Ted Kennedy murdered Mary Jo Kopechne and never served a day in jail. In fact the people of Massachusetts, who apparently approve of such behavior, elected him to serve in the United States Senate for nearly fifty years.
Sunday, August 30, 2009, 8:09 AM
August 30th, 2009 | 9:20 am
I am sure I will not be the only one to say this, but such comments do nothing but debase their writers. I understand that Kopechne’s death is a horrid incident, and it has deservingly cast a shadow over Kennedy’s career. Further, it is apparently in fashion to criticize the recently dead, as many did to Jerry Falwell and Robert McNamara. But it is my firm belief that death is an opportunity to see meaningfulness in life, and postmortems so intently focused on the negative cut short that meaningfulness. One might refrain from looking for it in the case of, say, a Hitler or other such out-and-out monster, but to ignore – or, better yet, pointedly resist – the obvious storyline of individual redemption that Kennedy’s later career offers us is a disservice to all of us as well as to Kennedy’s memory.
August 30th, 2009 | 9:49 am
Hear, hear. Such wicked vileness is unbecoming of an author of First Things calibur, and contrary to the spirit animating the publication. Are we left to assume that only those whose redemtion comports with our initial beliefs is meriting of grace?
What a viper you are.
August 30th, 2009 | 9:50 am
Well, it wasn’t quite murder. I met Ted Kennedy once, as a very green and naive kid with an interest in politics turned loose on Capitol Hill. It was obvious that we were ‘on the other team’ but TK greeted us with great gregarious good cheer. A politician’s reflex, perhaps, but also an indelible, and indelibly American, moment. I find it not at all hard to understand how, say, Sen. Hatch could count TK among his best of friends. Had TK not been so instrumental in savaging folks on the right and moving legislation through on the left, I’m afraid poor Mary Jo would have faded by now even further into the background.
August 30th, 2009 | 10:13 am
Had TK not been so instrumental in savaging folks on the right and moving legislation through on the left, I’m afraid poor Mary Jo would have faded by now even further into the background.
Right. It’s the situational and contingent nature of invocations of her death that make them particularly distasteful.
August 30th, 2009 | 10:18 am
By the same token, Freddie, there is a crew keen to minimize her death in order to maximally honor TK on the occasion of his own death. At least some of the “contingent invocations” are the product at least in part of reasonable frustration and annoyance on this count.
August 30th, 2009 | 11:02 am
Sure. But however you comment on it, you are engaged in it; no one who acknowledges Kopechne fails to politicize her death, and so no one isn’t guilty of being crass. The question is whether purporting to speak for her while really speaking for politics is worse.
August 30th, 2009 | 11:23 am
Yes, it would be kinder, and politer, to let the dead rest. It would also have been honorable to withdraw from politics after the Chappaquidick incident, and maybe engage in a life of charitable embassy and outreach, as a way to atone. But that did not happen, did it? Some people are just too full of their own importance to admit that maybe their judgment, their character, has a subtle but serious flaw, and that maybe years of contemplation, reflection and low-key behavior would do them good.
Under those conditions, even I would have the greatest respect for the late Senator. As it is, the Kennedys and the Medicis are about the same to me…
August 30th, 2009 | 11:56 am
Utterly tasteless. The fact that you’re not ashamed to write that makes the act doubly shameful.
August 30th, 2009 | 5:20 pm
In defense of Mr. Cheeks–perhaps his remarks are only half sincere. He may be adding another tasteless joke to the late Senator’s repertoire of good humor regarding one of his favorite topics.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaiTipTtbak
August 30th, 2009 | 5:40 pm
[...] today, I read this: Ted Kennedy murdered Mary Jo Kopechne and never served a day in jail. In fact the people of [...]
August 30th, 2009 | 11:57 pm
I have to admit my first reaction to Ted Kennedy’s death was “oh great now we’re going to be hearing about how wonderful he was for weeks.” I think that was petty of me.
I still understand not celebrating or mourning him, but this does seem to be going too far the other way.
August 31st, 2009 | 12:25 am
In light of the 24/7 coverage of Sen. Kennedy’s death, one might want to rewatch De Palma’s film Blow Out (1980).
For the more sentimental, Ethan Canin’s novel America, America (2008) may be a worthwhile read.
Either way, it’s amazing that both the cynical De Palma and the more apologetic Canin (to Kennedy type politicians and the ordinary Americans who love them) show the role the press (24/7 or otherwise) plays in such events.
August 31st, 2009 | 9:01 am
To the commenters who consider mentioning the truth to be “wicked vileness” and to “debase their writers” please realize that there are those of us who do NOT believe that TK’s subsequent career was an example of individual redemption but was, instead, a continued manifestation of his low character, his family’s political thuggery and his lack of morality. Not only did he, indeed, murder an innocent young woman and get away with it, he caused directly or indirectly the deaths of thousands of pre-born children, took the system of hearings on potential Supreme Court nominees to a new low, and lied about the effects of his much-touted immigration reform legislation, just to mention a couple of aspects of his “legacy.” I’m tired of those who try to whitewash this man, a person whose career was steeped in blood, vitriol, and liquor. May God have mercy on his soul.
August 31st, 2009 | 10:08 am
I know I posted already, but in case it was unclear I didn’t mean much good about him.
I don’t admire his career, but it’s not like he’s Idi Amin or Jeffrey Dahmer or something. He did work with Sam Brownback on the “Prenatally and Postnatally Diagnosed Conditions Awareness Act”, which is an admirable bill so far as I know. He also gave a nice letter to Ted Olson on Barbara Olson’s death. I didn’t like him, but he wasn’t a 100% bad.
Hence or in addition this kind of thing feels tacky or rude. It’s a matter of decorum and dignity, but I think that’s appropriately conservative.
August 31st, 2009 | 11:05 am
Watching George W. Bush at the funeral of Teddy Kennedy on Saturday was, to say the very least, amusing. It’s always great fun to witness the members of the vast right wing conspiracy confronted head-on with the theological flaws that are inherent in their philosophy. Watching that event with my pal, Kevin Swanwick, we both were mesmerized and just slightly overjoyed to be reminded yet again that the basic tenets of Liberalism are in perfect harmony with our Christianity – our Catholicism: feed the hungry, shelter the poor and clothe the naked. Oh, how I wish the camera would have cut to Bush’s face the moment he was confronted with the most famous line (and justly so) from the Gospel according to Matthew:
“I tell you this: whatever you did to the least of these brothers of mine, you did to me.”
Jesus of Nazareth
One can only imagine how uncomfortable that passage from the scriptures must have made him feel. Or how about the Sermon on the Mount?
“Blessed are the peace makers
For they shall be called Sons of God.”
I imagine being confronted with the words of Jesus Christ might make old George just a tad uneasy. The prayers that were offered up by the youngest members of the Kennedy clan, in Teddy’s own words, were the most touching part of the entire day:
“That human beings be measured not by what they cannot do. That quality health care becomes a fundamental right and not a privilege. That old policies of race and gender die away. That newcomers be accepted, no matter their color or place of birth. That the nation stand united against violence, hate and war. That the work begins anew, and the dream lives on. We pray to the Lord.”
Lord hear our prayer.
After the mass had ended, and Kevin and I headed into town to get a cup of coffee, I was almost stunned by the good cheer I felt. Ted Kennedy’s funeral was truly a joyous event. Truth be told, it was damned-near therapeutic! The politics of joy as opposed to the politics of fear. There ain’t nothin’ like it in the world, Baby!
The stark contrasts between the ideals of the Progressive movement and the right wing’s backwards and greedy ideology were out in public Saturday for all to compare and contrast at Our Lady of Perpetual Comfort Church in Boston. The differences were so obvious, you could not have missed them had you tried.
http://www.tomdegan.blogspot.com
Tom Degan
Goshen, NY
August 31st, 2009 | 3:29 pm
Tom,
You’ve quoted some things that Christ said in the Sermon on the Mount; things he said to people, exhortations towards virtue. I’m curious why you think his words were aimed rather at the Roman governor of Judea.
Let us take it a step further. Do you think Christ would have agreed to the claim: “Man does not live by bread alone” ? If so, in a manner analogous to the verses out of Matthew that you mentioned, do you think that it is the role of the state to provide spiritual succor to its citizenry? Why or why not?
August 31st, 2009 | 4:01 pm
Will….
“I’m curious why you think his words were aimed rather at the governor of Judea”.
I never said (I DON’T THINK) that our Savior was addressing the governor of Judea. In fact, I never even vaguely implied as much. He was stating his testament for the ages. Don’t you think that is what he was doing?
“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.”
No, I do not believe that it is the role of the state to provide “spiritual succor”. That being said, I believe (in fact, I know) that it is in keeping with the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth that the state see to it that the poor not die only because they are poor while the rich live only because they are rich.
“Whatever you did to the least of these brothers of mine, you did to me.”
Tell me, Will, what part of that don’t you understand”
Respectfully and sincerely,
Tom Degan
August 31st, 2009 | 9:16 pm
Tom,
Signing off a snarky comment with RESPECTFULLY doesn’t make it respectful and seems to contradict your politics of joy. Nevertheless you miss Will’s point- XN can’t be in perfect harmony with your liberalism or any other poltical system given its ultimate orientation towards the transpolitical-the demands of the citizen don’t exhaust the demands of the soul. One might argue that an overly energetic welfare state undermines the conditions for true charity which, as the Pope says in his last encyclical, transcends justice and therefore the intrusions of the state. This might partially explain why Americans as individuals are so much more charitable than Canadians or the French
September 1st, 2009 | 12:53 am
I can excuse Cheeks for his brief but excessive comments. It’s a little hard not to go a bit overboard upon the occasion of the death of a politician whose political career and personal life were a travesty of political leadership. What Kennedy did was worse than murder in some ways, at least worse than a murder committed in the heat of passion. Those familiar with his actions in the hours immediately after know that there were a number of moments during this time when his behavior further revealed what kind of person he was. Up until the next morning, when a couple of companions from the night before had to roust him out of a hotel restaurant where was chatting up a stranger he probably could have done something to show that he had some understanding of the depth of his moral failure. As it was it makes all the more believable the tale from later years that one of his favorite ice-breakers was to blurt out “Heard any good jokes about Chappaquiddick lately?” My own favorite Teddy vignette was when he dressed up as Barney the Dinosaur one year at his office party and introduced himself as “Tyrannosaurus Sex.” And it’s always good to be reminded that he and Orrin Hatch were such good friends, simply because it’s good to be reminded of what a tool Hatch is. I myself am a late-joining member of the RC Church that Kennedy counted himself a lifelong member of and I would be remiss in not thanking Tom Degan for reminding me that I need look no further than the simple creeds of the progressive movement in order to properly understand the ancient tenets of my new found faith. Catechesis in the post-Vatican II Church is in bad shape and I will take instruction wherever I can find it. Tom, you can feel gratified as you return to the Huffington Post where you idle the hours away nursing your case of Bush Derangement Syndrome. I live in Oregon and in 1995 we ran Senator Bob Packwood from office for being, in effect, a serial groper. Like Cheeks, it has never ceased to amaze me how the voters of Massachusetts could apparently in good conscience send a scoundrel like Kennedy back to the Senate again, and again, and again.
September 1st, 2009 | 1:25 pm
You know, the word “murder” has a definition. Words mean things.
September 1st, 2009 | 3:37 pm
Murder: To kill (another human being) unlawfully, The American Heritage Dictionary, Houghton-Mifflin Co., 1982.
Vehicular Homicide: (Ohio) To kill a human being with an automobile (vehicle).
Homicide: The killing of one person by another.
(Lat. homicidum
Courtesy of the Ohio State Highway Patrol, Lisbon, Ohio.
My guess is Massachusetts law is similar and while the laws of Ohio and Massachusetts may be similar the enforcement of those laws definitely isn’t. In Ohio Ted Kennedy would have found himself indicted for Aggravated Vehicular Homicide. Actually, when you think about it, three or four years in the state facilities might have straightened him out!
September 1st, 2009 | 3:59 pm
It was murder, and it was moral cowardice. If you want Bob to wait a day or two, fine. Of course, we’ll continue talking about how old Teddy would have wanted Obamacare …
September 2nd, 2009 | 4:43 pm
Wait a minute there Cheeks, it aint fair that you use the Ohio statutes and a dictionary to define an act that left a passenger in a submerged car dead and the driver long gone. You should have replaced “murdered” with “vehicular homicided”. Its impolitic to be quite so direct .
But, to be sure, supposing the last years of his life were a period of reform for the dearly departed, I still take issue with anybody asserting several years in the U.S. Congress is anything like “redemption”. Unless, of course, it is in the manner of a poker allusion like redeeming one’s chips.
September 6th, 2009 | 1:51 pm
The word “murder” has always meant to kill intentionallly, not accidentally. Postmodern, you are a liar.
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