I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, the kind that enables men and nations to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children - not merely peace for Americans but peace for all men and women - not merely peace in our time but peace for all time.
Interpretation
Genuine peace is essential for a fulfilling life, benefiting all people and future generations.
In this quote, John F. Kennedy emphasizes the importance of authentic and universal peace, which goes beyond mere absence of conflict. He envisions a peace that allows for growth, hope, and the building of a better future for everyone, advocating for a long-lasting tranquility that transcends national boundaries and societal divides.
In practice
This quote could be used in a motivational speech about the importance of global cooperation.
The great battleground for the defense and expansion of freedom today is the whole southern half of the globe... the lands of the rising peoples. Their revolution is the greatest in human history. They seek an end to injustice, tyranny and exploitation. More than an end, they seek a beginning.
I had always enjoyed the title of Commander-in-Chief until I was informed ... that the only forces that cannot be transferred from Washington without my express permission are the members of the Marine Corps Band. Those are the only forces I have. I want it announced that we propose to hold the White House against all odds at least for some time to come.
I just received the following wire from my generous Daddy; Dear Jack, Don't buy a single vote more than is necessary. I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for a landslide.
Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.
Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.
Conformity is the jailer of freedom and the enemy of growth.
Wars can be prevented just as surely as they can be provoked, and we who fail to prevent them must share the guilt for the dead.
The pursuit of peace resembles the building of a great cathedral. It is the work of a generation. In concept it requires a mater-architect; in execution, the labors of many.
One has to understand what the enemy is all about: the enemy's history, the enemy's culture, the enemy's aspirations. If you understand these well, you can perhaps move towards peace.
Peace is not unity in similarity but unity in diversity, in the comparison and conciliation of differences.
Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.
Humanity needs to see these gestures of peace and to hear words of hope and peace!
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