El 22 de noviembre se recuerda que fue el 22 de noviembre de 1963 que murió asesinado el presidente John F. Kennedy.
En Kennedy, brillan más su liderato, ideales demócratas y la lucha por los derechos e igualdad humana, que la suma de fallas que se le pueda adjudicar. Su pensamiento edificante sigue siendo foco de lumbre.
Kennedy tuvo una sabia perspectiva de nivel internacional. No solo trabajó en forma magistral con la crisis de los misiles en Cuba; fue uno de los líderes que mejor entendió y favoreció a la buena fórmula llamada Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico.
Siempre genera recuerdos y lecciones, la amistad y entendemiento que desarrollaron John F. Kennedy y Luis Muñoz Marín. Fueron almas de alcance mundial y gran obra de justicia y progreso integral. En el siglo 21, sus ideas tienen razón, poder y vigencia.
Siempre genera dolor lo tráfico e injusto de la muerte de JFK. En un mundo imperfecto, perseverar en el bien no es fácil y es heroico En su mensaje inaugural el 20 de enero de 1961, dijo Kennedy:
* “In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility—I welcome it. I do not believe that any of us would exchange places with any other people or any other generation. The energy, the faith, the devotion which we bring to this endeavor will light our country and all who serve it—and the glow from that fire can truly light the world.
And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.
My fellow citizens of the world: ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man.
Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own”.
Sigan las generaciones creciendo y fructificando en la consagrada ruta ascendente, en el buen camino.
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* "Along with millions of others in the U.S., in Puerto Rico and other parts of the world, I was moved by the
words of John Fitzgerald Kennedy. To me, they struck a chord with the transformation brought about in Puerto Rico by Luis Muñoz Marín. Politics was about principle and ideals that would shape the future. Politics wasn’t about personal gain nor about ego, politics was about service; service to the people and
especially to those in need. Politics was about using the talents God gave you for the greater good of all.
Politics was an honorable calling. Inspired by this young president and Muñoz Marín, public service
became a calling for me and, with sacrifice, to my family, I answered the call when it came from Muñoz
Marín to serve in the Public Service Commission and, when it came from Sánchez Vilella, to serve as Justice secretary.
In his short and eventually tragic presidency, John Kennedy showed great respect for Puerto Rico and tied strong bonds with us: He named Teodoro Moscoso, the father of Operation Bootstrap, who had
transformed our economy, to head the Alliance for Progress through which he intended to transform the
economies in Latin America; he appointed Arturo Morales Carrión, our undersecretary of State, assistant
secretary of State of the U.S. for Latin America; and José A. Benítez, the chairman of our local Committee
of the Democratic Party, as deputy high commissioner for the islands of Micronesia. He commissioned top people in his administration to work with Muñoz for the enhancement of Commonwealth. On his tour to Latin America, he first visited Puerto Rico and stayed with Muñoz in La Fortaleza. Upon his return to the U.S., he held a major reception in the White House in honor of Muñoz. Pablo Casals performed on this occasion. Rafael Hernández, our most renowned composer, was one of the guests. When he stepped up in the receiving line, Kennedy greeted him by saying: 'Hello Mr. Cumbanchero.'
The assassination of President Kennedy was deeply painful to us in Puerto Rico. Our sympathy poured out
to the Kennedy family. We were shaken again by the assassination of his brother Robert who had taken up
the torch left by the fallen president. We were again moved by the eulogy pronounced by Ted, the remaining brother, in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in New York. 'He saw wrong and tried to right it,' Ted said of Robert. 'He saw suffering and tried to heal it: he saw war and tried to end it.' This was fire coming from the heart; the fire that lighted the torch that had passed from John to Robert and then on to Ted. This was the fire that inspired us in Puerto Rico".
--Rafael Hernández Colón, "Caribbean Business", Volume: 37 | No: 35, Page : 21, Issued : 09/03/2009
