Wednesday, December 5, 2007

Good Speech

This is a speech given by JFK basically saying that it's ok to vote for him even though he's a Catholic. Rachel Maddow was talking about this last night on her radio show based upon the fact that Mitt Romney is due to give a speech with similar intent. I was blown away by this speech* by Kennedy, not just about his Catholicism, but about religion's role in public life in America. Here's a quote (or two):
I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute--where no Catholic prelate would tell the President (should he be Catholic) how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishoners for whom to vote--where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference--and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him or the people who might elect him.

(and later-supermegadio!!!!!)
But let me stress again that these are my views--for contrary to common newspaper usage, I am not the Catholic candidate for President. I am the Democratic Party's candidate for President who happens also to be a Catholic. I do not speak for my church on public matters--and the church does not speak for me.


Man, it would be nice to hear something like this today. Who knew this nation was once on the road to a more progressive view of religion? And, he probably wrote this himself!

*Keep in mind it was 1960 and apparently there were only Catholics, Protestants, and Jews in America at that time.


7 comments:

Anonymous said...

http://digbysblog.blogspot.com/2007/12/deep-and-shallow-by-digby-im-looking.html

Wanyas the Self-Proclaimed! said...

could you repost your link? My browser cut it off

Unknown said...

If they were able to bring JFK back as a Zombie, and Zombie JFK ran for president, I would vote for him. Even if his platform was nothing more than Braaaaiiinnnssss.

Unknown said...

Also, This is the article rod linked to.

Wanyas the Self-Proclaimed! said...

Yahoo has a front page link detailing this today (as Romney's speech is tonight). They focus, not unsurprisingly, on the 'defending your religion' aspect rather than the 'church and state should be separate' issues.

Did that make sense? I hope so.

Anonymous said...

Your recent comments sidebar isn't working.

Wanyas the Self-Proclaimed! said...

I know and I don't know how to fix it.