Ted Kennedy's link to Wilkes-Barre (buy, best, catholic church)

[Gerania]

Yes, they did.

Why did the family decide to take the money and not put up a fight? It was the Kennedey's for God's sake. What could they possibly achieve by going up against that?

Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008

I understood completely what you were saying, others didn't.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by NYRangers 2008

I agree. The thread is losing it's intelligence, that's why I left.

First break down in communication is attacking others' intelligence.....

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by shoegal111

maybe they thought it was just a terrible accident and chose to forgive rather than fight. maybe they didn;t want their daughter's name dragged through the mud as part of the process. Remember she was having an affair and people can be cruel. there is nothing wrong with what i said.

I agree. Plus this was 1968. Affairs and sex before marriage was still horrifically looked down upon. I can see old school parents (as the Kopechnes were) accepting a payout to keep quiet and keep their daughter's rep intact.

[KarenRice]

Originally Posted by shoegal111

And remember no cell phones back then so he would have had to leave to get help.

I don't think anyone would have faulted him at ALL if he had left the scene of the accident to FIND A FREAKING PHONE AND CALL FOR HELP, not go back to his hotel room.

He wasn't in politics because he CARED about anyone but himself...he was a narcissist (as demonstrated by his behavior w/ Mary Jo - he was concerned for himself, not her as she lay in the bottom of the lake.) He cared about the POWER and the PRESTIGE.

If the majority of his voting public in MA were pro-life, ultra conservative, republicans, I guarantee he'd have been singing a different tune about abortion and spending...etc.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by KarenRice

He wasn't in politics because he CARED about anyone but himself...he was a narcissist (as demonstrated by his behavior w/ Mary Jo - he was concerned for himself, not her as she lay in the bottom of the lake.) He cared about the POWER and the PRESTIGE.

I think up until Bobby died - yes, you are right. But many of his colleagues, acquaintances, etc detected a huge change in TK's demeanor after Bobby's death. I have read that he was like a man possessed.

I don't know. I tend to believe that a rich man doesn't need to be in the Senate. A rich man doesn't need that to have power and prestige - already has it. IMO, he was atoning for MJK, RFK and JFK's deaths and carrying on his brothers' legacies via his legislation and public service.

[Magritte25]

Originally Posted by KarenRice

If the majority of his voting public in MA were pro-life, ultra conservative, republicans, I guarantee he'd have been singing a different tune about abortion and spending...etc.

Sorry but I will have to disagree again. He came from a Liberal Irish family...Catholic, but alot of Catholics are Liberal believe it or not. I think it was in his blood to be Liberal from the beginning.

[KarenRice]

We can agree to disagree. I have a much different opinion on politicians than you.

I've watched politicians who are staunchly one way or another switch to the "other side" when it was advantageous to do so. The majority of people in MA are liberal just like the Kennedy's. If they were in a different location, such as the deep south, I maintain that they would have a different stand.

Like Al Gore - when he was a senator in Tennessee he was an ardent supporter of the pro life cause. Until...it became more convenient for him to become pro-choice.

[Mr Yuk]

To point out the hypocrisy of the Ted Kennedy fans here, I would be willing to bet that if George W. Bush got drunk drove off a bridge and saved himself while leaving a woman to die in the car and didn't notify anyone until the next day when he sobered up...you people would be slamming him and calling for his head.

[Mr Yuk]

Originally Posted by Magritte25

Sorry but I will have to disagree again. He came from a Liberal Irish family...Catholic, but alot of Catholics are Liberal believe it or not. I think it was in his blood to be Liberal from the beginning.

True Catholics cannot be liberals, well social liberals anyways. It can be argued that Catholicism is compatible with fiscal liberalism, helping the poor, etc...but social liberalism as in pro-abortion, gay marriage, sexual promiscuity..no way. The "Catholics" that are OK with those things are Catholics in name only...they were born into the Church but don't really follow its teachings.

[shoegal111]

Originally Posted by go phillies

True Catholics cannot be liberals, well social liberals anyways. It can be argued that Catholicism is compatible with fiscal liberalism, helping the poor, etc...but social liberalism as in pro-abortion, gay marriage, sexual promiscuity..no way. The "Catholics" that are OK with those things are Catholics in name only...they were born into the Church but don't really follow its teachings.

Says who? The Catholic Church can't even make up it's mind. On one hand it says follow the teachings of Jesus (he who is without sin cast the first stone, Do unto others...) and on the other hand is all hellfire and brimstone. They condemn gays, etc and yet protect pedifiles. Then they have ordained priests who are considered religious scholars by the church who claim the following: Mary was not stoned for being pregant out of wedlock because sex before marriage was considered to be okay as long as you were betrothed, Sodom was not destroyed because of homosexuality but because the Sodomites were not neighborly, and so on.

Jesus passed judgement on no one. If you recall the first to enter into heaven with him were criminals, Mary Magdeline was a prostitute. So again bringing it back to topic, if you are without any sin then go ahead cast the first stone at Edward Kennedy and the Kopechne family, if not then let them rest in peace.