from: move on dot org
date Aug 26, 2009 8:59 PM
subject The Lion is at rest.
Dear MoveOn member,
The Lion is at rest.
Senator Teddy Kennedy passed away last night and our movement lost a hero. His leadership, his vision, and his passion will never be forgotten.
As we grieve, we must honor his memory and re-dedicate ourselves to his fight. Right now, let’s listen to his words. Below is a powerful video that lots of MoveOn members are passing around this morning.
Tonight, please light a candle in your window to memorialize him.
Tomorrow, as Senator Kennedy said, “…the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”
Tomorrow, let’s re-commit ourselves to achieving the thing that mattered most to him: Quality, affordable health care for every single American.
Thank you for all you do.
–Justin, Adam, Amy, Anna, Annie, Carrie, Christopher, Daniel, Danielle, Eli, Emily, Gail, Ian, Ilya, Ilyse, Joan, Jodeen, Julie, Kat, Keauna, Laura, Lenore, Marika, Matt E., Matt S., Matthew, Melanie, Michael, Nita, Noah, Peter, Sasha, Scott, Stephen, Steven, Susannah, Wes, and the entire MoveOn team
References
Visible links
. http://pol.moveon.org/kennedy/?id=17001-5885054-rnPsRBx&t=3
. http://pol.moveon.org/kennedy/?id=17001-5885054-rnPsRBx&t=4
We buried the “Great One” Sen. Edward Moore Kennedy in Arlington National Cemetery yesterday. Kenyans this is your lost too!. The Kennedy family was instrumental in helping Kenya students with ” airlift fares ” to come to US for their education in 1960s, sending Peace corp to Kenya in post independence days and the recent historical election of ” one of your own” President Barack H. Obama.
Kennedy was more than “the lion” of the US Senate where he served more that 47 years…he was the” champion of the underdog”. US public laws are named after elected officials who author them and get them passed into law. For 47 years in the Senate Kennedy helped, championed and passed: Civil right laws, Disability act law, Minimum wage laws, Immigration laws and numerous health care bills.
To my friend who hale from east coast of Kenya here are your answer on how “Wasungus” handle funerals for their accomplished politicians like Sen. Kennedy. Kennedy’s funeral was celebratory of his achievements when he was on this earth than mourning his death. Public viewing was open to all. There were NO politics by politicians. Ex-Presidents and current President came and got the same attention like other guests in attendance. Kennedy’s friends spanned beyond his Democratic party base. Republicans who have for many decades fought him over major legislations in the Senate came to pay him homage.Effective political leadership call for going beyond ones political base without compromising principals for what you stand for and no one lived this philosophy better than Sen. Kennedy. These are my observations and what Sen. Kennedy’s legacy will mean to me in many years to come.
In all, Sen. Kennedy was ” work horse” not like many politicians who are ” either jack asses or “show horses”. He was a man of action and results. Where many politicians are only concern with their status in society and the posts they hold in public offices, Kennedy opted to fight for the “little guy”!.
Among the many legacies Kennedy left behind none will be bigger than the election of President Obama. Without his unconditional endorsement in primary elections and ” passing of the Torch” to him and the call for new generation to lead and get involve , Mr. McCain and Sarah Palin would be in office today!. Listen to his mortal word: ..with passing the torch … new generation of leaders must get to work..hope will rise again..dream will live on”. Words spoken during at democratic convention in Denver for Obama change election in Denver.
Mr. Obama would be still serving in the US senate as we speak without the Kennedys support!. He saw something ” the IT” in Obamas’ leadership ability that reminded him of his slain brothers in US political struggle. Again, for people who don’t know how difficult it is to overcome race and party politics in the US, this endorsement was not an easy task. For over 200 years plus of US democracy nobody predicted or knew that some one of Kennedy’s stature could endorse minority person to be the next president of the US and the leader of the world in their life time!!!!!. And most of all, to endorse Sen. Obama over stalwart democratic party insider/mover like the wife of former President Clinton of all people was “game changer” in US presidential politics . THE LION MAY REST..BUT HIS DREAMS WILL CONTINUE BECAUSE THEY ARE LEFT IN GOOD HANDS!!!
For my E. Coast Kenya friend,these are the things Kennedy did to ” the world’s “underdogs” and to your far distance country man to become the first African American president in the US. Now he is leading the land where his ancestors were brought to work in cotton fields and lives in house his slave ancestors built for their masters..what irony!!!!
I hope you and and your friends will share my one man’s observation on Sen. Kennedy’s contributions to better this world!!. The” underdogs” of the world have lost and will miss their champ!.. but all is not lost, the sun will rise in the east and set in the west tomorrow!. News leaders will rise to lead one more time..and the “dream will endure”
Now I have answered your questions my friend, you and your friends should now answer me the following questions: How do you remember your fallen leaders in funerals?, Are your funerals off limits to politics or the other way around?, If President Obama was running for Presidency in Kenya could have been elected president or he could have just been another tribal politician?