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Sir: He was quick to criticize, from the safety of the Senate, the tactics of our generals at Hamburger Hill. At that time, he knew everything about saving lives. Unfortunately, he wasn't that quick-witted on the night of the accident. If he had any real greatness about him, he would have resigned without hesitation.
WALTER E. NAUMANN Baltimore
Sir: Aw c'mon fellas—Senator Kennedy has already lost his driver's license. What do you want? Remember, as Mrs. Rose Kennedy said, "It's how one copes that counts, not what happens." With all due respect to that lady, let us remember how her youngest son did cope: He ran away and started a conspiracy of silence.
So let us go forward into the breach and, in the true spirit of James Michael Curley, re-elect the Senator in 1970 and forget the rest.
MARY ELLEN CAMPBELL Fort Myers, Fla.
Sir: No mention has been made of whether or not the Senator was wearing shoes when he returned to the hotel. As anyone who has taken a lifesaving course can testify, swimming and diving are very difficult with shoes on. Senator Kennedy, after suffering a concussion and in a state of shock, claims to have dived repeatedly to the sunken car and then swum the channel. This would have been difficult for an experienced swimmer, but incredible for a man in his condition, wearing a back brace and all his clothes. If he was also wearing shoes, it would be unbelievable.
GORDON SHELTON Baltimore
Sir: Why is it wrong for a Kennedy to invoke the family image in a time of crisis? After all, he is part of it, and even millions of jealous Americans cannot deny that fact. Americans hate the Kennedys alive and then adore them in death. They forget that even now, Edward Kennedy's skill symbolizes to the world the strength of character, youth, burning intelligence and compassion of all America.
EMMANUEL AJIBADE Lagos, Nigeria
Sir: We've all heard of the iron-willed theatrical mother who pushes and pushes her kids to the top. Those mothers could all take some lessons from Mrs. Rose Kennedy. She never takes "no" for an answer. No wonder tragedy has stalked the lives of this blighted family. A little humility is in order for all of them.
JIM BURNETT Los Angeles
Sir: The Democrats should run Rose Kennedy for President. She is the only person who could make me switch parties.
JOHN ANKENBRUCK Webster Groves, Mo.
Straight from the Heart
Sir: Re "The Moon and Middle America" [Aug. 1] and your statement: "He chatted on and on with somewhat feeble witticisms . . . its triviality was strongly at odds with the solemnity of what had been accomplished."
We know, at least, that the President did not resort to a ghost writer to express his sentiments on the solemn occasion. He spoke with beautiful simplicity right from his heart, which the astronauts apparently understood perfectly and enjoyed thoroughly. Would they have felt more at ease had the President delivered a dry, solemn, meaningless, lengthy speech that the enlightened intellectuals would have enjoyed interpreting and criticizing?
The U.S. needs more and more, lots more, "feeble witticisms" to counteract the gloom and despair spread by the gloomy, solemn, woebegone, doleful pessimists who claim to be Americans.
MARY MAHONY Dallas