Robert F. Kennedy (Indianapolis 1968 re: MLK's murder)

[Up2Late]

Run time: 05:45 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jPYNb4ex6Ko   Posted on YouTube: April 04, 2006 By YouTube Member: luogocomune Views on YouTube: 505251   Posted on DU: November 05, 2006 By DU Member: Up2Late Views on DU: 2527

 
If you've never heard this speech, you should. This speech was made on a Presidential Campaign stop in Indianapolis, Indiana, to a crowd of people who had yet to hear the news that Martin Luther King had been shot and killed.

In this very troubled time, I think it is good to look back to see another very troubled time that we made it through.

The world was and is a much poorer place after the loss of Robert F. Kennedy, John F. Kennedy and Martin Luther King, but we are also richer for the time they did spend with us.

May your God or Gods help you in this troubled time also.

[Ken Burch]

1. Thank you for posting that.

A great speech, a speech no one in politics today would be capable of making.

The audio from RFK's own assassination at the end was very hard to listen to, even though I've heard it many many times.

We're still here, but I wonder if we DID make it through that "very troubled time". None of our leaders talk about poverty now, the defenders of racism are still in power in too many places, and we're in ANOTHER war that seems to be based in part on the old right-wing obsession with proving that we could have won in Vietnam after all.

Still, we live and breathe, and as long as we do, there's hope of some kind.

Vote November 7th. Then let's get to work once again on building Bobby's "newer world".

[Indy_Dem_Defender]

2. The Moving part of this whole speech

was every other major midwest city had some form of violence or riot that night, but Indianapolis did not. There is a memorial for MLK and RFK in this park now.

[Totally Committed]

3. I see that now, and I'm still filled with such sadness and grief...

I listen to his words, and sadly, they still apply to the America we have today. We moved away from his direction and onto another as a country until we have the horror that we live in today. I can only say how much I wish he'd lived. Can you imagine what this country would have been after having this man as our President?

I close my eyes and imagine such a country, and I get all teary. Bobby Kennedy's America was the America I know I would have wanted my America to be. Unfortunately, that America died with him.

RIP, Bobby. You gave me such hope.

TC

[wicket]

4. Amen

:cry:

[kdpeters]

5. Are you sure we really made it through?

In my more cynical moods, I think their deaths were a decisive vicotry for the martial-industrial complex and a knock out punch for progressive values. Today is one of those days I could use some optimism. I guess I'm lowering my hopes for Tuesday.

[IndyOp]

7. Please don't lower your hopes for Tuesday - please do whatever you can do...

email, call, talk with friends. This is a long row to how, please don't freeze up, just do what you can do.

:hug:

[Up2Late]

8. I don't usually quote song lyrics, but the final verse of Biko by Peter Gabriel...

...I think, say it best:

...You can blow out a candle
But you can't blow out a fire
Once the flames begin to catch
The wind will blow it higher
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja
-The man is dead

And the eyes of the world are
watching now
watching now

If you never heard it or don't know the story of Steven Biko, the song is about how Steven Biko, an anti-Apatite activist, was arrested and beaten to death, by the Police, while under interrogation: <http://www.sahistory.org.za/pages/people/biko,s.htm>

I just found the video at YouTube too, well worth seeing: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J301A0gX8EU>

It's a great song, I don't know if it lit the fire under the anti-Apatite movement, but it added to the fire.

We did have more than 30 good years of progress, which abruptly stopped November 7, 2000 with the Florida Election debacle.

We all need to begin again, and winning this election needs to be the start.

<http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/petergabriel/biko.html>

PETER GABRIEL LYRICS

"Biko"

September '77
Port Elizabeth weather fine
It was business as usual
In police room 619
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja
-The man is dead

When I try to sleep at night
I can only dream in red
The outside world is black and white
With only one colour dead
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja
-The man is dead

You can blow out a candle
But you can't blow out a fire
Once the flames begin to catch
The wind will blow it higher
Oh Biko, Biko, because Biko
Yihla Moja, Yihla Moja
-The man is dead

And the eyes of the world are
watching now
watching now


www.azlyrics.com

[Vox_Reason]

6. America was robbed when RFK was assasinated

We can only imagine what he would have accomplished in his lifetime.

Thanks for posting this speech.

[BelleCarolinaPeridot]

19. I think Bobby Kennedy was the best US President that we never had.

He would have been a great President and an excellent statesman for the world. I can vision him now giving support at the campaign rallies for the Dem. candidates. I was'nt even thought of during his era (my mom was only a toddler herself).

[Up2Late]

9. kick n/t

:kick:

[mucifer]

10. Thank you!

[Up2Late]

11. kick n/t

:kick:

[Redstone]

12. Indianapolis was one of the few cities without riots. Because of that speech.

Bobby, we miss you.

Redstone

[Up2Late]

13. Have you seen the new movie pre-view yet? I just saw it tonight for...

...Bobby. (Opens Thanksgiving Weekend)

<http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0308055/>

Here's a link to the Trailer: <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0308055/trailers>

I don't know if I'm totally outraged or excited to see his story getting some attention.:dilemma:

What do you think Redstone?

[Redstone]

14. Well, I can't watch the trailer because I use a Mac. But I'll still say that

RFK was one of the ones we missed. He would have made this country a better place.

Redstone

[Up2Late]

16. Here's the link to the Quicktime version of Trailer...

...at the apple.com website.

<http://www.apple.com/trailers/weinstein/bobby/>

[Redstone]

17. Thank you too much.

Redstone

[Redstone]

15. I just watched the ending, which I hadn't done the first time. God damn.

Just God damn it. I remember when it happened.

Redstone

[La_Fourmi_Rouge]

18. I was 13 years old.

My father had died of his second heart attack in '62, leaving my mother with 12 kids under the age of 18. I was #10. We were, of course, staunch Catholics, and loved the Kennedy family as if they were our closest cousins. We loved Jack and Jackie, we were so proud of the way they carried our banner high and with a flair.

And we loved Bobby - god how we loved every word he spoke, and hung on every line. He was our hope. He, after being his brother's enforcer for so long, had taken a journey through Appalachia and one could almost see his worldview change as the days went by. He became so considerate of the "little man", so truly passionate about the plight of the poor! We witnessed a personal metamorphosis from scion of wealth and privilege into truthseeker and genuine leader.

He could speak! The above is an example of extemporaneous speech which should be studied in textbooks. I am sure that, over time, he might have rivaled Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. for eloquence.

It makes me cry buckets - I cannot watch the end.