I may be wrong on this, but I'm guessing that freepers are NOT holding candlelight vigils today.

[calimary]

24. The Kennedy patriarchs had a few things to atone for.

And I think their family DID do just that. They embodied "noblesse oblige" - to quote Wikipedia, from the French: "nobility obliges." Or as we say around our house, "much blessed, much obligated." In terms of the level and extent of their collective public service, I think they very much atoned for whatever sins their forefathers - and even they themselves - committed. Because they used their wealth, power, and elite status for the benefit of the greater good.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noblesse_oblige

It's how you live your life. If you're able to do more, you damn well SHOULD. If you're able to give more, DAMMIT, you SHOULD. SUIT UP, dammit, and get yer ass out there and help somebody. Your advantaged position fucking DEMANDS it. You're blessed to the skies? Born to wealth and privilege? Then you're fucking OBLIGATED, pal. You may not have any financial debts, but you still owe, BIGTIME. DO something, other than just generate and then hide money. DO something that may or may not benefit you directly, line your pockets, make you famous, or gain you power. They used their wealth and power and influence to do good for those who weren't so privileged. It's like reagan kept saying - "are you better off today than you were (fill-in-the-blank-here) years ago?" Well, are you? Are we? Are we better off, overall, because the Kennedys came our way? And that includes Ted. I think we are.