bobby

Ali and I went to see the film "Bobby" yesterday. It's the story of Robert F. Kennedy's assassination, and the story of the lives of the other people who were shot that day. They did a great job of telling the stories of 22 people without making it confusing, and brought those characters together really well at the climax of the film. I personally found myself drawn to the characters played by Anthony Hopkins and Laurence Fishburne - both wise, sagely, reflective men.

Something that stood out to me was the power that words can have, and a musing on whether people are aware, in the moment, that the things they're saying will end up defining not only them, but their times. The Kennedy speech at the end of the film moved me to the core.

I was also struck by the reality that the issues Kennedy seemed to be fighting against seem to be the same issues we're still fighting today - wars where people are senselessly killed, questions over why those battles are even being fought, racism, bigotry, the need for unity, peace. Consider if these words (with a couple of obvious substitutions) are as valid now as they were nearly 40 years ago...

"I think we can end the divisions within the United States. What I think is quite clear is that we can work together in the last analysis. And that what has been going on with the United States over the period of that last three years, the divisions, the violence, the disenchantment with our society, the divisions - whether it's between blacks and whites, between the poor and the more affluent, or between age groups, or in the war in Vietnam - that we can work together. We are a great country, an unselfish country and a compassionate country. And I intend to make that my basis for running." Robert F. Kennedy, hours before his assassination.