AMBASSADOR WILLIAM MACOMBER; TYPED SPEECH SENT WITH HANDWRITTEN NOTE
AMERICAN COMMUNITY THANKSGIVING SERVICE
NOVEMBER 28, 1963
MY FELLOW AMERICANS,
FOR ALL OF US, THE PAST FEW DAYS HAVE BEEN ALMOST INDESCRIBABLY SAD...
WE MOURN THE LOSS OF AN INTENSELY HUMAN AND ATTRACTIVE PERSON --- THE FIRST PRESIDENT BORN IN THIS CENTURY --- AND AN ORNAMENT TO OUR TIME AND ERA.
WE ... CANNOT REALLY BELIEVE THAT AT THE AGE OF 46 THIS MAN ... IS NO MORE.
AND GONE WITH HIM, TOO, ARE SO MANY OTHER OF HIS QUALITIES WHICH WE SO MUCH ADMIRED:
HIS UNDENIABLE CAPACITY FOR LEADERSHIP,
HIS ZEST FOR HIS JOB,
HIS GALLANTRY, CHARM, GAIETY, AND HUMOR
HIS WAY WITH WORDS,
HIS LINCOLNESQUE SELF-CONFIDENCE COMBINED IN THAT STRANGE LINCOLNESQUE MANNER WITH GENUINE AND AFFABLE HUMILITY,
HIS ABILITY TO LIFT UP OUR HEARTS,
AND ABOVE ALL, HIS REASSURINGLY COURAGEOUS CONVICTION THAT THROUGH SACRIFICE, WISDOM AND STEADFASTNESS, AND ENDURING AND JUST WORLD PEACE MAY YET BE ACHIEVED ...
YET AS I SPEAK TO YOU TODAY I AM MINDFUL OF A FURTHER QUALITY ... A SENSE OF PERSPECTIVE ... MOST OFTEN EXPRESSED IN A FEW CASUAL BOSTON-ACCENTED WORDS --- AND AN ACCOMPANYING GRIN.
AND TODAY I AM SURE HE WOULD WANT US TO RETAIN OUR OWN PERSPECTIVE, TOO ... TO REMEMBER THAT, DESPITE OUR GRIEF, WE STILL DO HAVE MUCH TO STOP, AND TO CONSIDER, AND TO BE THANKFUL FOR ...
FROM PAGES 51 & 52 OF THE BOOK
"DEAR MRS. KENNEDY, THE WORLD SHARES ITS GRIEF LETTERS, NOVEMBER 1963"
BY: JAY MULVANEY AND PAUL DE ANGELIS
Comments