Robert Kennedy Jr: My father’s
story, values, hopes
In an interview about his recently-published book “American
Values”, Robert Kennedy Jr. recalls the 50th anniversary of the assassination
of his father, Senator Robert Kennedy, and reflects on his legacy and values.
June 6th marks the 50th anniversary
of the assassination of US Senator Robert F. “Bobby” Kennedy at the age of 43
in Los Angeles, California. His death in 1968 came 5 years after the
assassination of his brother, President John F. Kennedy, and only two months
after that of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Pope Paul VI recalled Bob Kennedy at the Angelus address
just three days after his death. “We would do well to remember his actions in
favor of the poor, the dispossessed, the segregated, the need for urgent
progress, and, in a word, social justice,” the Pope said.
To mark the fiftieth anniversary, Vatican News’ Alessandro
Gisotti interviewed Robert Kennedy, Jr., son of the American politician,
lawyer, environmentalist, and president of the Waterkeeper Alliance.
In a recently-published book entitled “American Values”,
Robert Kennedy, Jr. told his father’s story and reflected on his legacy.
Alessandro Gisotti – Mr Kennedy, what would you
say is the most important legacy your father left you personally – something
that is in your book American Values?
Robert Kennedy jr – The book is part
of a memoir. So, it tells the stories about what it was like to grow up during
the “Camelot era” and during the time that my father was running for President.
And it was a magical time for me and my cousins, and my brothers and sisters
because we were involved in a battle that seemed to involve all of the great
issues of the day.
During winter time, our home at Hickory Hill in Virginia was
the satellite White House, and many of the great issues of the day, including
the integration in Mississippi and Alabama, the Civil Rights battles, the Bay
of Pigs, the Cuban Missile Crisis – all of that was orchestrated from my home.
And the children were involved in listening to the debates and watching history
unfold in front of us.
Alessandro Gisotti – The world has known Robert
Kennedy as a politician and a statesman. How was he as a father?
Robert Kennedy jr – Well, he was a
wonderful, attentive father. And as I say in the book, he was interested in all
of us. He understood that we were different people with different talents and
he was attentive to those talents and interests. And for me, when I was young,
I did very poorly in school. And if I feel that if I had felt his disapproval
that it would have crushed my soul. And instead he showed great interest in the
things I was good at – in my care for animals, I was raising
homing pigeons, and breeding them, training hawks, and fishing and hunting –
and he showed great interest in that and encouraged me to do those things. He
saw that I was good at certain things and in those things he gave me praise
without showing me his disapproval for the things that I did not flourish in.
Alessandro Gisotti – Fifty years after his
death, your father is still much loved and appreciated in the US and the world.
Why do you think this is?
Robert Kennedy jr – I think its for
both my uncle and my father, they saw that America was an exemplary nation,
which means that we should model democracy and perfect the Union at home but
that we should not impose our views on people around the world. My uncle and
father wanted to show the best face of America to the rest of the world. They
believed that the world should not think of America, that the face of America
should not be a marine or a soldier. It should be a Peace Corp volunteer. And
it should be an alliance for progress – workers building roads and distributing
food to the poorest people in the world. And that’s what American foreign
policy should be.
Alessandro Gisotti –The title of your book
is American Values. What are some of these key values – the Robert
Kennedy values – you highlight for the American people today?
Robert Kennedy jr –It’s the idea
that America is an exemplary nation which means we are an example. It means
that we don’t force other people to do what we want, but rather we try to
exemplify the best American values at home. We try to perfect the Union, to
make our country a template for civil rights, for human rights, for generosity,
for democracy, for justice and kindness. And that our foreign policy should not
be based on a powerful military.
Alessandro Gisotti –What influence did your
father’s Catholic faith have on his political commitment?
Robert Kennedy jr –You know, my
father’s faith was the faith of Dorothy Day, of the Gospels. It was the part of
Catholicism that Pope John XXIII believed in and that St Francis of Assisi
believed in – that the Church should be an instrument of justice and kindness
around the world.
Alessandro Gisotti –Mr Kennedy, when we speak of
defending the poor, promoting peace, and combatting discrimination, these seem
to be common efforts shared by your father and Pope Francis. Would you agree?
Robert Kennedy jr –Yeah, I would
agree. And I think Pope John XXIII who had a very, very close philosophical
relationship with my uncle felt the same way. And, you know, I’ve written a
children’s book on St Francis of Assisi. My father’s middle name was Francis.
And Francis was the patron saint of our house when we were growing up. So, I
think that Pope Francis’ view of the role of the Church is identical to my
father’s view of what both government and the Church ought to be doing in the
broader society. That is, engaging in justice and kindness and goodness in the
world, and not war.
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