Rare News Desk
With the 50th anniversary of his death soon approaching, the major sources of media have become engrossed in remembering and analyzing the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. We all know the gist of it: JFK, Oswald, the grassy knoll, the pink dress, and the iconic photo of a secret service agent climbing the back of the president’s limo. In recent weeks, however, these notions have been overshadowed by a second-by-second, shot-by-shot rundown of every aspect of that fateful November day.
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Odds are, if you flip through cable long enough, you will find some sort of documentary about November 22, 1963. However, for the less intrepid students of American history, a Google search is the preferred method. By typing in “was JFK …” into Google, one can discover the top inquiries the public has made on the search engine. In attempt to clear up the most basic of information, here are some answers.
Was JFK In World War Two?
Short answer, yes, the 35th President of the United States was in World War II. Long answer, Lieutenant John F. Kennedy was a high-profile military asset, and was a major player in one the Navy’s most dramatic rescues of World War II. After being denied entry into the U.S Army because of a back problem, Kennedy used his father’s connections in the war department to join the Navy.
By 1943, Kennedy was the commanding officer aboard P.T 109, a torpedo boat patrolling the waters of the South Pacific. On August 2, the boat was run over by a Japanese destroyer, splitting the vessel in two and claiming the lives of two sailors. The remaining crew members, badly injured, swam over three miles to the first uninhabited island they could find. Kennedy would receive the Navy and Marine Corps medal for his leadership following the crash, and personally towing an injured crew member ashore.
Was JFK A Liberal?
Since his passing, many have attempted to express that if JFK had been a candidate in modern society, he would be aligned with conservative Republicans. In a recent interview with Rare, Sen. James Buckley spoke about whether he believed this modern notion.
“In the area of fiscal policy, that is true. He is the one who instituted a significant cut in tax rates on the understanding that high tax rates discourage investments and the creation of new opportunities for employment,” Buckley said. “Socially, I just don’t know how we can second-guess it at this stage. My guess is that, unlike his two brothers, he was instinctively more cautious about having government dictate to individuals and how they should behave.”
Yes, Kennedy was a liberal, specifically a byproduct of his time. If he had run in today’s society, he would most likely be considered a politically savvy Democrat.
Was JFK Gay?
No.
Was JFK A Racist?
The private views of an American family are often never made public. The logical school of thought is, no, John F. Kennedy was not a racist. Some cite his failure to invite black entertainer Sammy Davis Jr. to his first inaugural ball as proof that the man was a racist. Others can chalk up the ideology of the time, noting that Kennedy’s father, a rotten human being in the truest sense, could have been a racist simply because he was a rich white man at the turn of the century.
Politically, Kennedy’s social relations with the African-American community are one of the major factors in the man’s legacy. Kennedy was friends with Martin Luther King Jr., and used his political clout to get King out of jail after being arrested several times in 1960. In his first election, Kennedy received 70 percent of the black vote. Kennedy was instrumental in promoting the civil rights bill, which would set the tone for improved race relations for the rest of the decade. Though he died before it was signed into law, Kennedy was instrumental in the language in the bill. When a man dies, his character will be picked apart. Jack Kennedy however, should not be assumed a racist.
