June 2008 ROBERT F. KENNEDY We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. The Declaration of Independence We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common Defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this CONSTITUTION of the United States of America.  June 6th marks the 40th anniversary of the assassination of one of the great iconoclasts in American history - Robert F. Kennedy. He strove to overturn the traditional ideas and institutions of segregation, discrimination and apartheid, organized crime, violence, poverty and capital punishment. His covert meetings with the Soviets were key in avoiding nuclear war in the Cuban Missile Crisis. He favored the withdrawal of troops from Vietnam. The passionate force behind John F. Kennedy’s initiatives as Attorney General, he continued into his role as Senator and then his presidential campaign, sadly cut short. His vision was not narrowed only to what may benefit the comfortable elite of this country, rather placing greater focus on human rights and equality, both at home and in foreign policy. He was a man who learned. On the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., he quoted from the Greek metaphysical poetry of Aeschylus: “He who learns must suffer. Even in our sleep, pain which cannot forget falls drop by drop upon the heart until, in our despair, and against our will, comes wisdom…” He demonstrated a sincere understanding of the premises of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution. His son published writings from a long-time private journal of Robert’s, begun as a joint venture with John and continued after his death under the title Make Gentle the Life of This World; the Vision of Robert F. Kennedy. These thoughts became the material for many of his speeches, such as the quote from the remarkable movie Bobby. Contrast this to the present presidential administration. The differences could not be much more extreme. “Famed Charles Manson prosecutor…Vincent Bugliosi has written the most powerful, explosive, and thought-provoking book of his storied career. In The Prosecution of George W. Bush for Murder, Bugliosi presents a tight, meticulously researched legal case that puts George W. Bush on trial in an American courtroom for the murder of nearly 4,000 American soldiers fighting the war in Iraq. Bugliosi sets forth the legal architecture and incontrovertible evidence that President Bush took this nation to war in Iraq under false pretenses – a war that has not only caused the deaths of American soldiers but also over 100,000 innocent Iraqi men, women, and children; cost the United States over one trillion dollars thus far with no end in sight; and alienated many American allies in the Western world.” Let us all pray for the re-emergence of genuine integrity and honesty from our government officials! Annette Ahlers Rev. Wes Bailey