thank God, he is fine now.

I have the utmost respect for our service people. A dear friend, young man that used to work for us is in Iraq as we speak. I didn't like or admire George Bush one iota, but after 9/11 I gave him my complete backing and I will always back our young men and women that serve our country. You might want to give Teddy Kennedy some respect for his many years on the Armed Services Committee, where he continually and passionately fought for the rights and care of our armed forces. Or you just might want to show some respect for a good man that died.

If George W. Bush were to pass away tomorrow, I wouldn't say things like "Well, I hope the 5,000 young men and women that were killed in Iraq are waiting at the Pearly Gates to meet him". How juvenile and disgusting. I would simply say prayers for his soul and his family.

I was 15 when JFK was assassinated. I was sitting in freshman English when a note came our teacher Mr. Mahoney. He was visibly shaken and he then announced that our President had been killed. One smartass kid laughed and said something stupid (well, he was 15) Mr. Mahoney literally jumped across two desks, picked this kid up by the throat, threw him into the hallway and told him never to return to his class again.

Oh boy, you have no idea how I wish Mr. Mahoney was here right now.