11/22/63

Pearl Harbor for my grandparents. 9/11 for my generation. For my parents and their generation, today is that day.

The assassination of President Kennedy was a life-altering event for that generation. It was a course-altering event for the country. Changes in national leadership will always alter the direction the country is headed; politically, economically, diplomatically, militarily. This one, especially as abrupt as it was, was no different. But, it was also the catalyst for a cultural change.

Potentially the most famous speech ever given by President Kennedy was his inaugural address on January 20, 1961 where he put the onus on Americans as dutiful citizens. “Ask not what your country can do for you…ask what you can do for your country.”

We could use a little of that right now.

More ‘How can I help?’ less ‘Gimme free shit.’

More ‘What’s best for my country?’ less ‘What’s best for me?’

More ‘I am responsible for myself’ less ‘Who can I blame?’

More ‘Earn your keep’ less ‘Redistribution of wealth.’

More ‘Serve the nation’ less ‘Serve myself.’

The assassination of President Kennedy did more to degrade the optimism of our citizenry than possibly any single event in the history of this great nation. It did more to drive distrust of the government. It did more to erode our national identity.

Those things didn’t happen in the 8.3 seconds between the first and third shots fired that day. All of that came in the years following. The lack of definitive results of the Warren Commission. The deeper commitment into the war in Viet Nam. The criminality of Watergate. The hippie counter-culture. These all came as unintended consequences of the assassination of President Kennedy. They changed who we were. They changed who we are. They changed our faith and what we believed in.

The sentiment President Kennedy uttered on the day he took office is lost to history. It is lost to the archives. It isn’t who we are right now. It has been a slow turn, like turning an aircraft carrier, but that is where we are.

Today isn’t a day to reflect on the horrific events in Dallas on this day in 1963. It isn’t a day to speculate on what we don’t know or what we haven’t been told since then.

Today is a day to think about what President Kennedy said on the day he was inaugurated.

Today, we should all be thinking about 01/20/61 and NOT about 11/22/63.