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June 26, 1964
months ago, during this fifty-year span of human history, came the steam
engine. Last month, electric lights, telephonos, automobiles and airplanes
became available. We developed penicillin, television and nuclear power
only last week. And in a few figurative hours, man will reach the moon.
On this figurative scale of time, nodern freedom and democracy are
less than three months old. And the explosions of change which shook the
old world in 1776 and 1789 continue at a faster and faster pace to shake
the political foundations of our contemporary world. Countrics long
fallen into oblivion now demand full membership in the 20th century.
Countrics never even heard of two decades ago now can affoct the history
of the world.
The developing nations remind us that Europe and
America may not be the final and permanent center of human affairs. They
have caused us to re-examine the Western role and the Western responsi-
bility.
Even in our own America and Europe the winds of change blow more
strongly than ever.
In my . country there has developed in the last three years an acce-
lerating movement for human rights -- a revolution which is steadily and
surely bringing our nogro citizens to full equality in American society.
In Western Europe, the movement toward unity is overcoming the
national antagonism fostered by centuries of rivalry and strife. In
Eastern Europe the forces of diversity are weakening the iron bondo of
rigid doctrine.
In Asia, the Communist empire is torn by conflict appreaching the
proportions of religious wer. The Sino-Soviet split probably is the
major fact of present international affairs.
Such developments illustrate the clouds that obscure the future.
Which among us, a dozen years ago, would have foreseen the shape of the
world today?
And, a dozen years from now, equally surprising events will give
a
new cast to world affairs. "ITe know what ve are," Shakespeare writes,
"but know not what we may be."
Thus, we live in a world of exceptional uncertainty and hazard.
But we also live in a world which gixes us a foundation for a futuro of
exceptional excitement and possibility. That foundation is freedom.
Freedom lives today because freedom permits us change, because like
man and like change, it is flexible, because it can continually ovoke
the best talent, the best minds, and the most imaginative concepts to
4 -
Document source description
Address by Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy on President John F. Kennedy.
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"ocrText": "B )f)\n.3\nJune 26, 1964\nmonths ago, during this fifty-year span of human history, came the steam\nengine. Last month, electric lights, telephonos, automobiles and airplanes\nbecame available. We developed penicillin, television and nuclear power\nonly last week. And in a few figurative hours, man will reach the moon.\nOn this figurative scale of time, nodern freedom and democracy are\nless than three months old. And the explosions of change which shook the\nold world in 1776 and 1789 continue at a faster and faster pace to shake\nthe political foundations of our contemporary world. Countrics long\nfallen into oblivion now demand full membership in the 20th century.\nCountrics never even heard of two decades ago now can affoct the history\nof the world.\nThe developing nations remind us that Europe and\nAmerica may not be the final and permanent center of human affairs. They\nhave caused us to re-examine the Western role and the Western responsi-\nbility.\nEven in our own America and Europe the winds of change blow more\nstrongly than ever.\nIn my . country there has developed in the last three years an acce-\nlerating movement for human rights -- a revolution which is steadily and\nsurely bringing our nogro citizens to full equality in American society.\nIn Western Europe, the movement toward unity is overcoming the\nnational antagonism fostered by centuries of rivalry and strife. In\nEastern Europe the forces of diversity are weakening the iron bondo of\nrigid doctrine.\nIn Asia, the Communist empire is torn by conflict appreaching the\nproportions of religious wer. The Sino-Soviet split probably is the\nmajor fact of present international affairs.\nSuch developments illustrate the clouds that obscure the future.\nWhich among us, a dozen years ago, would have foreseen the shape of the\nworld today?\nAnd, a dozen years from now, equally surprising events will give\na\nnew cast to world affairs. \"ITe know what ve are,\" Shakespeare writes,\n\"but know not what we may be.\"\nThus, we live in a world of exceptional uncertainty and hazard.\nBut we also live in a world which gixes us a foundation for a futuro of\nexceptional excitement and possibility. That foundation is freedom.\nFreedom lives today because freedom permits us change, because like\nman and like change, it is flexible, because it can continually ovoke\nthe best talent, the best minds, and the most imaginative concepts to\n4 -"
}