"Ask not what your country can do for you ..."

[IQ57]

 

[IQ57]

I will never back down. I love my country. I love you all. I wish the best for everyone.

 

[IQ57]

 

[Craig234]

Let us not be judge by the color of our skin, but by the content of our character.

LOL say the people who support the worst character in the history of the country, trump. Their translation of King is "racial discrimination is fine."

 

[Antiwar]

"My fellow environmental and humanistic Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you - demand that your government stop destroying Earth and stop dominating the globe economically and militaristically."

Reading that is like riding over a bumpy road in a vehicle with no shocks. (Sorry, but it just is)

Your concern is about the presentation of words and you couldn't care less about the message. Got it. Move on, nothing to see here.

 

[IQ57]

Projection at it’s finest, no sustenance.

 

[IQ57]

Where did we all get lost at “I had a dream”?

 

[IQ57]

We are in this together

 

[IQ57]

 

[Antiwar]

Yes, obviously the biggest problems humanity is being threatened by are no concern, but blind patriotism and jingoism are important.

 

[IQ57]

Word salad.

 

[Craig234]

As familiar as I am with JFK, I've never looked at the details around that quote, as I'm not a big fan; I'm surprised how famous it became. Why is it seen as so important? JFK said much more important quotes.

It does have some quality of 'meaning what people want it to mean'. But what in particular did people think he was saying not to ask about their government doing for them? I think we view the second part, 'ask what you can do for your country', as a traditional message of 'unity' in the cold war - be patriotic. It's quite clear from the text just before.

I'm only aware of two times he used that quote later.

One was a joke in his notably self-deprecating speech at the Gridiron club, the traditional event for the president and press to tell jokes at each others' expense. (I think trump only went once and mostly called Democrats names), which surprisingly I can't find online, where he parodied his speech.

The second was in his dispute with US steel companies, when he brokered a labor dispute and labor accepted concessions, followed by the companies raising prices which he viewed as a betrayal to him and the country. He said he has asked the American people to ask what they can do for their country, and he had the answer from the steel companies.

Like MLK's line, it's just sort of trotted out for a petty political point usually, mostly to oppose government programs. The spirit of things like paying taxes for patriotic benefit are anathema to Republicans. Republicans ask how much they can get away with not doing for their country.

 

[IQ57]

Word salad misdirection.

 

[IQ57]

You will be owned. One way or another Bernie. You are full of the buska.

 

[IQ57]

I will dance with you all you want. Haunt your dreams. Wake your rump up. C’mon man. You just want to be different. Want to fly with the eagles? Come with me and soar!

 

[IQ57]

I post the thickest, I’ve lived through the thickets. ScTtered and torn, lessons all learned . Will you let me all burn?

 

[Noodlegawd]

"And so, my fellow Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you - ask what you can do for your country."

It's not the early 1960s anymore. I never did buy that line. It's very outdated. The better line for the modern era is:

My fellow environmental and humanistic Americans: Ask not what your country can do for you - demand that your government stop destroying Earth and stop dominating the globe economically and militaristically."

I wish I could write a nastygram to congress, file a nastygram with my federal income taxes, and opt out of all of the destructive the USG does.

How is the US Government, specifically, "destroying Earth?"

 

[IQ57]

 

[IQ57]

Not because I want fame, I want to help everyone of you, and I mean it. I love you all, no matter what they tell you. Forever always - me

 

[IQ57]

I live every day hoping to help inspire people to think for themselves and love each other. I know. Stupid simple shot we all neglect. Yeah. I love you all! You need to get that. I love everyone. It’s not hard to do. It’s only hard to understand why we all can’t get along. I remember when we never did that crap. Life was good. I miss the best of us all. Aren’t we the greatest? Let be that way. Don’t we love each other? I know I love you all. We in this together, forever. Never forget that! In it for life.

 

[Antiwar]

As familiar as I am with JFK, I've never looked at the details around that quote, as I'm not a big fan; I'm surprised how famous it became.

JFK was a good orator and his speech sounds good on the surface. I just read the whole speech. He played both sides quite a bit. One example:

"Finally, to those nations who would make themselves our adversary, we offer not a pledge but a request: that both sides begin anew the quest for peace, before the dark powers of destruction unleashed by science engulf all humanity in planned or accidental self-destruction.

We dare not tempt them with weakness. For only when our arms are sufficient beyond doubt can we be certain beyond doubt that they will never be employed."

 

[IQ57]

And the world keeps spinning

 

[IQ57]

 

[IQ57]

Crank it up!

 

[Antiwar]

How is the US Government, specifically, "destroying Earth?"

All industrialism is destroying Earth. US militarism is the engine for American industrialism, that engine burns fossil fuels, is a massive polluter, and has gargantuan opportunity costs. There's a reason they call it the military-industrial-congressional complex.