OT, but, another instance where Sen. Kerry doesn't get the credit he deserves.

[wisteria]

Guess what is wrong with the picture below? Bush and Hasterd appear to be responsible for Jackie Robinson's medal,now I remember that ceremony and JK was there too, because he initiated the recommendation for the medal. This picture is part of larger group that appears with an original article from the Washington Post and reprinted on MSNBC. The WP and MSNBC are not fair and balanced- that is becoming clearer and clearer. i suppose I am just a stickler for the truth and given credit where credit is due.


http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18028650/displaymode/1107/s/2/framenumber/19/





http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18104228/

[TayTay]

1. In some cases, it is an honor just to have made things happen

In this instance, if memory serves, Sen. Kerry was acting on his own initiative and also at the request of the Boston Red Sox. There was no small amount of poetic justice in the fact that the Red Sox were sponsoring this Gold Medal and had worked so hard for it because, for so many years, the Red Sox had one of the worst records of racial discrimination in sports. (Bar none and it continued into the early 90's.) Jackie Robinson tried out for the Red Sox well before he was signed by Branch Rickey and the Dodgers and was booted off the try-out field at Fenway with racial epithaphs from the owners box. That is a lasting shame of that team and of the city that houses that team.

I should think, knowing that history, that it was a true honor to stand up and push for the recognition behind that Gold Medal from the Congress. Sometimes an honor is an honor, not matter who winds up with the picture in the paper. Sometimes it is enough to know that you did the right thing and for all the right reasons. Sometimes it means that real progress, real honest-to-God, I think things are getting better progress is being made.

[wisteria]

2. Oh, I agree that one should alway do something with the purist of hearts and with no other

motivating than it is the right thing to do. I suppose I was just thinking about something politsista and I discussed which was AA leaders not informing others in the community about the good things that had been done and instead just focusing on what still needed to be addressed. In this case, no one in the Black community in Mass and elsewhere is aware of what Senator Kerry had done to make sure Jackie Robinson got the medal he deserved. Not that for the Senator, just knowing he personally had a part is enough for him.

[TayTay]

3. With all due respect, I don't recall it that way

I saw local TV coverage on that and the Senator was credited. Things have changed with the Red Sox and with the real bad atmosphere that used to strongly discourage people of color from attending or following the Red Sox. The outreach on Jackie Robinson two years ago was another way of dealing with that issue. I believe it was covered and my apologies if I did say that enough in here.

Change can happen. Positive change can happen. Things can get better. It takes dedicated people to do that, people who have a willingness to face the past fully and agree to right the wrongs that were done. That started to happen a while ago and it continues and is a very moving and postive thing.

[karynnj]

4. Also, if I remember right, only one politician there got a hug and kiss from Rachel Robinson

and it definately wasn't Bush. From the CSPAN cameras angle - she kind of ignored Hastert and others first in line - reaching out to Senator Kerry.

[wisteria]

5. Your right, I do remember that myself. I suppose it would have been nice to have the WP and MSNBC

mention his involvement with this whole matter.