Denial Of Secret Service Protection For Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Endangers All Americans
The Complicity Of Inaction And Silence
(Note: An edited version of this post was published in the Miami Herald on 12/16/23)
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
~ Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
In the 1960s, the assassinations of two members of the Kennedy family marred an era of idealistic hope for the future of the United States.
Those who recall the deaths of President John F. Kennedy and his brother Robert F. Kennedy recognize that these catastrophic moments in history wounded us deeply and tore at the soul of the nation. Unhealed, existential scars continue to impact and undermine our democracy.
The demise of John and Robert Kennedy were key markers in the rise of a divisive culture that has dominated Washington and influenced politics everywhere. Many of those shocked by these events felt that the leadership of both Kennedys had the potential to make government better, diminish conflict, and bring the country together.
Each time the nation and the Kennedy family grieved for the loss of their illustrious sons, we also mourned the end of an optimistic vision of a new frontier.
However, like a phoenix rising from the ashes, another Kennedy family member embracing high ideals is again running for president. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. emphasizes the need to heal divisions in the United States and reestablish a responsible and honorable government.
His fearless and forthright approach to discussing the challenging issues of our day is a dramatic and refreshing change from decades of blindly accepting conventional wisdom. Unlike his adversaries, he refuses to denigrate opponents with personal attacks.
Whether we agree with his perspectives or not, as a strong presidential candidate with high visibility and the backdrop of history, Mr. Kennedy deserves Secret Service protection.
But even direct threats to his safety have not initiated this necessary security. These include an intruder entering his home twice in one day and an armed man posing as a US Marshall, attempting to get close to Mr. Kennedy at a political event. This is in addition to the increasing number of threats he is receiving online.
Reasonable consideration and the law entitle him to government protection. Incredibly, this has not happened despite a comprehensive official application from the Kennedy campaign and requests from leading politicians.
The Secret Service, after reviewing numerous threats, has determined that Mr. Kennedy is at an elevated risk.
Despite these factors, President Biden and Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas have refused to expedite and approve this important appeal. This is an inappropriate and aberrant decision, as he is the only presidential candidate in history whose request for protection has ever been rebuffed.
The peril to Mr. Kennedy is palpable as his independent run gains momentum. And the closer he polls to Donald Trump and President Biden, the more obvious that denying the safeguarding of a prominent candidate by a Federal agency is based on illicit motives.
This unspoken fact is clear: Secret Service protection would highlight Mr. Kennedy’s stature as a viable front-runner. It would counter the shameless ongoing tactics of disparaging and marginalizing a serious contender for the presidency.
More ominously, the fear of a Kennedy White House among the elite who benefit from corruption is palpable. This mood has generated an atmosphere of contempt for him — supporting any ploy to diminish his prospects.
There is no credible excuse for refusing to guard him, so the heinous motivation to repress his candidacy is conspicuous. Should he win the election, President Kennedy would end over sixty years of secret agendas and the collaboration of corporations and government agencies. He will also permit the full release of secret documents related to the deaths of his father and uncle.
By denying his safety, the US Government has confirmed blatantly that the darkest political agendas — rather than security, fairness, truth, or justice — determine policy in the nation’s capital.
The potential consequence of this disastrous decision would reveal the collaboration of a venal administration and its allies in declining Mr. Kennedy’s plea for protection.
If he or his family is harmed, it will be attributable to the ambivalence of those elected leaders, clergy, editors, and newscasters who have refused to raise their voices in outrage at this overt negligence.
The endangering of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is a peril to all Americans. This decision must be repudiated and reversed to prevent a travesty that will shatter our country irreparably.
I think from the start that this was a signal to him that he will be taken out of this race by any means necessary if he becomes a real threat next year.
Private security might be wiser. Trust the government?