The Day Senator Edward Kennedy Renewed My Faith in Politics

The world is still mourning the loss of Senator Edward Kennedy, “The Lion of the Senate”. He will forever be remembered for his relentless pursuit of economic and social justice for all Americans. His ability to see the issues of the day from a historical view rather than the popular view of the time made him revolutionary.

I was fortunate enough to be able to witness this extraordinary man speak on the Senate Floor in the spring of 2003. It was my first trip to Washington D.C. and as a lover of history, every structure and every street held significance to me. I soaked in the city as much as I could. And yes, I did the touristy things. I visited the National Museum of American History and the National Air and Space Museum. I fell in love with the Smithsonian, stared at the Wright Brothers Flyer, laughed at Archie Bunkers chair and marveled at how tiny Dorothy’s ruby red slippers really are. But of all the spectacular sites, exhibits and structures I was able to gaze upon, none compared to the unexpected gift I received as I sat in the visitors’ gallery of the United States Senate Chamber of the 108th Congress.

I sat nervously at first, careful to remember and adhere to all the rules given prior to entering the visitors’ gallery. Do not stand, applaud take notes, read or take photographs. No leaning on the railing or placing hands on railing. I could see the entire senate floor from my perch above the Chambers. I saw him immediately. His white hair and smile drew my eyes directly to him. He sat talking to a colleague, looking comfortable and relaxed. Then it came time for him to speak. The smile faded in to a grin and his eyes scanned the room and he began.

I was witnessing Senator Edward Kennedy from Massachusetts speak on the Senate Floor of the 108th Congress. He spoke with passion and common sense. On that day, in honor of Cesar Chavez Day, he spoke of his fight, an ongoing one, to raise the minimum wage. I was mesmerized. He was an eloquent speaker with a booming voice that captured you with the first word. He spoke of the working poor and how many families work 40 hours a week but still fall below the poverty level. He talked about college students and their struggles with employment and the minimum wage.

In the time Senator Kennedy spoke, my faith in the political process was renewed. I had previously believed that nobody cared or related to the problems of the average person. But there I was, listening to the passion and genuine concern from a politician. There was only a dozen or so people on the senate floor but he spoke as if there were a thousand. As I sat and took in my moment of history, I thought of my college years and how I complained about my low paying part time jobs and struggled to pay for school. I know now that during that time, a thousand miles away, an Irishman from Massachusetts was and had been fighting for me. The world has lost a treasure and I hope his spirit will live on in the hearts of all Americans.

“If his life and death had a meaning, it was that we should not hate but love one another; we should use our powers not to create conditions of oppression that lead to violence, but conditions of freedom that lead to peace. ” Senator Edward Kennedy, four months after the passing of his brother President John F. Kennedy.