Kennedy For President

July 4, 2021

An important ingredient in comedy is the element of surprise, or unexpected insight delivered with a twist. And that may explain why I had a good laugh yesterday.

I was driving in nearby Marin County for my job when I found myself behind an extra large pickup truck sporting an out-sized American flag waving from a pole at the back of the truck. Usually in my mind I stereotype the driver of such a vehicle as a gun-toting jingoist Republican, and I did so with that driver until I noticed something else at the back of the truck. It was a big, brand-new, red white and blue campaign poster from 1960 with a smiling picture of JFK and the words “Kennedy For President” emblazoned in bold letters at the top of the placard. That photo and slogan were the last message I expected to see behind that truck and flag, and I had to laugh at myself for making an assumption about the driver which turned out to be false.

I think the message that the driver may have intended to convey is that the American flag is not just for conservatives or Republicans, but for everyone. If that was his intention, then he was wise to use a 1960 JFK sign rather than a more recent campaign banner from a Democrat such as Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, or Barack Obama, because a more contemporary presidential advertisement would have made a more partisan point. By choosing Kennedy, the driver was recalling a time when the American flag was more a symbol of unity and community rather than angry right-wing extremism.

I’m neither happy nor surprised about how the flag is abused by some conservative and liberal activists. The biggest domestic threat to our country is from the far right, but the far left is doing its part to tear the nation apart as well. Waving American and Confederate flags, Trump supporters attacked the Capitol of the United States on January 6 of this year to try to overthrow a free and democratic election. Those so-called “patriots” desecrated the flag by their allegiance to a personality cult and by their attempts to destroy democracy.

But some leftists denigrate the Founding Fathers and the American Revolution as promoters of slavery and genocide, and would split us into rival racial identity camps vying for power and influence. They believe that being white is a form of original sin, and that all white people are complicit in “white supremacy” and the oppression of everyone else. Some Black Lives Matter protesters hijack the national anthem and flag at sporting events to object to police shootings of black men.

There will always be those who salute the flag and those who burn it. I do neither. I understand that for some people, especially those of African American or American Indian heritage, the history of this country makes it difficult for them to value or honor this nation and its freedoms. And for some white nationalists, rapid demographic change caused by high rates of immigration represents a threat to their identity and culture.

But government of the people and by the people is by no means assured in this country. Democracy is fragile in the United States and around the world. For all its flaws, I appreciate the U.S. and the sacrifices made by military veterans and by statesmen such as Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln that have allowed this American work-in-progress to continue into the 21st century.

While I’m well aware of the dark side of American history, and the ugliness of current American politics, I choose to focus upon the bright side of this nation: the freedoms of speech, the press, assembly, and religion; peace and prosperity for most people; our national parks; opportunities for health and self advancement that are all too rare in most parts of the world; and, for now at least, free and fair elections.

When John F. Kennedy was elected president in 1960, I was 8 years old, and when he was assassinated in 1963, I was 11. Maybe my fond childhood memories of JFK are just nostalgia for a simpler time. Be that as it may, for me Kennedy still represents optimism, civil rights, and the successful quest to land on the moon. And he represented social progress, in that as a member of two formerly reviled groups (Catholics and Irish immigrants) he could rise to the highest office in the land, similar to the way that Barack Obama also overcame comparable prejudice many years later.

So for me, the 4th of July is a day of thanksgiving, a day of appreciation. And the American flag is an imperfect yet potent symbol of freedom and hope.

JFK for president in 2024! And in the meantime, happy 4th of July, everyone.