Kathleen Kennedy Townsend defends her uncle (JFK) against the religious

[madinmaryland]

right and in particular, Palin.

Sarah Palin has found a new opponent to debate: John F. Kennedy.

In her new book, "America by Heart," Palin objects to my uncle's famous 1960 speech to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association, in which he challenged the ministers - and the country - to judge him, a Catholic presidential candidate, by his views rather than his faith. "Contrary to common newspaper usage, I am not the Catholic candidate for president," Kennedy said. "I am the Democratic Party's candidate for president who happens also to be a Catholic."

Palin writes that when she was growing up, she was taught that Kennedy's speech had "succeeded in the best possible way: It reconciled public service and religion without compromising either." Now, however, she says she has revisited the speech and changed her mind. She finds it "defensive . . . in tone and content" and is upset that Kennedy, rather than presenting a reconciliation of his private faith and his public role, had instead offered an "unequivocal divorce of the two."

Palin's argument seems to challenge a great American tradition, enshrined in the Constitution, stipulating that there be no religious test for public office. A careful reading of her book leads me to conclude that Palin wishes for precisely such a test. And she seems to think that she, and those who think like her, are qualified to judge who would pass and who would not.

..snip

Edited to add link: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/03/AR2010120303209.html


Excellent read!!

[bigtree]

1. linky

. . . please

[madinmaryland]

4. D'oh! Sorry Link added and in reply...

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/12/03/AR2010120303209.html

[bigtree]

5. thank you. It was a 'good read'

. . . a very thoughtful defense of her uncle. Brilliant writing. Recommended.

[47of74]

2. And in Palin's perfect world...

...Catholics and most mainline Protestants would not have a chance in hell of passing her religious test.

[whathehell]

6. Which is precisely what I say -- over and over -- to people here who try

to lump all, or even MOST Christians in with the Evangelist Fundies.

[pretzel4gore]

3. sarah's between bm's

that's when she produces...so otherwise, pay no 'tenion

[Waiting For Everyman]

7. I'll stick with JFK on that.

Palin is the head spokesperson of a disease - an American Taliban - the most unamerican thing there could ever be.

JFK was right-on. Palin thinking she can negate his position on that is ridiculous - something only an idiot would try in the first place. She wasn't even part of his era, so WTF does she think she knows about it anyway? She couldn't coherently speak two sentences about his remarks in an impromptu interview.

Glad to see KT is speaking up on this though. :thumbsup:

[vanessaodomfortworth]

8. Palin vs. Kennedy

Palin's claims are unfounded. I'm not Catholic; I'm not a Palin fan; I'm not a Democrat either but I've seen this speech several times and it's excellent, very fair, and honorable. May he RIP.

[madinmaryland]

9. Welcome to DU!

:hi: