The Last Knight Of Camelot

 As a child I remember the portrait of President John F. Kennedy and the First Lady that hung in the hallway just outside my bedroom. The portrait hung in a place of honor for many years, so the Kennedy name is well etched in my subconscious. Years later I learned of the facts surrounding the assassination of the man and I vaguely remember the news stories of his brother’s, Robert, assassination in 1968. I also remember seeing stories surrounding Ted Kennedy, which I learned and understood later, were about his involvement in the so-called Chappaquiddick incident. Well now Senator Kennedy, the last knight of Camelot, has gone on to join his brothers and another part of my childhood is gone.

Ted Kennedy, the Tarnished Knight, is gone and Washington and the country is that much less for it. Yes the man had many faults and chinks in his armor, many of which I feel were due to his need to live up to the legacy of his brothers, but in the end the man, known as “The Lion of the Senate”, accomplished a lot of good in Washington, which benefited the country. Senator Kennedy, through his use of compromise and influence, helped pass over 300 bills many of which he authored.

His repetition as a man of the people can not be denied and his popularity, which led to his 9 terms in the Senate, is a legacy which his family and friends can be proud of. As his long and hard fought fight against the illness that took him.

So in honor and honor of Ted, John F. and Robert Kennedy I bow my head in a small prayer. Yes one man can make a difference or in this case three brothers.