In this beginning essay I will seek to discover what the influences were on the thinking of both major candidates in their formative years. Since John Forbes Kerry is the challenger for the American presidency, I thought it fitting to start with him and allow the encumbent president the position of reflection.
John Forbes Kerry was born the son of a former Czech Jew, Richard Kerry who fled Europe according to the CBS news, http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2004/...in603542.shtml in 1905 for unknown reasons since the german occupation of that country didn't happen until the 1930's. Immigrating to America, Richard Kerry enrolled as a law student at Harvard university where he studied Kierkegaard existentialism philosophy, and histories about Bismarck and Metternich. Wondering what was taking the Germans so long, RK returned to France where instead of studying any of the above, he instead took sculpture classes. It was in this sculpture class that the inkling of JFK began since this is where his father met his mother, Rosemary Forbes. The daughter of James G. Forbes, a future socialist and green party leader in France who ran for President. It was in this political climate that young JFK would get his first lessons in politics through the family discussions. One of Kerry's cousins Kevin Armstrong, describing the Kerry household, said that they never talked of presidential ambitions, but "there would always be political discussions. Johnny's dad, Uncle Dick, was very serious about politics. There were high-level arguments going on. You had the feeling you were expected to know a lot." Showing that where politics were concerned, it would include both the hearts and minds of the Kerry household.
After serving as a test pilot during WWII, RK exercised his Defense contract connections to get an appointment with the Navy's Office of General Counsel. From his own admission he hoped that being close to the State Department would land him a job there. After 2 years of toiling for the Navy Kerry recieved employment for the job he was meant to do, and that was working for the United Nations, "a romantic project that enticed a generation of young diplomats." It was from this foundation that John Kerry would shape his view of foreign relations. His fathers book, "The Star-Spangled mirror," offers insight into the what the future may hold for American foreign relations should John Forbes Kerry (JFK) be elected to the highest office of the land. A short excerpt from his fathers book is as follows;
"Americans," he writes, "are inclined to see the world and foreign affairs in black and white." They celebrate their own form of government and denigrate all others, making them guilty of what he calls "ethnocentric accommodation -- everyone ought to be like us." As a result, America has committed the "fatal error" of "propagating democracy" and fallen prey to "the siren's song of promoting human rights," falsely assuming that our values and institutions are a good fit in the Third World. And, just as Americans exaggerate their own goodness, they exaggerate their enemies' badness. The Soviet Union wasn't nearly as imperialistic as American politicians warned, Kerry argues. "Seeing the Soviet Union as the aggressor in every instance, and the U.S. as only reacting defensively, relieves an American observer from the need to see any parallel between our use of military power in distant parts of the world, and the Soviet use of military power outside the Soviet Union," he writes. He further claims that "Third world Marxist movements were autonomous national movements" -- outside Moscow's orbit. The book culminates in a plea for a hardheaded, realist foreign policy that removes any pretense of U.S. moral superiority."
This would also keep us from using said superiority from stopping bloodthirsty Dictators such as the one Richard Kerry fled from Lo' those many years ago.
Although he came from an underprivileged background. The germans blew up the family estate, known as Les Essarts, when Kerry was only three. It took 10 years to rebuild even with the aid of the European reconstruction loan from America. JFK managed to survive the harsh conditions of his childhood. The years in France, living with the French, and having French relatives. JFK taught the French children American games, like Army. Which JFK would always win for some reason. He experienced the cruel conditions of never being allowed a permanent home. The moving from one internationally accreditted private school to another. The hellish conditions he faced in places like Oslo, Norway, the Fessenden School in West Newton, a village in Newton, Massachusetts, St. Paul's School in Concord, New Hampshire. Through these difficult times Kerry thrived. When asked his motivation he said that "to my chagrin, and everlasting damnation, I was always moving on and saying goodbye. It kind of had an effect on you. It steeled you. There wasn't a lot of permanence and roots. For kids, [that's] not the greatest thing."
So here we see the humble beginnings of the man who would be president. We have the strong foundation of American values laid by his family who mainly lived in Europe. We have learned of his connections with the common man, and most importantly we have learned of the inner toughness possessed by John Kerry to overcome the obstacles placed in his path, through his family's wealth and political connections. Lessons that would see him through the perils he would face later in Vietnam. No wonder he relates so well to Hip-Hop music.
4/17/04
SilveryMinnow
