June 28, 1963 - President Kennedy declared today in Dublin that “there are no permanent enemies” in this world. He cited Ireland’s achievement of freedom as inspiration for the peoples living under Communism. The central issue of freedom, he told a joint session of Ireland’s Houses of Parliament, is between “those who believe in self-determination and those in the East who would impose on others the harsh and repressive Communist system.” He praised Ireland’s role “in censuring the suppression of the Hungarian revolution,” for “how many times was Ireland’s quest for freedom suppressed, only to have that quest renewed by the succeeding generation?” It was another crowded day for the President, full of cheerful, cheering crowds. At Cork, where the good-natured crowds broke through police lines, the President suffered the first mishap of the trip. One well-wisher apparently did not let go of the President’s hand as his car started off in front of the City Hall. Mr. Kennedy tried to get free by pushing at the man with his left hand, then a Secret Service agent started to push the man away. The man finally let go, and the President fell back on the seat of the car, the Secret Service agent on top of him. The President got back on his feet immediately, apparently none the worse for wear. He showed no sign of discomfort during the rest of the long ceremonial day.
Comments