Posted on 08/26/2009 10:30:11 AM PDT by doug from upland
We don't celebrate the death of those with whom we disagree (unless they are truly evil like Castro, Che, Kim Jong Il, etc). God rest Ted's soul and prayers for his family. He fought for what he believed as we fight for what we believe.
His legacy, however, goes beyond his career in the Senate. He cannot get away from the death of a young woman who could have been saved had he not run away and allowed her to die in an air pocket in six feet of water.
From three years ago, here is one of my first YouTubes. Hopefully, my skills have improved a little since these rudimentary graphics.
TED KENNEDY, CHAPPAQUIDDICK LIFEGUARD
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Here is my email this morning from an old FR friend and firebrand activist from New Hampshire, Katherine Prudhomme. We had a great phone conversation this morning. Katherine and her family were great hosts to me when I was in the northeast two years showing HILLARY! UNCENSORED ---------------
Doug, long time no hear, I was compelled to respond this morning to an ABCNews.com piece I read via Drudge about Kennedy. I'm sending it to you in the event you want to post it on Free Republic., Kath.
Ted Kennedy was a large figure in my life, growing up in Mass., on welfare and in subsidized housing. Some people have told me we would have starved to death without Kennedy and his constant championing for the poor and downtrodden.
When I was in my early 20's and learned about the Chappaquiddick incident during the senate race w/ Romney, I was shocked. Mostly, I was shocked he could get re-elected so easily by the folks around me. I moved to New Hampshire.
"For all of us, either it would make you or break you," said presidential historian Richard Norton Smith, a consultant for ABCNews.com.
No, for all of us, without the Kennedy name, it would be the end of a political career and the start of a life behind bars.
"Few of us experience something as soul-testing as that, but when we can weigh it against the succeeding 40 years and draw some linkage, who would believe this story would end this way, so essentially triumphant?"
That's a lie. It was his bad character that put him in the situation he was in-drunk behind the wheel. Even if he wasn't drunk, the choices he made after the crash speak volumes to people who want to listen. Only someone with a greatly flawed character would conduct themselves as he did.
I don't see how he can continue to be lauded by people like the one quoted in your story and the Mass voters. More than anything, Kennedy made fools of all of them.
I will never feel one once of gratitude to Kennedy for the free housing and government cheese. I save all my gratitude for the kind people in my old neighborhood and church who brought us food and clothes. But how do I thank the taxpayers who worked hard and through their taxes helped us? When their charity was forced- by people like Kennedy how can it be considered charity? Helping me was not their intent, paying taxes was. Perhaps starving would have been better, then I'd know who my real friends were and the world would have seen the real effects of a father who wouldn't pay child support and the state (of Massachusetts) who did not consistently compel him to do so.
He's dead Jim. And he is not up here with me today in Heaven.
Says a terrible thing about the state of our nation that we have country-wide mourning for drug addicted,child-abusing entertainers (MJ) and geriatric, alcoholic, women-chasing manslaughterers (TK).
And Bill Clinton got away with rape.
Probably many times.
Only a Kennedy could have pulled that one off. Now that Teddy’s dead, can we start praying for the demise of that corpse from West Virginia; Bobby Sheets Byrd.
No, we can’t. May he simply finally retire and enjoy a long life with his grandchildren.
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