On the Passing of an Icon, From Someone I Trust to Do it Right

As most of the English speaking world knows, last week our nation lost one of its longest and most visibly dedicated public servants. Myself being someone--personally and professionally--who takes a deep interest in the public service, I thought that I should comment on the passing of Senator Ted Kennedy. Before doing so, I chose to wait and read the reflections of my brother Ross on his own blog (rosslevanto.blogspot.com).

Ross, a smart man and brilliant writer in his own right, has devoted a substantial portion of his own adult life to serving Boston, MA through various committees and public activities. As such, I consider him a trustworthy source to reflect on the passing of Massachusetts' native son. I feel that Ross aptly captured the life of a man who dedicated himself to serve his nation, state and community. Ted Kennedy was a public servant, and as such there are plenty out there who will challenge his body of work, who will disagree with his decisions and doubt the validity of his accomplishments. That's all part of the job, sadly, and all the more reason to highlight the admirable qualities of a man who would donate his entire life to such a challenging and (at times) fickle cause.

I've said enough, I'll leave you with my favorite line from Ross's blog. A good writer knows when someone else has already said it all:

"I admired his determination for public service, which we need now in a time when our public servants are often derided. While not a perfect person, Senator Kennedy was perfect in that he stood for the very best of government. He believed the government could and should do good."