‘I COME TO BURY TED KENNEDY, NOT TO PRAISE HIM’

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August 27, 2009 at 7:10 am (Apartheid, Current Affairs, DesertPeace Editorial)

Watching CNN News last night report on the passing of Senator Edward Kennedy gave me the impression that a very great man has left the stage….

Looking back on his life’s work, one might get the impression that the man will soon be nominated for Sainthood. CNN even bothered to find the former, disgraced, wife of Nelson Mandela who spoke of Kennedy’s support of the anti-apartheid movement of South Africa.

On January 9, 1985 Senator Edward Kennedy made an emotional visit to banned Winnie Mandela, the wife of Africa National Congress (ANC) leader, Nelson Mandela in Brandfort. At that time, Nelson Mandela had been in prison for more than twenty-years. Kennedy praised Winnie Mandela as courageous and concerned for her country. (Greg English/Reuters)

Cindy Sheehan reminds us of Kennedy’s opposition to the war in Iraq with the following quote of his… “My vote against this misbegotten war (Iraq) is the best vote I have cast in the United States Senate since I was elected in 1962.”

You can read Cindy’s comments about her visit to him HERE.

OK….. what’s the real purpose of this post?

I come to bury Ted Kennedy, not to praise him;
The evil that men do lives after them,
The good is oft interred with their bones.

Let’s look at who Ted Kennedy really was….. as seen by his friends….

Peres on Kennedy death: Terrible loss for US

In response to the death of US Senator Edward Kennedy, Israeli President Shimon Peres said, “Kennedy was a true friend of Israel all the way, and he helped any chance he could.

“I know this is a terrible loss for the American people, and I share in their sorrow, but this is also a great loss for every sensitive person in the world.”

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AND….. from AIPAC themselves in their own words…

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Senator Edward Kennedy, A Great Friend of Israel

Sen. Kennedy was a longstanding supporter of the U.S.-Israel relationship.

AIPAC joins all Americans in mourning the loss of Senator Edward M. Kennedy, a staunch supporter of the U.S.-Israel relationship and a true and longstanding friend of America’s pro-Israel community.

During his more than four decades in the U.S. Senate, Sen. Kennedy consistently supported American assistance to Israel, particularly during the Jewish state’s most trying times, in the wake of the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War. He led the fight against U.S. arms sales to Israel’s enemies, spoke out forcefully against the Arab League boycott of Israel and was a fierce critic of the United Nations’ isolation of the Jewish state; he urged his colleagues to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s undivided capital, and warned of the dangers of global terrorism.

Sen. Kennedy became the leading champion for persecuted Soviet Jewry, advocating on behalf of refuseniks and those Jews wishing to leave the Soviet Union, personally raising their issues with Soviet leaders at every possible opportunity, and demanding that the United States provide loan guarantees to Israel to absorb Jewish refugees.

Senator Kennedy’s legacy of leadership on these issues and his lifelong support for one of America’s closest allies are hallmarks of his historic career devoted to serving the best interests of the American people and our values. He will be sorely missed.

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WHAT ABOUT PALESTINIAN RIGHTS?

WHAT ABOUT APARTHEID IN ISRAEL??

WHAT ABOUT THE GENOCIDE AND ETHNIC CLEANSING OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE???

As the title of this post states, I came here to bury Ted Kennedy, not to praise him.