Kennedy's Inaugural is considered one of the finest ever
delivered by an American president. Many political historians
concur that the speech delivered characteristics of realism, idealism, historical
reference, and strength, all of which are vital to a successful presidency. Kennedy was
clear; the United States would pay any price to assure the success of liberty.
He was a 'Cold Warrior' with a tone of 'hawkishness' but he knew that every
nation would be listening to the speech, especially the Soviet Union. The speech also
suggests that with freedom also comes a responsibility, ask not what your
country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country. This statement
was intended to rally all Americans towards the quest for freedom, in the U.S. as well
as other nations of the world. A great example would be Kennedy's creation of the Peace
Corps. The volunteer organization gave Americans the opportunity to offer (U.S.)
education, medical assistance, etc to those less fortunate that themselves in other
countries. However, it must be noted that this to was connected to fighting the Cold
War, in a non-violent but very Americanized way.
Yes, I
believe this speech is as relevant today as the day it was delivered because the U.S.
does stand at the forefront of freedom. In addition, the U.S. continues to assist less
fortunate nations with regard to healthcare and food
subsidies.
Use the italicized prompts above to
locate specific quotes in the speech that you might want to use.
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