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LETTERS THE DARK SIDE OF J.F.K.
Every president, particularly a martyred one like John F.
Kennedy, deserves a modicum of respect. The measure of any
leader ought to be his stewardship in office and his ability to
put the public good ahead of private gain. But, sadly, every
President since Washington has had "debunkers," like Seymour
Hersh in his new book about Kennedy, The Dark Side of Camelot
[NATION, Nov. 17]. Such authors are all too willing to embellish
the facts to besmirch the personal life of the individuals who
have held America's highest elective office.
Far worse than Kennedy's private infidelities was his public
policy. He failed to support fully the Bay of Pigs invasion of
Cuba and allowed Fidel Castro to establish a beachhead for
communism in the western hemisphere. Kennedy did not act
effectively when the Berlin Wall was erected, profoundly
affecting the NATO alliance, and he increased U.S. involvement
in Vietnam. The consequences of his misguided policies plagued
the U.S. long after his brief, disastrous presidency.
Seymour Hersh is an investigative journalist only as long as his
inquiries fit the prior conclusions he has reached. His recipe
for writing: boil down some quotes from murky sources, add a few
references to obscure documents, smother with one's own exalted
theories and half bake.
No matter what Hersh throws out, I choose to remember Kennedy as
a hero in war, as a person living a full life despite chronic
pain, as a wise and thoughtful leader who understood the forces
of history and as a voice of hope for the young, minorities and
the underprivileged. I will remember Kennedy as a man who could
have lived the life of an idle rich person but chose instead the
path of public service. And I will remember him as a President
who died in the service of his country.
Your story again raises the often debated question of the
relevance of a President's personal life to his ability to
govern. We need to remind ourselves that we elect a President,
not a Pope. Although Kennedy may have been losing the battle
with his personal demons, he certainly brought forth the better
angels of our nature. This is shown in the legacy he created: an
extraordinary resurgence of pride in being an American and a
rekindling of the notion that public service is a noble calling.
Kennedy's true stature should be judged by his public
accomplishments, not his private life.
The democracy that allows absolutist thinkers like Hersh to
handle history the way Geraldo handles news is the same
democracy that forces leaders to compromise consistently as they
work toward important goals. Hersh's version of the truth seems
to come from a mind as immoral as those he rails against.
By giving Hersh's book such prominence, TIME has probably
ensured the commercial success of a work that best deserves to
be disdained and ignored. It is just the latest example of the
sordid tabloid mentality that pervades so much of today's
"journalism." Devoid of historic revelations or insightful
analysis, Hersh's book offers nothing more than lurid
sensationalism while seeking legitimacy under the guise of
investigative reporting. What is the motivation for such a
vitriolic work? Such tawdry prying serves only to taint the
perpetrator.
Think not what a man did in bed. Think what he did for his
country. But now it looks as if people believe it's supposed to
be the other way around.
The president of the U.S. lives under a tremendous amount of
stress and should have the choice of what to do to relax: golf,
jogging, crosswords, juggling--or sex. As long as the Chief
Executive is good at the job, who cares? Sex is normal. Imagine
Picasso, Chaplin or Miller without women. The world's cultural
heritage would be pretty boring.
Kennedy had everything--looks, youth, wealth, intelligence,
articulateness, military background, fine family and good
friends. Everything except fidelity and sexual discipline. A
private life finally ends up strengthening or destroying the
public life and image. You cannot separate the two.
Those old enough to remember will never forget where they were
and what they were doing when the clock stopped for the Kennedy
years on Nov. 22, 1963. J.F.K.'s flaws and indiscretions did not
keep him from gaining and shaping a piece of the Western world's
psyche. His place in history remains secure.
How much more can be written about one man's sex life? What is
Hersh trying to prove? Were Kennedy's sexual adventures the
cause of the Cuban crisis and the tragedy of Vietnam? This book
is the latest attempt to blacken the myth of Kennedy, which is
still alive 34 years after his assassination. Even Columbia
professor Alan Brinkley overestimates the impact of the book in
his review when he comments, "Reading this book is a depressing
experience." Only if one takes yellow journalism seriously!
Hersh has a tendency to jump to conclusions that may not be
backed by concrete evidence. He should refrain from writing
pseudo history.
Hersh's digging into J.F.K.'s affairs is another example of the
sensationalism and cheap journalism that permeate every aspect
of the American way of life. Let the dead rest in peace. BLAMING IT ON EL NINO
The connections between the El Nino phenomenon and ecological
disruptions like seabird starvation and crop failure are based
on solid scientific data and cannot be dismissed as "bunk," the
term used by Charles Krauthammer in his commentary on blaming El
Nino [VIEWPOINT, Nov. 17]. The potential connection between
global warming and the increased frequency of El Ninos in recent
decades was taken directly from peer-reviewed scientific
articles. Attempts to educate the public about science should be
based on true scientific understanding, and not on subjective
journalistic whim.
I must agree with Krauthammer that the El Nino phenomenon is
being blamed for things that it has nothing to do with. Instead
of focusing on the hype and rhetoric surrounding El Nino, the
U.S. should reflect on the underlying causes of global warming
and cooperate to slow or eliminate them. If they fail to do
this, humanity will be headed toward a disaster of biblical
proportions. By burning the rain forests, freely using fossil
fuels and increasing the pollution from motor vehicles, mankind
may one day create a hell on earth, where fertile regions, such
as lush tropical rain forests, become uninhabitable deserts.
It is misguided to say there is no link between global warming
and recent anomalous El Nino behavior. El Nino is certainly a
natural phenomenon, but it occurs because there is a need to
move heat out of the tropical Pacific Ocean, where it would
otherwise build up. Because global warming caused by increased
greenhouse gases in the atmosphere disturbs the heat balance, it
affects El Nino. The behavior of El Nino in the past 20 years is
statistically very unusual compared with that of the previous
100 years. Determining exactly which part of this unusual
behavior is connected to global warming is still a scientific
challenge, but that there is a connection should not be in doubt. THE COUNTERPART TO FIRST LADY
RE the Verbatim quote from Bob Dole: if Elizabeth Dole becomes
President, I hope we can find a more fitting title for her
husband than "First Man," a term which you seemed to find
appropriate [NOTEBOOK, Nov. 17]. If Hillary is the First Lady,
then Bob Dole should become the First Gentleman. Besides being
the correct successor to First Lady, it would be quite
appropriate for Bob Dole. But I suspect the press won't like it.
First Husband, perhaps? CASINOS AND THEIR CUSTOMERS
I found your article on casino marketing and the use of player
reward and recognition cards insulting [BUSINESS, Nov. 17]. It
is unfair and inaccurate to assume that the people who
participate in casino player programs have gambling problems. I
fail to understand why a recreational activity that is enjoyed
responsibly by millions of healthy and normal Americans was so
maligned. The vast majority of those who enjoy recreational
casino entertainment are highly intelligent, successful and
personable people anyone would be proud to know. Our customers
deserve more respect than you gave them.
You reported that former Station Casino St. Charles [Mo.]
customer Sharon Willman continued to get solicitations from the
casino in spite of efforts to have her name removed from a
promotional mailing list. We would like your readers to know
that Willman's name was removed from our mailing list Nov. 1
after a database error was discovered Our company made a
mistake, admitted it and corrected it. BARNEY'S NO LAUGHING MATTER
Your item on "Feud Of The Week" said that the Famous San Diego
Chicken mascot was a winner for assaulting Barney and that
Barney was "always a loser" [PEOPLE, Nov. 17]. I disagree. I
used to make jokes about Barney, the popular purple dinosaur.
But now I have a two-year-old daughter who at the very mention
of the name Barney breaks into a joyful, excited dance. I think
the Famous Chicken is just jealous. I bet he'd love to be
recognized the world over. THE DISHEVELED-GENIUS LOOK
You said the funniest photo you could find of New York City's
November fashion shows was one of designer Bill Blass with his
collar popping out, a pant leg looking as if it had a cyclist's
clip, and a tie that stopped mid-chest [PEOPLE, Nov. 17]. What
Blass needs is to use suspenders to hold his pants up, instead
of a belt. Not only will his pants hang correctly, with a slight
break at the instep, but his pectoral muscles will improve
because he'll change his posture and no longer rest his belly
against a belt.
IMAGES OF CAMELOT The controversial new book by Seymour Hersh, which looks at John F. Kennedy's seamier side [NATION, Nov. 17], caused a number of readers to reassess the Camelot image. Anne L. Maggiani of Manhasset, N.Y., thought Hersh took pleasure in destroying that memory of the 1960s. "It was a time when Americans were young, proud and united," recalled Maggiani. "Jackie and John made us that way--and we all loved them." But Barry Lee, a British citizen working in Summerton, S.C., took exception to the idea of having King Arthur's visionary realm tied to the Kennedys. "Camelot is a name that evokes thoughts of chivalry, gallantry and a mythical spirit that enshrines high moral values," Lee insisted. "None of that can be ascribed to the Kennedy clan." Gwen Coleman of Barre, Mass., also harked back to the mythical kingdom, in taking on the notion of warts-and-all biography: "Camelot was undone by Mordred, King Arthur's bastard son, who wished to destroy his father and arranged to have Arthur's queen caught with her lover." Wrote Coleman: "Imagine how much money Mordred could make today if he joined the ranks of authors of trashy biographies." |
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