"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you ...

[NJmaverick]

"And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country. "

What does that JFK quote mean to you?

[saltpoint]

1. It flips the pancake on the pissers and moaners,

challenging them to stop whining and achieve a more invested citizenship.

I miss the man who spoke those words in his Inaugural.

:hi:

[katandmoon]

5. Yeah he took time out from his busy schedule of screwing secretaries

[saltpoint]

6. I don't believe your remark quite captures the

spirit of the original post in this thread.

[katandmoon]

10. The spirit of the original post was a classic "gotcha"

[saltpoint]

11. It asks into the challenge inherent in Kennedy's

Inaugural, which is felt to be among the most resonant inaugural addresses in the nation's history.

Fast-forward to the Obama campaign's theme of asking for government in which the citizenry assists in shaping the theme of representation in a constitutional republic. Madison and Jefferson, just to name-drop a couple more heavy-hitter president-types, asserted similar themes.

You sprung from that frame of reference to "screwing secretaries."

Nice work.

[11 Bravo]

8. Classy.

[saltpoint]

9. I'm off-topic, 11 Bravo, but did want to say

thanks for the Yeats quotation in your sig line.

:thumbsup:

[Name removed]

60. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[msongs]

2. that it's been many years since a US president actually asked Americans to sacrifice for the USA in

a general way. after 9/11 it was go shopping, after gulf oil disaster it was go touristing.

[Xenotime]

31. It means democratic presidents get it...Rethugs don't.

[YOY]

3. Have you ever served your country?

n/t

[rurallib]

13. depends on how 'served' is defined

is it narrowly as only having been in the military?
Or would it include things such as teachers, voter registration, public office, works for charities etc. etc?

[YOY]

27. Federal Service. Oath and all.

n/t

[NJmaverick]

15. I have 25 years of volunteer service as an EMT/Rescue Tech

During that time I donated over 20,000 hours of my life, with out receiving any compensation. In addition most of my adult life I have worked either for not for profit hospitals or the government. So you tell me have I served my Country? Have I asked what I can do for my Country?

[demtenjeep]

21. I am a teacher in the lowest SES school in our district

I do so much more than teach...

[NJmaverick]

23. For what it's worth, I think you served your Country

[YOY]

26. No. That's your community.

Federal service. HAVE YOU DONE IT?

Have you taken an oath to defend your country against all enemies foreign and domestic?

[NJmaverick]

28. Do you think that's what the President Kennedy meant?

that you could only help the nation on the federal level? That community organizing and doing things at the community level does not help our nation?

[Name removed]

29. Deleted message

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[YOY]

63. I love how you answer questions with questions!

It's just all part of takin' it back! Keep up the rockin' great work.

It's all one of the reasons why I'm starting a fan club here at DU to help you "take it all back!"

I've even got a little dance choreographed! Oh you'd love it!

Gosh...despite the fact that you posted one of the most loved recent Democratic president's famous quotes...the thread is incredibly unrecced.

I wonder why it's unrecced so...

[katandmoon]

4. It means refusing to be silent while Christo-facsism continues to take over

[treestar]

7. It means participate, not just at election time

Expressed in its opposite as: I voted for Obama in the election, I did my part.

[rurallib]

12. today - "Ask not what your country can do for you

Ask what your country can do for the corporations."

[Blue_In_AK]

59. Too true, too true.

[Name removed]

14. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[tekisui]

16. lol.

Get in line!

[HughMoran]

38. lovin' some deleted

[paulk]

17. it doesn't mean much these days

I don't think I've gotten a whole lot in return for all those taxes I've paid over the years.

And I've never thought nationalism was much to aspire to, which is what I've always seen that quote as an appeal for.

In every category the USA is falling behind the rest of the developed world - except for our military - and the ability to destroy is not at the top of my personal list of things to be proud of.

it's damn hard to wave that flag with enthusiasm these days - which is a shame, because this country holds a lot of promise.

We are constantly being let down by our political class, however - and simple appeals to patriotism increasingly ring hollow.

[NJmaverick]

18. I never thought of it as an appeal to nationalism. I always felt it was an appeal

to adjust one's mindset to being one of what each citizen can do to make their nation better, rather than sitting back and looking to see how the nation could make their own lives better.

[tekisui]

36. But, you told us that if we wonder if we are doing enough, then we

are part of the problem.


:shrug:

[HughMoran]

39. Can you read the post again

instead of trying to start a fight - it was as clear as day and not an insult.

[tekisui]

40. No, I won't read it again.

And, I never said it was an insult.

[paulk]

37. there's the law of diminishing returns at work

you can only work toward that goal for so long until a sense of resignation sets in

when you see our government, regardless of party, work for the advancement of one group of citizens over another

(there's a reason for the inequity in the distribution of wealth in this country, which is the largest difference in the developed world these days)

it's hard to "adjust" that mindset anymore...

[NJmaverick]

44. I am not the sort to give in to a sense of resignation

I may not be the smartest, most charismatic, the best looking or the most talented, however I figure one thing I can control is how persistent I am. I simply am unwilling to surrender.

[paulk]

47. I'm not talking about "surrender"

as much as finding something that is more worth fighting for.

[NJmaverick]

49. I can't think of many things more worthy of fighting for, than making my nation better

[paulk]

50. you missed my point

I'm all for "making my nation better"

I'm talking about finding different ways to do it - outside of blind belief in our government, for instance.

Or blind belief in a particular political party or politician.

[NJmaverick]

51. I think you are mistaken realistic views with blind belief

For example while I work within the governmental structure to improve things, I don't have a "blind belief" in it. Any government is a construct of and run by human beings. Human beings are universally flawed, so it would be unrealistic to believe the government wouldn't be equally flawed. However that's not to say a flawed government is incapable of making positive changes. A good analogy might be an old beat up car. It may not run as well as a new car, but that doesn't mean it's incapable of getting you to where you need to go.

[paulk]

57. "realistic views"

you are describing where I was at just a few years ago. I still had some belief that old beat up car (the Democratic Party, with control of the executive and large majorities in both houses of Congress)could get us where we need to go.

I don't believe that anymore - I'm thinking maybe a bicycle would be faster.

I'm not advocating for a 3rd party, btw - I've "resigned" myself to continuing my support for the Democrats - it's just that I no longer believe the incremental positive changes are going to amount to much in the long run. Or the short run, really. All I'm really hoping for is staving off the complete collapse of our economy and keeping the christo-fascists out of power.

[NJmaverick]

61. I can understand that you are getting discouraged

however I have found in life that things tend to be balanced. In this case it took 8 years to get the nation as messed up as it is. I don't think we can expect everything to be fixed in the first year or two.

[NJmaverick]

52. I think you are mistaken realistic views with blind belief

For example while I work within the governmental structure to improve things, I don't have a "blind belief" in it. Any government is a construct of and run by human beings. Human beings are universally flawed, so it would be unrealistic to believe the government wouldn't be equally flawed. However that's not to say a flawed government is incapable of making positive changes. A good analogy might be an old beat up car. It may not run as well as a new car, but that doesn't mean it's incapable of getting you to where you need to go.

[treestar]

19. I don't think its "liberal" to be very concerned with getting something

in return. JMO.

[paulk]

35. non sequitur

it's strange how support for Obama has somehow morphed into free license to trash liberals on this board.

[treestar]

55. talk of non sequiturs

IMO liberals are not usually the ones obsessed with being repaid when it comes to paying taxes. They are usually concerned with the society overall and the community.

[paulk]

58. taxes are what pays for

"society overall and the community"

[saltpoint]

20. IMO Kennedy's Inaugural passage there is not a

call to nationalism.

It asks an invested citizenship.

[demtenjeep]

22. what we ALL can do to help each other

and to help "heal the world"

[saltpoint]

32. Agree -- there is much of that in that Inaugural

passage.

A call to a heightened citizenship.

[hulka38]

24. It doesn't mean, "don't criticize the President's policies"

I always thought it was a call to action and involvement and to be informed and engaged. It should have the same meaning regardless of whether someone is happy with the current president's policies or not.

[NJmaverick]

25. I have always felt it was more about a mind set

than details over presidential policy. It was a call for each citizen to have the mind set to see how they could help and how they could improve their community and nation. It was a challenge to break the mindset of sitting back and looking to see what the nation is doing to improve one's own life. To make and be part of a greater good.

[hulka38]

30. Hey, we agree!

[HughMoran]

41. Exactly

Assuming anything else is to come to the argument with a predetermined bias.

[spoony]

64. +1

[azmouse]

33. Who the hell "unrecs" a quote from JFK?

[arcadian]

34. Glenn Beck can quote JFK

[NJmaverick]

53. That's true and here is the passage he quoted

JFK: "Without debate, without criticism, no administration and no country can survive."

JFK: Without debate, without criticism, no administration and no country can survive.

[HughMoran]

42. It suggests that Democrats could do more to support Democrats

Forbidden topic.

[Cha]

43. Unfortunately I didn't heed JFK's

call until many years down the road but, now it means active participation in getting responsible leaders elected and being involved in our community organizing.

And, it's such a gratifying feeling after fighting to take down the bushcheney coup for 8 years.

Now, we're making Progress.

[ZombieHorde]

45. I was a foster dad for a teenager who suffered from severe Autism and cognitive delay.

Does that count?

[NJmaverick]

46. Absolutely that counts!

:hi: When you reach out and help others you are making our nation better

[AtomicKitten]

48. It's precisely what Pres Obama was talking about during the campaign.

That as citizens we are in this together.

[Peacetrain]

54. A call to purpose, .... then and now

It always amazes me, how some people, and I see it and hear it on the right wing media all the time.. do not want to do anything on the personal level to benefit the larger community..

If there was ever a clarion group who took the " Me Generation" to heart in the late 70's and early 80's.. it is the right..

[OregonBlue]

56. I believe it is a call to show concern for our nation and our world, not just our own selfish

interests. It's sorta the opposite of the the Repukes are doing right now. They are doing everything they can to stall Obama's agenda hoping the country will get worse and they will regain power. That is not "what you can do for your nation" but what "your nation can do for you".

[felinetta]

62. This is spooky. I've been wondering how Repigs,Teabaggers & Faux news would interpret this now.

[Kahuna]

65. Yikes!!!

:scared:

:popcorn:

[cornermouse]

66. We have "giving" for the last 10 years or more.

We're all out of "giving".

[karynnj]

67. A call to service - a call to involve yourself in seeing how you can be part of the solution

rather than asking for policies that benefit you personaly.

Do you remember that this last week was the 50th anniversary of the 1960 Democratic convention? (I realized that only because I watched day one at the Paley Center museum last Saturday)