Remembering Senator Kennedy (1932-2009)

Too often in this nation, we let our political stripes divide us. Too often, we demonize the other side. Too often, especially on left leaning blogs, the death of a political opponent is celebrated. Vile things that no decent human would say to another person's face are written anonymously. It hinders us as a nation. It poisons us as a people. It diminishes our cause and cheapens the debate. This blog, even though it is a conservative blog that often serves up red meat, will do no such thing. We condemn any blogs that commit such acts of malice. In other words, we are not the Huffington Post.

We mourn today the passing of a longtime legislator, Edward Kennedy, who was the lion of liberalism in the Senate. He served almost 50 years for the state of Massachusetts. I will save my rant for Congressional term limits for another time. Senator Kennedy's life was one of tragedy and triumph. He lost three brothers during his lifetime; one in war, and two assassinated by extremists who clearly had no respect for the dignity of life, for the Constitution, and for the process through which we elect our leaders in America. Let us remember how important that process is, for though politics may divide us, we are all Americans.

We are too quick to forget in this country and we are too quick to judge, so let us do neither now. Senator Kennedy and his family deserve our gratitude and our respect. Even though we may disagree on key issues, including universal health care and abortion, even though we may have doubts about how the senator handled his affairs in the past, including Chappaquiddick, the appropriate time and place to have that discussion is not today. We do a great disservice to our nation and our own ideals when we can't separate the achievements of the person from the person, or for that matter, the life of the person from our philosophical disagreements. Let's not use the tragic end of his life to breathe life into our own personal biases and political agendas. He is neither hero nor villain.

We are bound by a common past and our destiny is a common future. Democrat or Republican, conservative or liberal, we share a common set of values. That all men are created equal with certain inalienable rights, that among these are Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. May no enemy take those away from us.

"Now the trumpet summons us again -- not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need -- not as a call to battle, though embattled we are -- but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle year in and year out, rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation -- a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty and war itself."

The famous words of Ted's older brother, President John F. Kennedy never seemed more appropriate. If only he would have taken these words more to heart during his lifetime. Today, the trumpets have summoned Senator Edward Kennedy home.