RFK JR.: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s BCPAC appearance here later
this week is a curious opportunity for many in our largely
Republican region to hear a national figure who is both a liberal
Democrat and a member of what is still in the eyes of many – the
Adamses and the Bushes aside – American history’s First Family.

The son of the former attorney general and nephew of the
assassinated president, RFK Jr. will speak on “Our Environmental
Destiny” at 7:30 p.m., Friday, in the Bromeley Family Theater at
Pitt-Bradford’s Blaisdell Hall.

BCPAC president, Karen Niemic Buchheit, said that interest in
Kennedy’s talk has been keen. Fewer than a hundred seats remain in
the nearly 600-seat auditorium.

Some locals, though, according to Buchheit, have registered
their displeasure at so liberal a Democrat coming to such a
conservative, Republican town. “But environmentalism is not a
Democratic issue,” she said. “There are lots of green Republicans,
many of whom will be at the talk.

“We should all want to be challenged in our views,” said
Buchheit. “I believe our audience members will listen politely and
make their own views known in a straight-forward manner. That’s the
American – and the Bradfordian – way.

“This presentations is an experiment for BCPAC,” said Buchheit,
“If people enjoy this presentation, we would like to book a variety
of speakers covering a wide political and cultural spectrum. We
were able to start with a Kennedy, and so we took that
opportunity.”

Kennedy is currently represented in Vanity Fair’s annual green
issue with two articles, one of which is “The Falcon’s Call,” an
account of his passion for the ancient pastime.

“Falconers have played an important role in the conservation of
raptors and their habitats, to support declining wild stocks,”
Kennedy told the magazine.

“It’s time that America’s traditionally Republican hunters,
fisherman, and ranchers took stronger leadership roles in the
conservation movement and recognize that the biggest threat to the
wildlife, waterways, and landscapes they love is the White House
policies that are transferring those assets to corporate cronies.
…”

Questions, anyone?

TODAY’S QUOTE: “The younger generation is supposed to rage
against the machine, not for it. They’re supposed to question
authority, not question those who question authority,” said Bill
Maher, host of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, 2005. As always,
today’s quote is from our Freedom Forum calendar.