No Time for Mourning -- In Memoriam: Ted Kennedy

There are giants who walk among ordinary men. Edward (Teddy) Kennedy was one such giant. And, he would be the first to remind us of something his brother Jack once said: "A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on."

The senator from Massachusetts might also say that this is no time for mourning, but for celebration of a life well-lived and of the work that must go on in his name. And, there is a lot of work to do.

It is he who carried on his brother, JFK's, legacy and fought for the least among us, the disenfranchised, those whose voice was often drowned out by the drone of the corporate machine, and he strove harder than ever to realize President Kennedy's adage "If a society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich."

Profound sadness is not a fleeting thing, it is something that leaves a gaping hole in the heart of a nation. A life cut short, a life unfulfilled, a dream unrealized is one that is endlessly eulogized, but Teddy Kennedy is one who needs no endless eulogies. He was blessed in having made his life one that was filled not merely with courage, but purpose; one not scarred by contempt or anger, but enriched by compassion. He was a man who sought to discard darkness by embracing the light that comes only from diversity.

This is no time for mourning, but for the celebration of a life well-lived, one who knew what his destiny was, and followed it.

The work goes on, not in the absence of a giant, but in the presence of a man who recognized that, in striving, humanity must surpass itself to be inclusive, not exclusive, to encompass those who frequent yacht clubs, as well as those who stand on line at food banks at Thanksgiving.

So, in the end, this is a time to celebrate the life of one who made history stand up and take notice. One who was tolerant enough to listen to friends and adversaries alike, and not take the easy road by hiding behind party lines.

Like his brother Jack, Teddy Kennedy was "an idealist without illusions." He knew his days were numbered, a lesson he learned from the loss at age 31 of his brother, and our former president. He knew every day counts, and would want us not to waste one single day, but put our collective shoulder to the wheel, and continue the work to make this world an infinitely better world than we found it in his name.

He will be missed. He is already missed, but as he himself said "the dream lives on."

Follow Jayne Lyn Stahl on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jaynelynstahl

Comments

[MontanaBlue]

After spending most of the day watching tributes to Teddy and weeping about who and what we've lost, this blogger stopped my tears, took me by the shoulders and shook me out of my mourning.

She is right. We have work to do. Sign me up.

Thanks, Teddy, for showing us how.

[creolechild]

If you are concerned about receiving "real" health care reform in this country, please take the time to watch a video on our current system. The video was created by Oregon physicians who are advocating for the single-payer option. The video is very informative and helped me to gain a better understanding of various aspect of health care, as we know now it.

https://www.madashelldoctorstour.com/Mad_as_Hell_Video.html

These Oregon physicians are in the process of organizing a caravan designed to inform the public about the benefits of the single-payer option. At last count they will be stopping in approximately 23 states, on their way to demonstrate in Washington. They need volunteers and our support. Please spread the word.

[TomDegan]

The lion sleeps....

"....to speak for those who have no voice; to remember those who are forgotten; to respond to the frustration and fulfill the aspiration of all Americans seeking a better life in a better land....for all those whose cares have been our concern, the cause endures, the hope still lives and the dream shall never die."

Edward Moore Kennedy, August 12, 1980

I'll never forget the night Ted Kennedy gave that speech at the Democratic National Convention. I was staying in a one-room kitchenette in Liverpool, NY, just outside of Syracuse. It was - and remains - the greatest political oration of my lifetime.

Teddy Kennedy died late last night at the age of seventy-seven. In a life that is littered with ironies, here's the biggest one of all: His three older brothers - Joe, Jack and Bobby - are eternally frozen in our imagination as the personifications of youth. How poignant that our final image of the baby of that family will be as an old man, frail and mortally ill.

An incredible realization just came to me: Teddy represented the state of Massachusetts for forty-six years, eight months and nineteen days. That is nearly three months longer than all the years his older brother Jack lived on earth. Forgive the cliche that is so overused it has become trite through repetition, but this really is the end of an era.

Tom Degan
Goshen, NY

http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com

[ChiProgressive]

May this great person serve as a shining light of courage and passion for public service for the poor and disadvantaged.

[rubinoff]

May Ted Kennedy R.I.P......I have nothing but 'respect' and am grateful for what that family has done for all people, particulary for the minorities, poor and downtrodden. Heck, they could have gone on with their lives,... living the life of the rich; however, they took the yolk on their shoulders to be of 'service to we, the people.' I am thankful. :).....Rest, dear Teddy.

[MontanaBlue]

Beautiful post. Rubinoff is right, Teddy. Rest well. You've earned it.

[yorkie]

An excellent post ! My cares for the entire Kennedy family at this time.... The one thing Sen. Kennedy would wish us do is press for Congress to pass meaningful health care reform for all generations of Americans. And to live up to our ideals and the ideas that our nation was founded upon. The cause endures, lives continue,,,dreams never die.....Keep the faith America!

[rubinoff]

Amen. :)

[DougNTexas]

RIP Senator Kennedy. Get it done asap. Universal Health Care can't wait. It's time is long over due.

[ShakeYourComplacency]

"If a society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich."

That statement used to be true. But after the bailouts, it's no longer so. When the rich feed off the poor, and then run into the ground the very system which permits them to do so, they should rightly collapse under their own weight. But instead, we, the people, sacrificed ourselves to save them, like a soldier throwing his body over a land mine.

With a few of the rich, like the Kennedys, the opposite was true. They sacrificed themselves for us. They took bullets to the head, and the survivors dedicated themselves to public service. Ted Kennedy was a champion for the people, and we will miss him.

[NJmikeV]

It's time for the Senate and the House to follow in the footsteps of this Lion and pass the healthcare legislation he tirelessly championed for decades.

Call. Write. Show Up.

[RepugsOut08]

The first thing I'm doing this morning, is calling the White House demanding Medicare For ALL!!!
It's time to achieve Kennedy's rightious dream, and end this barbaric for profit scourge.
God speed, Senator Kennedy. You will not be forgotten.

[Jonathan Kim - Huffpost Blogger]

for everyone on Twitter, please use #DoItForTeddy with all your tweets calling for REAL HEALTHCARE REFORM NOW. This could be the rallying cry progressives have wanted and the dems have failed to provide.

#DoItForTeddy

[tcagle]

Let's get this one done for Ted, indeed.

[larry278]

Yes, make the dream into reality, for the sake of FDR, HST, JFK, Bob, Ted & our sakes. We need it. We deserve it.

[PforProgressive]

I want to hope that the Blue Dogs will start to swing as a result of this. But they already knew his wishes on health care when he was gravely ill, and that didn't seem to matter. Still, the Senator never gave up, and neither will we.

[RepugsOut08]

The Blue dogs will swing when they see a million marchers in the streets of DC carrying photos of Ted demanding Medicare For All!
Let's get this done! It's time to quit letting these shills for the corporations call the shots!

[lostintheBronx]

Amen!