Mary Jo Kopechne wasn’t a scion of one of American’s wealthiest families; she was just a girl from an average, middle class family, whose idealism led her to Birmingham, Alabama, during the Civil Rights era, then back north to Washington, D.C., where she eventually ended up as a staffer on Robert Kennedy’s presidential campaign.
Ms. Kopechne’s life was tragically cut short on July 18th, 1969. We’ll never know, of course, what direction her life would have taken, but given her apparent passion for politics, she might have become a powerful political figure in her own right. Instead, her parents were left grieving and the man responsible for her death, Senator Ted Kennedy, went on to become the Lion of the Senate.
Much will be said today about Senator Kennedy and so it seems appropriate to stop for a moment and consider this other life and its unfulfilled potential. I, for one, will be praying that Mary Jo is - finally - resting in peace.
Robert Stacy McCain considers A Fitting Memorial.
Update: Melissa Lafsky, writing at the Huffington Post, wonders if Mary Jo might not have thought that trading her life for Kennedy’s career was worth it. I have my doubts.
Tags: In Memoriam
Wonderfully put.
Quoted from and linked to at:
http://www.thecampofthesaints......rch…
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Yes please rest in peace Mary Jo - The Idea that the people want to exalt this man (Ted Kennedy) is ridulous. His career in politics should have ended the day he ended Mary Jo's young life. Once again he are reminded that Justice is indeed blind when it comes to those who have the ultimate power in their wealth. This being said I have no thoughts of endearment nor praise for the man who took the life of another human being and his judgement is in the hands of God. Wake up people and find a real Hero!
[...] yes, like the conservative blogger who quite touchingly recalled Kopechne’s civil-rights activism, and pondered what the promising 28-year-old might have [...]
[...] Jo Kopechne was a dedicated young liberal woman of tremendous potential. This was pointed out by Jimmie Bise’s co-blogger Paula at the Sundries Shack. Mary Jo had gone to Alabama during the civil rights era, having the courage to live out her own [...]
[...] Jo Kopechne was a dedicated young liberal woman of tremendous potential. This was pointed out by Jimmie Bise’s co-blogger Paula at the Sundries Shack. Mary Jo had gone to Alabama during the civil rights era, having the courage to live out her own [...]