My wife and I just watched the film, Bobby. It is an interesting take on the assassination of what could have been one of the greatest leaders of the 20th century. The film focuses on the lives of the people working at The Ambassador hotel where RFK was killed. Each of the people that the film focuses on seems to represent a particular social issue that was relevant to the time. The film touches on everything from the countries growing resentment for an unpopular war in Vietnam to the struggles immigrant groups faced as they labored to become "American". The most ironic and sad realization that the movie drives home is that it very easily could have been set in our country today. The quotes from Kennedy used throughout the movie force us to realize all that was lost when RFK was killed. It seems that we could have had a 30 plus year head start on some of the very issues we are facing today.
"But, in part, to be an American means to have been an outcast and a stranger, to have come from the exiles' country, and to know that he who denies the outcast and the stranger still amongst us, he also denies America." ~RFK
It is amazing to consider how relevant these words are for our world today. Everyone in this country is a descendant of an immigrant some where in their lineage. The very vocal "patriotic" group that is actively working to exclude new immigrant groups from the American experience today are perhaps committing the most unpatriotic act of all. It definitely seems to be a perversion of what it means to be an American if we are shoving groups out of the experience because of fear, or hatred or any other bias.
"The advice "bomb them back to the Stone Age" may show that the speaker is already there himself, but it could, if followed, force all of us to join him." ~RFK
Again, Kennedy's words echo from beyond the grave and seem to interject into our debate today. Recently, Barack Obama stated that he would take the nuclear option "off of the 
table" when dealing with Pakistan. He was roundly criticized by Hillary Clinton who intoned that no options should be considered "off the table". The irony here rests in the fact that these words were spoken by the first lady to President Clinton who claims to have modeled himself on his idol, JFK. It seems that in the very crowed presidential political field candidates are "making" issues of non-issues; especially given that fact that these newly acquires positions sometimes seem to fly in the face of what the members of the party want to hear.
Bobby was a tragically sad film because of the ending that we all knew was coming as soon as the first frame flickered onto the screen. But perhaps most relevantly for our world today, Bobby was a disturbing film because it highlighted for us the fact that in a field of over twenty presidential candidates, during perhaps the darkest period in American history, we look to the candidates and find no one that is truly inspiring groups of young and old, and who truly seems to be the genuine article who can and will lead us through these turbulent times.
table" when dealing with Pakistan. He was roundly criticized by Hillary Clinton who intoned that no options should be considered "off the table". The irony here rests in the fact that these words were spoken by the first lady to President Clinton who claims to have modeled himself on his idol, JFK. It seems that in the very crowed presidential political field candidates are "making" issues of non-issues; especially given that fact that these newly acquires positions sometimes seem to fly in the face of what the members of the party want to hear.Bobby was a tragically sad film because of the ending that we all knew was coming as soon as the first frame flickered onto the screen. But perhaps most relevantly for our world today, Bobby was a disturbing film because it highlighted for us the fact that in a field of over twenty presidential candidates, during perhaps the darkest period in American history, we look to the candidates and find no one that is truly inspiring groups of young and old, and who truly seems to be the genuine article who can and will lead us through these turbulent times.
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