Where I Stand 1983 — Hank Greenpsun: Looking back at JFK’s death

Friday, Feb. 23, 2001 | 9:15 a.m.

Note to readers: This column by Sun founder Hank Greenspun appeared on Nov. 23, 1983.

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On the 20th anniversary of his death, President Kennedy is being remembered by a nation of people who watched the flame of youthful enthusiasm and hope extinguished with a volley of gunshots in Dallas, Texas.

I have my memories of Jack Kennedy from the time he was one of Congress' most promising young members and through his 1,000 days as a president of the United States.

Some of my recollections are very personal, others are gleaned from relationships in the realm of government.

One of my fondest remembrances was one day in Washington, D.C. I was in his office and the phone rang.

"I have to run home, my wife is house-hunting," he explained. "Why don't you come with me?"

I went along and we found Jackie anxious to see a prospective new house, but she had taken the time to make peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and we sat down for a most informal lunch.

After dining, Jackie went ahead with the realtor and the senator from Massachusetts and I walked. He was on crutches because of his bad back and every step hurt. Walking up the stairs was a very painful experience for him, but when he got into the foyer of the one-family residence, he saw a bookcase and right in the forefront was his book, "Profiles in Courage."

Kennedy looked around and with a wry grin stated, "I sure don't like this guy's style in architecture but he has excellent taste in literature."

There were other times I spent with President Kennedy in the Oval Office of the White House when I was present with others to discuss matters of mutual concern.

On this anniversary of John Kennedy's death, there will be a pilgrimage to his grave and people in all walks of life will remember the hope he brought to the world.

His fresh, young, vibrant face expressed to the young people in noble fashion the true obligation of the presidency. He cast out all the harsh, self-interest political practices that befouled the office in the past and brought in reforms based on civilized ideals and justice.

He was able to put into words the sometimes muffled and often unexpressed hope that every true American has for his country.

He symbolized a new breed of Americans who did not believe in war and political corruption as the means to conduct the affairs of the nation. He shunned those who shattered the dreams of the hopeful millions yearning to be rid of the disillusioning past.

Who can forget the quiet determination and firm resolve of his speech to the nation when he told the Russians to turn back and take their missiles home?

And many of us recall the handsome, young president standing before a crowd in Germany when West Berlin represented freedom to the entire world, and receiving an ovation the likes of which has never been heard for a visiting dignitary when his voice rang out with the words, "Ich bin ein Berliner."

It is ironic that stories on Nov. 22 proclaimed the world-shaking news that ABC topped the Nielsen ratings for the movie "The Day After" and the three-part miniseries "Kennedy" wasn't even in the running.

ABC executives were jubilant, shouting, "We beat the opposition -- we beat the Kennedy story."

How dare they even make such references?

President Kennedy recognized the danger of nuclear war and agonized over it. He was a man with a heart -- a great humanitarian. Television vice presidents are cold, calculating ghouls. They didn't make the picture "The Day After" to make an impression on the world and the American public; they did it to get the ratings.

It might have been appropriate on this, the anniversary of Kennedy's death and the showing of the movie "The Day After" to have used the president's own words as a prologue. He was speaking on the Test Ban Treaty.

"No one can be certain what the future will bring. No one can say whether the time has come for an easing of the struggle. But history and our own conscience will judge us harsher if we do not now make every effort to test our hopes by action, and this is the place to begin.

"According to the ancient Chinese proverbs, 'A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.'

"My fellow Americans, let us take that first step. Let us, if we can, get back from the shadows of war and seek out the way of peace. And if that journey is one thousand miles, or even more, let history record that we, in this land, at this time, took the first step."