ON THE POWER AND THE SPACE AGE
FINAL CHAPTER
THE WORLD WAS NOT MEANT TO BE A PRISON IN WHICH MAN AWAITS HIS EXECUTION. NOR HAS MANKIND SURVIVED THE TESTS AND TRIALS OF THOUSANDS OF YEARS TO SURRENDER EVERYTHING, INCLUDING ITS EXISTENCE, NOW. THIS NATION HAS THE WILL AND THE FAITH TO MAKE A SUPREME EFFORT TO BREAK THE LOG JAM ON DISARMAMENT AND NUCLEAR TESTS, AND WE WILL PERSIST UNTIL WE PREVAIL UNTIL THE RULE OF LAW HAS REPLACED THE EVER DANGEROUS USE OF FORCE.
UNTIL THE WORLD CAN DEVELOP A RELIABLE SYSTEM OF INTERNATIONAL SECURITY, THE FREE PEOPLE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO KEEP THEIR ARMS NEAR.
WE DO NOT DISMISS DISARMAMENT AS AN IDLE DREAM. FOR WE BELIEVE IN THE END THAT IT IS THE ONLY WAY OF INSURING THE SECURITY OF ALL WITHOUT IMPAIRING THE INTERESTS OF ANY. NOR DO WE MISTAKE HONORABLE NEGOTIATION FOR APPEASEMENT. WHILE WE SHALL NEVER WEARY IN THE DEFENSE OF FREEDOM, NEITHER SHALL WE ABANDON THE PURSUIT OF PEACE.
FIRST, LET US EXAMINE OUR ATTITUDE TOWARD PEACE ITSELF. TOO MANY OF US THINK IT IS IMPOSSIBLE. TOO MANY THINK IT UNREAL. BUT THAT IS A DANGEROUS, DEFEATIST BELIEF.
IF WE ARE TO OPEN NEW DOORWAYS TO PEACE, IF WE ARE TO SEIZE THIS RARE OPPORTUNITY FOR PROGRESS, IF WE ARE TO BE AS BOLD AND FARSIGHTED IN OUR CONTROL OF WEAPONS AS WE HAVE BEEN IN THEIR INVENTION, THEN LET US NOW SHOW ALL THE WORLD ON THIS SIDE OF THE WALL AND THE OTHER THAT A STRONG AMERICA ALSO STANDS FOR PEACE.
WE SEEK TO STRENGTHEN THE UNITED NATIONS, TO HELP SOLVE ITS FINANCIAL PROBLEMS, TO MAKE IT A MORE EFFECTIVE INSTRUMENT OF PEACE, TO DEVELOP IT INTO A GENUINE WORLD SECURITY SYSTEM CAPABLE OF RESOLVING DISPUTES ON THE BASIS OF LAW, OF INSURING THE SECURITY OF THE LARGE AND SMALL, AND OF CREATING CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH ARMS CAN FINALLY BE ABOLISHED.
SOME SAY THAT IT IS USELESS TO SPEAK OF WORLD PEACE OR WORLD LAW OR WORLD DISARMAMENT AND THAT IT WILL BE USELESS UNTIL THE LEADERS OF THE SOVIET UNION ADOPT A MORE ENLIGHTENED ATTITUDE. I HOPE THEY DO. I BELIEVE WE CAN HELP THEM DO IT. BUT I ALSO BELIEVE THAT WE MUST REEXAMINE OUR OWN ATTITUDE, AS INDIVIDUALS AND AS A NATION, FOR OUR ATTITUDE IS AS ESSENTIAL AS THEIRS.
IT IS, I THINK A SOURCE OF CONCERN TO US ALL THAT THE FIRST DOGS CARRIED AROUND IN OUTER SPACE WERE NOT NAMED ROVER AND FIDO, BUT, INSTEAD, WERE NAMED BELKA AND STELKA. IT WAS NOT NAMED CHECKERS EITHER.
TOGETHER WE SHALL SAVE OUR PLANET OR TOGETHER WE SHALL PERISH IN ITS FLAMES.
DISARMAMENT WITHOUT CHECKS IS BUT A SHADOW, AND A COMMUNITY WITHOUT LAW IS BUT A SHELL.
NOW IT IS TIME FOR A GREAT NEW AMERICAN ENTERPRISE, TIME FOR THIS NATION TO TAKE A CLEARLY LEADING ROLE IN SPACE ACHIEVEMENT, WHICH IN MANY WAYS MAY HOLD THE KEY TO OUR FUTURE ON EARTH.
BUTY WHY, SOME SAY, THE MOON? WHY CHOOSE THIS AS OUR GOAL? AND THEY MAY WELL ASK WHY CLIMB THE HIGHEST MOUNTAIN? WHY, 35 YEARS AGO, FLY THE ATLANTIC? WHY DOES RICE PLAY TEXAS?
OUR ARMS WILL NEVER BE USED TO STRIKE THE FIRST BLOW IN ANY ATTACK.
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"JOHN F. KENNEDY: WORDS TO REMEMBER"
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