Thank You Mrs. Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg

Caroline Kennedy will continue a family legacy of humanitarian and diplomatic public service when she become US Ambassador to Japan, as reported in the Los Angeles Times.

Caroline Kennedy will be nominated to be ambassador to Japan, announced Wednesday.  

Although her nomination creates unnecessary controversy, her dedication to continue her family's legacy in public service is highly commendable. Those who unjustly criticize her appointment as being more political than based on qualification are overlooking or ignoring her bravery for becoming her family's  standard bearer since the death of her Uncle Ted Kennedy.

All the Kennedy's, collectively, have demonstrated their patriotism and dedication to helping others.  In spite of the family's notorious and often salacious private lives, the fact remains that their public faces are a united reflection of highly commendable public service. 

It's simply not fair to cast Caroline Kennedy as being somehow a political opportunist in her selection for the Japan Ambassadorial position.  She certainly doesn't need the job. On the contrary, she doesn't seek publicity (she appears to disdain publicity) and achieving political clout isn't among her career objectives. 

In other words, Caroline Kennedy is a successful woman without any titles attached.

Her willingness to serve America as our nation's ambassador to Japan is a wonderful continuation of her family's legacy of service. This patriotic story began with the service of her grandfather, Joseph Kennedy Sr., who served as Ambassador to England prior to World War II.  This service continued with death of her Uncle Joseph in an air crash while serving with the US forces in World War II coinciding with her father's heroics in the Pacific theater as the captain of the PT 109 in 1943.  Of course, President Kennedy's stand in support of Civil Rights and then, tragically, his untimely death in 1963 qualifies him as an American martyr.

The Kennedy family's accomplishments are well documented in dozens of books, hundreds if not thousands of newspaper and magazine articles and in the Presidential Library Boston, MA. 

Caroline Kennedy's dedication to offer her considerable influence to become an international foreign service official should be profusely thanked. Her willingness to serve is motivated by the best of intentions, supported by American patriotism, as evidenced by her life experience and upbringing.

Those who criticize Caroline Kennedy's appointment should look to how they or their families have given back to our country.  Few American families come close to visibly demonstrating love of country in the way of the Kennedy legacy.  

It's time for the American media and right wing critics to stop criticizing the Kennedy's. Instead, let's all reflect on how Caroline Kennedy represents Americans and the meaning of patriotism. Thank you Mrs. Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, Ambassador elect.