Sunday Morning Church Disservice: Ted Kennedy...A Case Study In Redemption

“Hell is yourself and the only redemption is when a person puts himself aside to feel deeply for another person.” ---Tennessee Williams

I watched the funeral of Ted Kennedy yesterday. I learned. I laughed. I cried. But mainly, I learned.

Think whatever you want about Kennedy’s personal flaws and/or politics, he was the embodiment of the fact that none of us are incapable of exorcising our personal demons and resurrecting ourselves.

And…his legislative acumen, his financial fortuitousness, his silver spoon hanging from his mouth when he was born, aside, Ted Kennedy taught us all something…well, at least after watching his funeral, he taught me something.

After the tragic and unfortunate Mary Jo Kopechne incident and his failed Presidential campaign in 1980...Ted Kennedy changed himself.

It was a slow change, and only after meeting and marrying his wife, Vicki, was his transformation complete.

One person after another over the last few days, has praised Teddy. Republican and Democrat. Conservative and Liberal. The Haves and Have Nots. They have all told their stories about Ted.

More often than not, they have spoken as to his greatness and more importantly, his graciousness.

I am not using my blog today to give a Liberal blow job to Ted, although trust me, I could do that with no qualms. However…

What I am speaking about today, is this…whether you agree with Ted Kennedy or not, he has indeed taught us all.

For a long time, Ted Kennedy, in spite of being a wizard of legislation as a young Senator, put himself and his good times before others. But, he grew up…he redeemed himself.

He not only put his familial burden, his work, and his duty before others…Ted, after time, put his life before others. He no longer cared about his poll numbers, his image, or his legacy.

He said to every talking head, “Fuck ‘Em, I‘m a U.S. Senator and I am going to make a difference.”

Ted Kennedy in all of his wealthy glory, went to work everyday, never shied away from what he believed in, and never forgot his mistakes and human frailties.

We have all made mistakes. We have all hurt others. We have all sinned.

Ted Kennedy did it on a more public scale than us, but he continued to do his job and live life with zeal. He did so because he forgave himself and he made things right with his Lord.

Most of my readers are self-proclaimed Christians…and yet, many of them are not Christian. That’s fine, it is what it is.

I think Ted Kennedy can teach us all a huge lesson. Ted Kennedy could have shucked it all in.

He lost several siblings, including two by the bullets of assassins….

An entire segment of America continually wanted him to run for President, an entire extended family counted on him to be their surrogate father.

In that position, I may have curled up into a fetal position and sobbed. Ted stepped up and answered the call.

Say what you want about him…I think he acted in a super-human fashion. And more importantly…

In a human fashion.

Cheers!!

While America Sleeps...In Death, Ted Kennedy's Dream Is Realized

Unless you live under a rock, you now know that Sen. Edward M. Kennedy has died. Yep, Ted Kennedy has gone to that great open bar in the sky.

His passing brings many things to mind for me. Not the tragedy involving Mary Jo Kopechne. Not the flaws in his personal life. Not the bitter and sorrowful thread that weaved its way through his family.

After experiencing sadness upon the knowledge of his death on a personal, and human level, I was struck by something that my ex said.

I called the house Wednesday morning to talk to Ryno, and while waiting for him to pick up the phone I asked his mom if she had heard about Ted Kennedy.

She told me yes and that it was sad, and then went on to say something that somewhat surprised me.

She said, “What will we do now? I mean, all of the great ones are passing away and we have to rely on the current and next generation of politicians? God help us.”

Allow me to put her comment in context. The statement is coming from a person who is hardly a Liberal. Hell, she voted for McCain, and if anything, she is center right…a moderate at most.

Upon hearing her say that, my head cocked, my eyebrows peaked, and for a second, my mind went blank. I couldn’t answer her question. But her statement did proffer more questions…and thoughts.

Why, outside of the Kopechne death, was he hated and loved with such fervor? It finally dawned on me. He was a tireless, tenacious, legislator who clung to, and pushed forward his ideas of what the country should be.

He had a major hand in the writing and passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, COBRA, Title IX, The ADA, No Child Left Behind, and of course, had been doggedly promoting Health Care for all for decades.

Kennedy was both loved and hated because he was continually offering up change. When legislation is proposed that may alter the lives of Americans, love and hate for the idea grows quickly and exponentially. But…

Unlike most Americans, Sen. Kennedy never shied away from his ideals or feared changed. He was proud of what he thought, and he passionately championed each cause and more importantly each person in which he believed.

He…was…a…statesman. And as I look to the House and Senate today, I don’t know of anyone who has enough passion or gravitas to carry Kennedy’s bucket full of scotch laced piss. Sad.

I’m not saying that I want someone with whom I agree to follow the ideology of Kennedy.

I am trying to find someone who demonstrates leadership…a legislator who is unafraid of speaking loudly and strongly…A legislator who still has a fire in his or her belly.

Where is the next Henry Clay? The next Daniel Webster? The next Robert LaFollette and yes, the next Edward Kennedy?

I don’t see it coming from the Senators or House members who currently hold office. Hell, other than your own Senators and a handful of others, can you name the U.S. Senators? Only a few can, and you know why?

They don’t do anything outstanding or push the envelope of thought, oratory, and legislation to the edge.

Instead, our Senators and even more so our congressmen and women are more concerned about introducing bills concerning flag burning, defining what marriage is, and asking for an official resolution of apology because someone they know got their feelings hurt.

Fuck em…

Of course, their inane inertia is not entirely their fault. The issues I mentioned are exactly what riles up their constituents, their poll numbers, and more importantly their donors.

We are as much to blame for having no giants among men in our Congress. We don’t want giants. We are quite happy with like-mindedness and mediocrity. It makes us feel safe.

People like Ted Kennedy and others, who dare to challenge our values, ideas, and put an itch onto the left ass cheek of our comfort zone are unwelcome.

I feel sorry for us, but I am happy for Sen. Kennedy. Finally, after his years of struggle, toil, and effort, he is at peace.

He dwells in a place where social equality is the rule, no mouths go unfed, and there is health care for all.

In death, his dream did not die with him…It was realized.

Cheers!!