Teddy Kennedy, the youngest of Rose and Joseph P. Kennedy's nine children, has died of brain cancer at the age of 77. As the younger brother of John F. Kennedy and Robert F. Kennedy, Edward Kennedy spent his life striving to live up to an ideal demanded by their father and originally placed on the shoulders of their older brother Joseph Kennedy, Jr., who was killed in a plane crash in World War II. As each brother died a tragic death, the torch was then passed to Teddy, who spent 47 years in the United States Senate where he became one of its most accomplished members. Kennedy was a life long champion of people who were not born with the advantages that he was.
He
played major roles in passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the 1990 Americans with Disabilities Act and the 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act and was known for his ability to "reach across the aisle" and work with Republicans to get important legislation passed, something that is sadly lacking in today's often deadlocked Congress.
May he rest in peace.
Dymphna, God bless you for saying nice things about Teddy Kennedy. I have been reading reactions to his death in the Catholic blogosphere and I am appalled about the lack of charity shown him. In addition to the legislation mentioned, he also personally called every survivor of 9/11 in Massachusetts to offer them his assistance. One person needed a copy of a DD214 (military discharge papers) so that her loved one could have a funeral with military honors. It was there within 24 hours.
ReplyDeleteI was appalled about the lack of charity shown to Mr. Kennedy as well. As Catholics, we always pray for the dead because there is always hope. The death of someone is not the time to gloat or point fingers. It is the time to show God's love for humanity.
ReplyDeleteThanks for joining us for Sunday Snippets--A Catholic Carnival.
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome RAnn. Glad to do it.
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