Can someone explain this JFK quote,please?

Question

I just need a better understanding of it. I would appreciate your interpretation. Thank you so much.


"Today, we need a nation of Minutemen, citizens who are not only prepared to take arms, but citizens who regard the preservation of freedom as the basic purpose of their daily life and who are willing to consciously work and sacrifice for that freedom."
JFK Kennedy

Answer 1

Thomas Jefferson wrote, "The tree of Liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

Theodore Roosevelt wrote, "That we are to stand by the President right or wrong is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."

Answer 2

This quote was at the height of the cold war and threat of invasion by the U.S.S.R. was at it's all time high. The quote is also reference to the 2nd amendment. The original purpose of the 2nd amendment is not the right to keep and bear arms, but is clearly explained in the first half of the sentence :

"A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."

During the time of the founding, the people of America WERE the militia, or defacto military. In fact, the term militia means "Military" in Greek. At the time of the drafting of the constitution, citizen militias comprised the majority of the Colonial military forces. Until the Militia Act of 1903, there was no National Guard. Each state had retained it's militia. Even after the Militia Act of 1903, some states such as Texas retain the state militia and permit the formation of citizen militias seeing as there is no way to outlaw citizen militias without outlawing gun ownership and peaceable assembly. And because there has been no amendments to the constitution to date, the original purpose of the 2ndmanement (to enable the country's defacto military to remain at all times armed) still remains to this day.

JFK strongly believed that if the U.S. was ever invaded, the citizenry should be armed, trained and ready to go to war at a moments notice. Hence the term "Minutemen".

Answer 3

Okay, some people say there was a government conspriacy to cover up the assassination. There are a bunch of theories ranging from Fidel Castro having him killed (Bay of Pigs), Russians having him killed (and set up Lee Harvey Oswald as a patsy because he was a communist), the mafia having him killed (they played a big part in Kennedy's election and then he led a war on the mafia). Some people say the government wanted to cover up these conspiracy theories because they didn't want to alarm the public. It's a much "cleaner" assassination if you can pinpoint one person and label him as a crazy nut who shot the president. Thus, some people say the Warren Commission postulated that there was a "magic bullet" that caused all the injuries to Governor connelly and JFK -- but I caution you not to believe too much of what you hear in movies like the movie "JFK." They really, really, stretch the facts and fabricate situations. If you want to do research on the subject, I suggest documentaries and actually reading articles. Good luck.

Answer 4

JFK changed his entire political agenda about halfway before his execution by assasination. The Kennedy family and the Onassis family line was deeply entrenched within the power elite and secret societies. Mr. Kern is dead on target!

JFK and RFK did absolutely try to make changes from the inside and in doing so managed to avoid the corruption and did not sell out. They were the only true heroes we have seen in government for many decades.

The two remarkable individuals made the ultimate sacrifice in an attempt to wake a lazy nation who refuse to see then, as they do now, even with glaring evidence and proof.

Answer 5

First off, read up on the Minutemen. They were ready to drop anything and everything with one minute notice and defend their country. It means people that hold freedom in high regard and seek to protect it. They do not take it for granted and they realize the high cost those who gave us that freedom paid. They uphold the constitution and they try their best to abide by the laws of the land. It does not mean that they blindly follow a leader that lies or has conflicts of interest.

Answer 6

The purpose of the message was to reinforce that Americans are armed and it would take more than defeating our military to overtake this nation. The intent was to send a message to the Soviets. This was the sole reason that the Japanese did not storm the west coast after Pearl Harbor. Defeat would have been inevitable. Bear in mind that the 2nd amendment still holds true today regardless of whether certain politicians agree or not. I will defend this land from all enemies, foreign AND domestic. Once they take away our guns, our right to free speech will follow. History has proven that.

Answer 7

In my opinion, JFK was using the metaphor to rally the American people to fight globally should the need exist. He had his own troubles including a Cuban Missile Crisis that could have brought on a fight by Castro. I do not believe he was addressing the nation to bear arms against one another. Nor do I believe the founding Fathers were prepared for 2007 and the use of a firearm not as a defense but an offensive mark on civilized people.
He also stated let us not ask what we can do for the country but what can the country do for you. Close I think enough to pass along that he also gave the ultimate price. Death by a firearm in a crowd of people. As do our soldier's every day to protect our rights & freedom and the valliant lost at VTech.

Answer 8

JFK was referring to Americans to be prepared and ready to fight for the freedoms which this country was originally founded on- The between the lines hint was clearly there- that in the future our freedoms would be systematically destroyed and that we should fight with all means necessary to ensure this would not happen.

I for one believe that is a primary reason he was assassinated- as well as his historical speech warning of the increasing influences of secret societies corrupting our government administrations. A public recognition of this existence and his warning that sealed his fate.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlEqtaWpKEU

Answer 9

Kennedy was calling on Americans to stop emphasizing their differences with the government, calling on the right wing to stop brandishing guns and threaten government officials and other citizens, and instead enlist in projects and programs that build a better America.

It's not a quote about guns. Kennedy was urging people to serve their nation.

Longer explanation here: https://timpanogos.wordpress.com/2014/05/04/gun-nuts-twisting-the-words-of-president-kennedy/

Answer 10

Glad to see someone wanting to find more depth in that particular quote. I personally love it, and it's meaning.

JFK was asking for us to stand for what was right. He wanted people to be prepared to fight for the common good of humanity, and to be willing to do so without hesitation or reservation. We aren't talking about overthrowing a dictator......fighting for oil rights.......or any of that nonsense. He was talking about humanity......in all it's glorious forms.......having the inalienable right to be happy, and fighting to achieve that freedom.

To be free to live a good life.........to be free to worship as we please.......to be free to love whom we choose. THAT is the point he was making. Anything less is inhuman, and inhumane. Gay or straight, black or white, Christian or Muslim.......we should ALL be treated equally, and fighting for that equality is the very essence of being an American citizen.