Leading Mankind

December 6, 2019

President John F. Kennedy

Dear President Kennedy:

A few weeks back we commemorated the 56^th anniversary of your assassination in Dallas Texas. Those of us who are old enough to remember that day can still remember exactly where they were when they learned of this tragedy. I myself was sitting in my 4^th grade class at Blessed Sacrament and Mrs. Crotty, our teacher, delivered the news after she received a note from the principal. Many of us wonder what this country might have been like if you did not meet this tragic fate that day in November. As you know, you were on your way to the Dallas Trade Mart to deliver a speech to business and civic leaders but unfortunately that speech was never delivered. Thanks to your Library, copies of that speech are available.

Mr. President, as you know that speech was to tell all about the importance of the United States maintaining and improving their standing as the best hope for the world. This coming just a little over a year after our confrontation with the Soviet Union during the Cuban Missile Crisis. The ending of that speech is one which still can be a lesson for us today.

“Let us not quarrel amongst ourselves when our Nation’s future is at stake, Let us stand together with renewed confidence in our cause – united in our heritage of the past and our hopes for the future – and determined that this land we love shall lead all mankind into new frontiers of peace and abundance.”

Well Mr. President one thing that hasn’t changed is the quarreling amongst ourselves. If anything, it has gotten worse and due to this fact, it is making our ability to take on that leadership role and lead all mankind to those new frontiers impossible. In fact, it is allowing others to begin to step into the void left by us and Countries such as China and the old Soviet Union are beginning to feel their oats. This was after the fall of communism in the 1990s. Another item that has changed is that many feel that our past heritage is tainted and attempts are made to change and revise our history as to not offend anyone. President Kennedy, please allow me to give you some examples. There are those who would like to wipe out any memory of the Confederate States of America. Our Civil War was not exactly one of our finer moments, but the results have made us into the Country which you know. People are offended by the fact that some of those who fought for the Confederacy are memorialized with monuments but as I have said in letters to others it is a way to learn from the past and I am sure that you would agree. By revising history we do not cleanse ourselves we just become deniers.

You see President Kennedy that once again if we just take a step back and learn from that past heritage as you suggested and take the advice of leaders like yourself is still pertinent and maybe we would not be in the situation that we presently find ourselves.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to writing you again soon.

Sincerely,

Andrew DeMarco