A U.S. Senator has passed away. Part of our nation mourns his passing. The rest are either indifferent or rejoicing. Apart from John Doane, I do not believe that every man’s death diminishes me. Nor do I believe that one should ask for whom the bell tolls, for too often, that tolling bell has a different meaning for each of us survivors.

From a personal standpoint, I did not care for Sen. Kennedy. He destroyed the lives of family members, friends and co-workers through both his actions and his inactions. From a political standpoint, we were miles apart, as to his view of the place of the Federal Government in our lives. I do not condemn him for the latter. I simply did not agree with the man.

Sen. Kennedy was the spawn of a rum running, skirt chasing, Nazi sympathizing, isolationist father. The sins of a father unfortunately were, in no small way, visited upon his sons, and grievously did they answer for it. Unfortunately, as the case may be, we cannot choose our parents. We can, however, choose our politics and have the free will to choose the paths we take in life.

As far as this being a eulogy, I shall be short. Permit me to quote from Shakespeare’s “Julius Caesar.”

“The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones.” So let it be with Sen. Edward Kennedy.

JLK