Did Kennedy say it? Why is it on the minds of thinking people from Tehran to Madison?


Banner of Kennedy quote, Pueblo, Colorado, by Wavy1

Banner photographed by Wavy1 in Pueblo, Colorado, featuring quote from President John F. Kennedy

Stuck away from my library, I can’t confirm that John Kennedy actually said it, only that he is reputed to have said it:

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

[March 13, 1962, White House reception for Latin American diplomatic corps,
on the first anniversary of the Alliance for Progress]

The ruling families of Libya and Wisconsin pledge to fight to hold on to power, splitting their nations if necessary rather than concede to democratic forces.

Was Kennedy right?

(What did he really say, where and when?)

Photo of banner from Pueblo, Colorado, by Wavy1.

This entry was posted on Monday, February 21st, 2011 at 12:02 pm and is filed under Famous quotes, History, John F. Kennedy, Peace, Quotes. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

8 Responses to Did Kennedy say it? Why is it on the minds of thinking people from Tehran to Madison?

  1. sbh says:
    February 22, 2011 at 12:41 pm

    I certainly don’t see how this sentence could be construed as support for Governor Walker, who does indeed seem to be going out of his way to make violent revolution inevitable by his ham-handed antics.

    Like

  2. Ed Darrell says:
    February 22, 2011 at 10:40 am

    Pseudo Polymath says this is opposed to the teachers union and other unions in Wisconsin. I took it as a strike against Gov. Ahab Walker’s attempts to tie the hands of the unions.

    An unintended double entendre, with the second meaning opposite the first?

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  3. Stones Cry Out - If they keep silent… » Things Heard: e161v2 says:
    February 22, 2011 at 8:34 am

    […] A liberal against the teachers union in Wisconsin (or perhaps he’s just confused as to whom the “people” are in this case, […]

    Like

  4. Tuesday Highlights | Pseudo-Polymath says:
    February 22, 2011 at 8:32 am

    […] A liberal against the teachers union in Wisconsin (or perhaps he’s just confused as to whom the “people” are in this case, […]

    Like

  5. Ed Darrell says:
    February 21, 2011 at 4:53 pm

    Thanks, Morgan — a source I’m not familiar with. Seems to be a good find. There are any number of sites that will give the quote without the citation — curse them.

    Like

  6. Morgan K Freeberg says:
    February 21, 2011 at 2:59 pm

    http://quotationsbook.com/quote/34455/

    Like

  7. Ed Darrell says:
    February 21, 2011 at 1:03 pm

    Thanks! I couldn’t find that at the Kennedy Library site . . . at least, not the reference. I’ll look for the speech.

    Like

  8. Ellie says:
    February 21, 2011 at 12:47 pm

    Wiki says: JFK’s “Address on the First Anniversary of the Alliance for Progress,” White House reception for diplomatic corps of the Latin American republics, March 13, 1962. Public Papers of the Presidents – John F. Kennedy (1962), p. 223.

    Haven’t looked farther than that.

    Like

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