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The Kennedy Society has decided to present for 2018 The Profiles in Courage Award - John F. Kennedy’s book Profiles in Courage -
to former Secretary of State John F. Kerry - with this LAUDATION:
As Former Secretary of State John Kerry has committed himself to the words by John F. Kennedy in Profiles in Courage: “A man does what he must – in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures – and that is the basis of all human morality” in many years for a world with more peace and justice and an equal cooperation between the nations of the world.
He has worked with courage after the words of President Kennedy to seek “a new world of law, where the strong are just and the weak secure and the peace preserved.”
As a young man he expressed courageous critique over the foreign policy of US as in 1965 “in the spectre of Western imperialism that causes more fear among Africans and Asians than communism and thus it is selfdeafting.”
In April 1971 he said about the war in Vietnam: “I am not doing this for any violent reason, but for peace and justice and try to may this country wake up once and all.”
Such he lived up to the words of Robert F. Kennedy: “Guns and bombs cannot build – cannot fill empty stomachs or educate children, cannot build homes or heal the sick. But these are the ends for which men establish and obey governments.”
Durin his life as vice-govenor, senator, presidential candidate and Secretary of State he has been committed to the words of President Kennedy: “ask not what your country can do for you – ask what you can do for your country.”
As Secretary of State from 2013-2017 John Kerry had it as starting point that conflicts shall be solved in dialoque and negotiations that the US shall listen and try to understand allies as well as adversaries.
In November 2013 John Kerry said about the relationship to Latinamerica:”The relationship we seek and that we have worked hard to foster is not about a United States declaration about how and when it will intervene of other American states. It is about all our countries viewing one another as equals…”
With courage John Kerry worked as Secretary of State for the agreement of atomic reduction agreement with Iran. He also worked hard for the visionare and binding climate-agreement signed in Paris.
In Hiroshima in April 2016 he wrote those goals in the visitors book: “Every one in the world should feel the power of this Memorial. It is a stark, harsh, compelling reminder not only of our obligation to end the threat of nuclear weapons, but to rededicate all our efforts to avoid war itself.” In this commitment he follows the words of senator Edward M. Kennedy: “The cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”
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