6.5.2026 – date when high court of

date when high court of
history sits in judgment
on each one of us

On January 10, 1961, John F. Kennedy was invited to address the Massachusetts State Legislature. The next speech he would give would be in 10 days in Washington, DC when he was sworn in as President of the United States.

President Elect Kennedy, looking ahead to the next four years, saying ” … our success or failure, in whatever office we may hold, will be measured by the answers to four questions …”

Here is what he said.

History will not judge our endeavors–and a government cannot be selected–merely on the basis of color or creed or even party affiliation. Neither will competence and loyalty and stature, while essential to the utmost, suffice in times such as these.

For of those to whom much is given, much is required. And when at some future date the high court of history sits in judgment on each one of us–recording whether in our brief span of service we fulfilled our responsibilities to the state–our success or failure, in whatever office we may hold, will be measured by the answers to four questions:

First, were we truly men of courage–with the courage to stand up to one’s enemies–and the courage to stand up, when necessary, to one’s associates–the courage to resist public pressure, as well as private greed?

Secondly, were we truly men of judgment–with perceptive judgment of the future as well as the past–of our own mistakes as well as the mistakes of others–with enough wisdom to know that we did not know, and enough candor to admit it?

Third, were we truly men of integrity–men who never ran out on either the principles in which they believed or the people who believed in them–men who believed in us–men whom neither financial gain nor political ambition could ever divert from the fulfillment of our sacred trust?

Finally, were we truly men of dedication–with an honor mortgaged to no single individual or group, and compromised by no private obligation or aim, but devoted solely to serving the public good and the national interest.

Courage–judgment–integrity–dedication–these are the historic qualities of the Bay Colony and the Bay State–the qualities which this state has consistently sent to this chamber on Beacon Hill here in Boston and to Capitol Hill back in Washington.

For a historical exercise, shall we ask these four questions of the current administration?

Well, why not?

First, are they truly people of courage?

No, not as I understand the word courage.

Secondly, are they truly people of judgment?

No, not as I understand the word judgment.

Third, are they truly people of integrity?

HA!

No. Just recently, I can give you 1.776 billion reasons and earlier, I had another 11,000 reasons to say NO to integrity. It is to laugh just to ask this question.

This last question is tricky.

If we ask, are they truly people of dedication?

They people of this current administration are certainly dedicated to the cult of following, blindly, that man currently in office.

But if we ask the complete question, are they truly people of dedication–with an honor mortgaged to no single individual or group, and compromised by no private obligation or aim, but devoted solely to serving the public good and the national interest?

I think that once again, the answer is no.

An honor mortgaged to no single individual or group?

HA!

Compromised by no private obligation or aim?

HA!

Devoted solely to serving the public good and the national interest?

DOUBLE HA!

Courage–judgment–integrity–dedication.

It’s like sadly remembering the life and times of our childhood when the everyday things of our lives, a long summer break in summertime, the sound of Ernie Harwell’s voice in summertime, the excitement of summertime in summertime are gone forever.

Here is the twist.

Something inside cannot write these people off.

I feel that deep in their hearts, they know what they are doing and what they are giving up and what they are throwing away.

I feel sorry for them.

I feel sorry because at some future date the high court of history sits in judgment on each one of us–recording whether in our brief span of service we fulfilled our responsibilities to the state–their success or failure, in whatever office we may hold.

For of those to whom much is given, much is required

They will not be able to say, we didn’t know.

They know.

And they know they know it.

And I feel worse for all us.