“Not all Senators would agree—but few would deny that the desire to be re-elected exercises a strong brake on independent courage.”
John F. Kennedy
Profiles in Courage (Primary source)
Profiles in Courage by John F. Kennedy is a Pulitzer Prize-winning volume that examines the political bravery of eight U.S. senators who risked their careers to uphold their principles. Published while Kennedy was a senator, the book reflects his belief in the importance of moral integrity in public service, even in the face of intense opposition or electoral consequences.
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“Ask not what your country can do for you—ask what you can do for your country.”
— John F. Kennedy Primary source“We choose to go to the Moon. We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”
— John F. Kennedy Primary source“Let us never negotiate out of fear. But let us never fear to negotiate.”
— John F. Kennedy Primary source“A man does what he must—in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures—and that is the basis of all human morality.”
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“Courage is like love; it must have hope for nourishment.”
— Napoleon Bonaparte Disputed“Courage cannot be counterfeited. It is one virtue that escapes hypocrisy.”
— Napoleon Bonaparte Disputed“Gibraltar may be strong, but ideas are impregnable, and bestow on the hero their invincibility.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson Primary source“Without justice courage is weak.”
— Benjamin Franklin Primary sourcePolitics Independence Courage Election