America became what JFK Opposed

America became what JFK Opposed

By Kevin Palmer

In addressing the American Newspaper Publishers Association on April 27, 1961, President John F. Kennedy said, “The very word “secrecy” is repugnant in a free and open republic; and we are as a people inherently and historically opposed to secret societies, to secret oaths and secret proceedings. We decided long ago that the dangers of excessive and warranted concealment of pertinent facts far outweigh the dangers which are cited to justify it.”

Kennedy continued, “Even today there is little value in opposing the threat of a closed society by imitating its arbitrary restrictions. Even today, there is little value in insuring the survival of our nation if our traditions do not survive with it. And there is very grave danger that an announced need for increased security will be seized upon by those anxious to expand its meaning to the very limits of official censorship and concealment. That I do not intend to permit. And no official of my Administration, whether his rank is high or low, civilian or military, should interpret my words here tonight as an excuse to censor the news, to stifle dissent, to cover up our mistakes or to withhold from the press and the public facts they deserve to know.”

Furthermore, Kennedy said, “In time of “clear and present danger”, the courts have held that even the privileged rights of the First Amendment must yield to the public’s need for national security.” Kennedy warned, “For we are opposed around the world by a monolithic and ruthless conspiracy that relies primarily on covert means of expanding its sphere of influence—on infiltration instead of invasion. It is a system which has conscripted vast human and material resources into the building of a tightly-knit, highly efficient machine that combines military, diplomatic, intelligence, economic, scientific and political operations.”

Unfortunately, America no longer opposes secret societies and now resembles the monolithic and ruthless conspiracy which considers conscious and freedom loving Americans as a “clear and present danger” whose dissent must be stifled and censored.