50th Anniversary Of President Kennedy Assassination: Renee’s View Of A Time Before Her Birth

I am not old enough to have lived during the time President Kennedy was in office. So I only have my views based on what I know of the 60’s, all of which is second hand.  It just seemed that was like such a passionate time in our history. There seems like there was a willingness of people to push the envelope, take risks and force change to our world.

Not that is did not come without risk and some danger. Let’s face it some of the social changes people were literally putting their lives on the line. And people died.  The global political issue in the early 60’s brought us to the brink of nuclear war.  But what has always captured me has been the race into space.

To me it was a bit of a 'magical time. It was May 25, 1961 that Kennedy said:
"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to earth.”

And that was taken to heart and it happened. That mission presented and accepted. And engineers and scientist ran with it.  Know how, passion, commitment, willing to take some big risks, accept the failures and little luck made it all happen. July 20^th the United States' Apollo 11 was the first manned mission to land on the Moon. President Kennedy’s vision was completed.

It was the willingness of those involved and backing of a nation that made the difference. Where is that passion now?  I seems like as a nation we cannot agree on anything.  It seems like even if there is a universally good idea there are those who will oppose it just to oppose it. I wish we could as a nation pick one or two issues and make them then the national mission and just solve a problem.

It has been 50 years since President Kennedy was shot, and 50 years later there are not even conclusive answers on what happens that day in Dallas! It guess it should be no surprise to me we can't come together and solve a problem or two.