Themes From the Inaugural Addresses of Presidents Kennedy, Carter, and Clinton, Essay Example

Idealism is the notion that reality is based on concepts or ideas that develop in one’s mind. Often, these ideas refer to those which represent the best of human nature or of the best possible circumstances in any given situation.  President John F. Kennedy expressed the theme of idealism in both his inaugural address as well as an overall theme of his presidency.  In that speech, he expressed the fervent wish that the United States and its enemies could find some common ground on which to avoid engaging in atomic or nuclear war.  He stressed this by emphasizing the importance of negotiation, civility and a desire for peace between nations.  In that address, he proposed the use of inspection and arms control to ensure a lasting world peace between the nations that possess these deadly weapons.  During the presidency of John F. Kennedy, the country was in a state of change and turmoil regarding civil rights, the beginning of the conflict in Vietnam and other causes that captured the attention and participation of many people, especially young people.  President Kennedy’s idealism was expressed in various other ways throughout his tenure in office, inviting the youth of America to participate in volunteerism such as joining the Peace Corps.  Many young people responded to his call, adapting his idealistic view of the potential for all citizens to help one another.

In President Jimmy Carter’s inaugural address, a key theme was that of human rights.  He used this term to refer to the basic rights which all people share simply by the fact of being human beings; these cannot be altered by any form of government interference, although in many parts of the world, there are attempts to limit or take away completely the human rights of the population.  Some examples of human rights are political, economical, and cultural rights as well as life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness according to our own Constitution.  Freedom of religion and speech are also examples of human rights that are, or should be, essential for all people.  President Carter emphasized the need to be strong on defense while emphasizing the importance of also fighting against “poverty, ignorance, and injustice.”  He continues the theme of the vitality of human rights when he reminds us that while we are free, we cannot stop working towards the freedom of all others. President Carter expressed a preference for support of those nations who share our values regarding human rights, and his belief that the nations that do not support such rights represent “a threat to the well-being of all people.”  During President Carter’s tenure, the economic situation in the United States was one of the worst in the modern era including a high rate of inflation, so that turning his attention to human rights allowed him to focus on an issue that was not controversial and on which most people agreed.

In his inaugural address, President Clinton expressed the notion of supranationalism, or the importance of extending the influence of United States beyond its borders in a variety of ways, in an effort to meet both the challenges of our own country as well as those of our allies across the world.  Specifically, he gives the examples of economics, environment, and world health including diseases such as AIDS as issues that made it essential to act in a universal manner for the good of all people.  He referred to the new status of a changing world in which the Soviet Union had collapsed, conflicts in the Persian Gulf and Somalia which had increased international dangers, and the need for the United States to act in a peaceful way unless and until military and other coercive force was needed.  President Clinton put “his money where his mouth was”, often contributing to his critics increasing their diatribes against him.  For example, he intervened in the war in Kosovo despite the lack of popular support for that action, yet the result of it was the halting of the genocide that had occurred and the gratitude of the people of that region for saving countless lives.  In addition, President Clinton sent troops to Somalia to try to intervene in that nation’s civil war, also against popular support, and despite his good intentions, the results were disastrous.  American soldiers were killed and mutilated, the civil war there only got worse, and President Clinton was severely criticized for taking that action.  Nevertheless, he was true to his goal of supranationalism in his efforts to go beyond the borders of our own country to achieve world peace.