6.6.2026 – society cannot

society cannot
help the many poor, cannot
save few who are rich

To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required–not because the communists may be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right.

If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.

John F. Kennedy Inaugural Address, January 20, 1961.

Let’s rephrase that for today.

President Kennedy was looking around the world because in 1961, the status of the United States wasn’t questioned and he could confidently say, To those people in the huts and villages of half the globe struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves.

Today, this nation has turned its back on those people in the huts and villages of half the globe.

But those people shouldn’t feel left out.

As this nation has turned it back on it’s own people.

For today we can say, To those people here at home, struggling to break the bonds of mass misery, we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves, for whatever period is required–not because it’s woke (whatever that means) to be doing it, not because we seek their votes, but because it is right.

You might ask, why should we pledge our best efforts to help them help themselves?

Mr. Kennedy had it right and that message doesn’t change.

Because it is right.

Geez oh Pete and BOY HOWDY.

So simple.

Because it is right.

On this nations moral compass with what is right pointing in one direction, we sure seem to be locked in to 180 degrees the other way.

That assumes, of course, anyone of those folks working so hard to take care for the few who are rich havn’t tossed their moral compass away.

And don’t forget the warning.

If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.

I admit, that man currently in office and his administration seem to be doing okay for themselves right now as the work to save the few who are rich and turn their back on the many poor.

But as Dr. King said, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.”

And deep down, I have to believe, them folks working so hard to save the few who are rich, they know it too.

Mr. Milton did say , “To reign is worth ambition though in Hell: Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav’n,” and maybe thinking that is what gets those folks working so hard to save the few who are rich, and maybe the rich themselves, thinking that, thinking that Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav’n is what gets them through their day.

Thinking that Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav’n lets them look at themselves in the mirror when they get up.

No disrespect to Mr. Milton but in response I point out something Garrison Keillor said when he talked about those folks who don’t learn anything new until the day they die.

Those folks?

They learn a whole lot of the stuff the next day.