Rest in Peace, Senator Kennedy as written 8/27/2009

There are not many politicians in Washington, DC today with the characteristics of Senator Ted Kennedy. Although I did not agree with his politics and some of the causes he trumpeted, he was a man who stood for what he believed in.

A man who proudly accepted the label of being a liberal, quoting his brother, President John F. Kennedy saying, “... if by a liberal they mean someone who looks ahead and not behind, someone who welcomes new ideas without rigid reactions, someone who cares about the welfare of the people. If that is what they mean by a liberal, I am proud to be a liberal.”

With that in mind, he was a staunch advocate in the 1960’s for civil rights, he was a man who championed education, carried the torch for financial aid means for college students, and was someone who rallied for healthcare as a right for all Americans.

Just like his brothers, he had his own ill-dealings in his personal life and that is something that he had to deal with for many years, but that should not be what we remember about him.

I had the opportunity to meet Senator Kennedy in February of 2008 when he came to campaign for then Senator Barack Obama in San Antonio. There are not many in my generation, let alone my party, who can proudly say that they shook the hand of Ted Kennedy and got to speak with him briefly.

In August of 2008 during the Democratic National Convention, I think Caroline Kennedy summed it up best when she said

“If you're no longer being denied a job because of your race, gender or disability, or if you've seen a rise in the minimum wage you're being paid, Teddy is your senator too.

If your children are receiving health care thanks to the Children's Health Insurance Program...If your child is getting an early boost in life through Head Start, or attending a better school or can go to college because a Pell grant has made it more affordable, Teddy is your senator too.”

The Kennedy name has been synonymous in politics since the early part of the 20th century when the father of Ted Kennedy, Joseph P. Kennedy, was the U.S Ambassador to Great Britain during World War II, brother John F. Kennedy being a member of Congress then elected President, brother Robert F. Kennedy was Attorney General in the Kennedy Administration then elected Senator of New York and began his run for the Presidency in 1968, and 47 years in the United States Senate, Edward M. Kennedy, the “Lion of the left”.

The Kennedy name comprising over a quarter of the history of the United States, regardless of your party or your personal feelings on the personal matters of the Kennedy family, there were many issues they confronted for the American people, and legislatively, Senator Kennedy accomplished many things that have helped to better many lives.

In 2008, Ted Kennedy ended his speech at the Democratic National Committee saying, “There is a new wave of change all around us, and if we set our compass true, we will reach our destination... The work begins anew. The hope rises again. And the dream lives on.”

Rest in peace, Senator Kennedy.

Article as written in The Shorthorn