Vale Ted Kennedy

[matilda]

Am very upset as a believer in the power of legislative reform to make long-lasting change but heartened by President Obama's comments.

Hope I'm not being presumptous as not from the U.S. and he was yours, just wanted to acknowledge.

M

[mlm828]

Not presumptuous at all, matilda. Thanks for your thoughts. Ted Kennedy was born to wealth and privilege, but unlike so many others in his position, he didn't say, in effect, "I've got mine, to hell with everyone else." Instead, he spent his career working for those less fortunate than himself. He will be missed -- especially now.

[inuvik]

OK, maybe I'm just dumb, or maybe it's an Australian term---Vale?

As in, hill and vale?

[mlm828]

It's Latin, meaning "farewell." See the third definition here. By the way, Dictionary.com is a very useful site for these types of questions.

[maggiethecat]

I’m so glad I’m not alone in my sentiments. Thank you, matilda, for starting the discussion.

We all knew it was coming . . . but I find myself immeasurably sad and unaccountably moved. All the pundits keep saying that his passing marks the end of an era, and I keep thinking Yes, the era that began when I was young and hopeful and thought ordinary Americans could change the world.

The year when you’re sixteen is memorable: you come to life, you’re emotional, it’s a rite of passage between adolescence and the beginning of the adult you will become. I was sixteen in 1968 — that terrible year of rage and assassination. Watching the archival footage last night brought it all back: Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy, and Teddy’s heartbreakingly valiant eulogy for Bobby, his voice breaking. It makes the tears spring, unbidden, to my eyes every time.

There’s no doubt that Teddy Kennedy lived an imperfect life, always under the shadow of Chappaquiddick (we’ll never really know what happened, now). But he more than atoned for the sins and fecklessness of youth with his years in the Senate. And let’s not ever forget that he was responsible the Americans with Disabilities Act, which changed life in this country as no legislation had since the Civil Rights Act.

He cared and he was passionate and by God! he was an unrepentant Liberal Democrat, which is reason enough for me to mourn.

I’ve never been a huge Kennedy worshipper — an interesting and valuable family but undeniably flawed so let’s not put them on a pedestal. But I do ache for them today. They only buried Eunice Shriver what, two weeks ago? My heart goes out to Jean Kennedy Smith, the last surviving sibling of nine, who must feel so damned lonely.

Requiem in pace.

[Kasman]

Aug 27, 2009 14:36:23 GMT -5 mlm828 said:

It's Latin, meaning "farewell." See the third definition here. By the way, Dictionary.com is a very useful site for these types of questions.

Hence my dorky kid brother's standard goodbye to me during our high school years: "Vale, puella." (Goodbye, girl).

LOL! The things one remembers!!

[matilda]

Thanks all - sorry about Vale, we use it a lot here so I made an assumption about common usage in our English-speaking world.

Again, what maggie said. I'm not a worshipper either but to those of us here on the same side of politics, it seemed he was the senior Liberal Democrat who knew how to get things done. Legislation like the Americans with Disabilities Act change culture and day-to-day lives and as a result, have been emulated here (Disability Discrimination Act) and these things are so important. We have long had excellent human rights legislative provisions, but in my view it's the applicability and workability that matters and the model provided by that Act ("reasonable ...") is exemplary.

I hadn't realised until recently about his role in your quest for National health insurance. We have it here - albeit watered down during the reign of the neo-cons and to be honest, if they'd been returned it probably would have gone but on the way back up! - and to me it is a hallmark of dignity that everyone deserves. Looks like you're moving closer ...

So Vale Ted Kennedy. We'll be watching the funeral today, as I imagine people of goodwill will be all over the world. Let's hope others can come through in government who take their responsibility as seriously.

M