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At the time of President John F. Kennedys assassination, November 22, 1963, I ived in Pembro!e, "assa#h$setts. Pembro!e %as a #omm$nity of aro$nd &,'''. I %as ne% y%ed, and it %as & days before my 26th birthday. It %as my day off from my ()& a %ee! *ob at the +arvard , $b of -oston, %here on o##asion I served .enator /ed Kennedy. It is %here I met my %ife, Kathy. "assa#h$setts, my fami y, and #omm$nity %ere most y 0emo#rats. /ed Kennedy fi ed the senate seat he d by JFK1 John "#,orma#! %as .2ea!er of the +o$se 3ndi#ott Peabody %as 4overnor. 5ife %as 6ood for "assa#h$setts 0emo#rats and me. 7f JFKs death, 8est -er in "ayor 8i y -randt said, 9a f ame %ent o$t for a those %ho had ho2ed for a *$st 2ea#e and a better ife.: I fe t the same. I admired JFK and his fami ys #ommitment for the 2oor, 2o%er ess, or other%ise mar6ina i;ed in so#iety. JFKs sister, 3$ni#e Kennedy, %ho fo$nded .2e#ia 7 ym2i#s, and fo$6ht for im2rovin6 the <$a ity of ife for 2eo2 e %ith inte e#t$a disabi ities, e=em2 ified that #ommitment. JFKs sister >osemary %as inte e#t$a y disab ed, and I too, had an a$nt ivin6 %ith $s %ho %as inte e#t$a disab ed. .o, %ith the e e#tion of JFK, the 6's be6an %ith 2romise and ho2e. It t$rned o$t, ho%ever, to be an era of assassinations, a nasty %ar, vio en#e, an6st, an6er, 2rotests, 6overnment animosity, and so#ia and #$ t$ra #han6e. /he 6's %as an eye?o2ener. It ed to 2robin6 <$estions re6ardin6 Ameri#as # aim of e=#e2tiona ism, and be#ame a ife?#han6in6 event. For &' years, it has affe#ted ho% I *$d6e nationa ism, 2atriotism, my 6overnment and its de#isions. -e#a$se "assa#h$setts %as JFKs home state, the states admiration for the Kennedy fami y, and the states 0emo#rati# 2redominan#e, his assassination affe#ted "assa#h$setts in different %ays than other states in the nation.