Senator Ted Kennedy

[lerxstcat]

Exactly. But then Nancy Grace would be there to put us right back in.

It's funny how death magically exonerates famous personalities from having to face reality.

I don't think it exonerates them at all. It reminds us of our own mortality and our own misdeeds, though.

I think death, celebs or just someone you know, makes us think about life and maybe be more forgiving than we are to someone in life. After all, while they were alive, they could still change their ways, could express contrition themselves. In death, they need us to forgive them instead.

Of course, the worse the deeds, the harder forgiveness is. Ted Kennedy? I can forgive him, the worst thing he did was the act of a drunken fool. Horrible, but he was raised in wealth and power and consequences were swept aside. It doesn't excuse, but it explains, why he took the easy way out. It's been said on this thread that if others of us were Kennedys we'd have probably done a lot worse too.

Everybody has their right to express their opinion on a public figure, but imagine one of Ted's relatives logging in to read whatever it is that you're going to say about the man. He wasn't a saint, but he wasn't a monster either. He was a human being with wealth and power, who took advantage of wealth and power to get out of trouble, as most would.

I forgive him, hope that Mary Jo and her family have also forgiven him, and hope they can both rest in peace now.

[Robert Hendrix]

If that was any one of us who did that back then, we would probably just now be getting out of jail......

That would be a pretty stiff sentence for a typical involuntary manslaughter charge which is what they would have charged him with back in 68. That type of charge at that time usually got you about 5 years with good behaviour, not 40.

I think it's amazing how people foolishly hold on to some bitterness over an ACCIDENT that didn't even happen to them some 40 years ago. Somebody needs a life!

[GodOfRhythm]

As far as I knew him, he seemed like a steadfast politician who didn't quiver in and follow the direction of the passing political winds, but instead had his heart set on actually making a difference for the sick, the empoverished and the young. He succeeded. To this day a lot of his work is of enormous benefit to a lot of those people.

If a potential 5 year sentence is supposed to somehow repay his debt to society or the common good, for an immoral and illegal something he may (or may not) have done, then I think his aforementioned, continued work over the past decades must be at least an equivalent (or a greater) way of retribution.

Thinking in black and white or absolutes is an asset to nobody.

Just my 2 cents.

[Grandturk]

As far as I knew him, he seemed like a steadfast politician who didn't quiver in and follow the direction of the passing political winds, but instead had his heart set on actually making a difference for the sick, the empoverished and the young. He succeeded. To this day a lot of his work is of enormous benefit to a lot of those people.

Gimme a break - he was as dirty as the day is long. All of them are - especially the Kennedy's - a criminal empire.

[Robert Hendrix]

As far as I knew him, he seemed like a steadfast politician who didn't quiver in and follow the direction of the passing political winds, but instead had his heart set on actually making a difference for the sick, the empoverished and the young. He succeeded. To this day a lot of his work is of enormous benefit to a lot of those people.

If a potential 5 year sentence is supposed to somehow repay his debt to society or the common good, for an immoral and illegal something he may (or may not) have done, then I think his aforementioned, continued work over the past decades must be at least an equivalent (or a greater) way of retribution.

Thinking in black and white or absolutes is an asset to nobody.

Just my 2 cents.

+100000000000000

Gimme a break - he was as dirty as the day is long. All of them are - especially the Kennedy's - a criminal empire.

Really? And you have first hand experience of this or proof? Or are you just generalizing him into your already jaded opinion of humanity?

[Grandturk]

+100000000000000


Really? And you have first hand experience of this or proof? Or are you just generalizing him into your already jaded opinion of humanity?

Just generalizing him into a. his family - bootleggers, and b. politicians in general.

I wouldn't want to sully humanity by including politicians.

[joelayres]

As far as I knew him, he seemed like a steadfast politician who didn't quiver in and follow the direction of the passing political winds, but instead had his heart set on actually making a difference for the sick, the empoverished and the young. He succeeded. To this day a lot of his work is of enormous benefit to a lot of those people.

You nailed it.

While I didn't often agree with his politics - his views tended to be skewed WAY too far to the left IMO - he was a very positive and necessary part of the Senate. While I believe his views were extremely left, they helped balance the opposition views that were extremely right, resulting in compromise that worked.

The man did enough good over the course of time to repay society for the indescretions of the past.
Anyone ever benefit from COBRA, the Americans with Disabilities Act, portable health care or the Family and Medical Leave Act?
Thank Ted Kennedy.

.

[Joe_Steeler]

That's water under the bridge.

(sorry)

All the media coverage is drowning me

[Rsmacker]

Gimme a break - he was as dirty as the day is long. All of them are - especially the Kennedy's - a criminal empire.

IRA sympathisers, the whole family, fuck them ALL.

[shreddermon]

RIP, Mr. Kennedy. End of an era, warts and all. He's with his brothers now.

"A man may die, nations may rise and fall, but an idea lives on."

BTW - I just got back from vacation. All along the Mass turnpike, they have the road signs blinking "Thanks, Ted. From the people of Mass."

[skorb]

Not one day in his life did Ted Kennedy have to live with the consequences of his actions. He was an expert at escaping consequences while lording his power over all of us who pay taxes and make this country run and constantly lying about the irreparable damage his policies have caused to our society.

Ironically we live with the consequences of his actions every day of our lives:

- bankrupt states saddled with failed social programs and generational dependence from Kennedy's great society experiment that has now lasted 45 years
- a joke of a souther border, causing our nation to be overrun with poor whom Kennedy forces us to treat and educate (yes Kennedy was the main force behind those laws)
- and when people want to control these chaotic messes that K started and fostered, he called them racists.

so every day I have to drive by the corner by the freeway where all the illegal alien day laborer lowlifes congregate, I thank Ted Kennedy for what he has done to our country.

I hope he went straight to hell

[Strangletooth]

Not one day in his life did Ted Kennedy have to live with the consequences of his actions. He was an expert at escaping consequences while lording his power over all of us who pay taxes and make this country run and constantly lying about the irreparable damage his policies have caused to our society.

Ironically we live with the consequences of his actions every day of our lives:

- bankrupt states saddled with failed social programs and generational dependence from Kennedy's great society experiment that has now lasted 45 years
- a joke of a souther border, causing our nation to be overrun with poor whom Kennedy forces us to treat and educate (yes Kennedy was the main force behind those laws)
- and when people want to control these chaotic messes that K started and fostered, he called them racists.

so every day I have to drive by the corner by the freeway where all the illegal alien day laborer lowlifes congregate, I thank Ted Kennedy for what he has done to our country.

I hope he went straight to hell

[lerxstcat]

If you actually believe in Hell and wish someone to go there, you are wishing yourself there at the same time. Christianity is about forgiveness and even loving your enemy. Easier said than done though.

If you're just venting then knock yourself out!

[OnlineStageGear]

It just made me sick every time I saw him on TV talking about different legislation. How he can sit there telling people what he thinks is the right thing to do about legislation when the fucker couldn't even call the police when his can went off a bridge.

There isn't a person I know who wouldn't have immediately called the police. Only two things come to mind: He either let her die to keep a DWI off his record, or she was pregnant with his kid. Either way he let her die to further his political career.

Fuck Him.

[atomic charvel guy]

I guess the only safe sex back then was to drown them like kittens afterwards-lol lol lol
Sorry lost my head, that's an old Howard Stern line about Ted from the '80's when I used to listen to him everyday.
Got some strong statements both ways on this subject, and it's still civil between us all. We're all growing along spiritual lines on the JCF-lol