Kevin Sellers

April 8, 1998

Social Issues of Yesterday and Today

"Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend or oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty," (John Fitzgerald Kennedy). The problems and social issues of our nation years ago have become the problems of today. John Fitzgerald Kennedy became the thirty-fifth president of the United States of America on January 20, 1961. Over thirty-five years later, the problems addressed in his Inaugural Speech are still important social issues of this age.

One of the most important social issues expressed in this speech was freedom; the freedom of people from the oppression of Communism. John F. Kennedy made a promise to "support any friend or oppose any foe to assure the survival and the success of liberty." He believed that he had "been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger." But he knew that he was just the starting point, and it would take many generations to undo the oppression of Communism and the damage that it would cause globally. The predictions that were made in his speech were true; he was the beginning of the ending, and it took over thirty years of "cold war" to put an end to the greatest Communist nation in the world: the USSR.

Although the surmise of the USSR has become history, communism is still alive and well today. The Peoples Republic of China is probably the largest of the few communist nations left in the world. Since the times of J.F.K. the United States has developed political tactics to fight the spread of communism rather that the use of war, such as that of Vietnam. The most common political tactics used are trade embargoes. A trade Embargo will not allow a nation or country to sell or trade certain products, or place a high tax on them so that the general consumer will not want to purchase that particular product. Because of trade embargo's we are able to force other nations into submission without the use of force (war).

John F. Kennedy also addressed the problem of poverty, not just with our nation, but as a global problem. This issue has been addressed in the past it is being addressed now and, it will be addressed in the future. The problem of poverty is a serious issue in our present generation. Good jobs are hard to find, which means that most of the jobs available are low paying, and that put a lot of people below the poverty line. Another problem associated with poverty is that some people are just lazy. They don't want to work, and why should they when the government will just pay their way? "If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich" (JFK).

John Fitzgerald Kennedy indicated many social issues and problems, which needed to be dealt with not only by the government, but by the people as well. He had a vision for America and the world. John F. Kennedy knew that it would take a nation that was united for the common cause of world well being, so he made this call to action. "Ask not what your county can do for you--ask what you can do for your country…Ask not what America will do for you, but what together we can do for the freedom of man".

Introduction Strategy: Use a quotation

Conclusion Strategy: Make a call to action, Close with a statement or quotation readers will remember

Word Count: 612