Vol.6, No 130, July 22, 1999
	World in mourning Commentary by  Hilary Strickland Summer Forty-Niner  The world is in mourning. Three people were killed in an airplane accident. Is an aircraft disaster enough to dictate the news? It is if the pilot is the crown prince of America’s most famous family.   The Kennedy disappearance is, literally, the top story around the world.   All of Japan’s major newspapers are covering the death of John Kennedy Jr. complete with photos, including the famous image of young Kennedy saluting during his father’s funeral.   The acting prime minister of Australia, Tim Fischer, sent a sympathy message to the Kennedy family.   Kennedy’s disappearance is receiving top billing in the Mexican and Israeli news. Even Moammar Gadhafi, the leader of Libya, expressed his sorrow over Kennedy’s death.   John Kennedy Jr. was not a great man; he was just a human being.  He was the fantasy of every young woman, just as his father was the fantasy of our mothers. He was attractive and wealthy, a media-proclaimed risk-taker and a Kennedy. He was a normal person, who lived his entire life abnormally, in front of a riveted audience. He was fallible and imperfect. And when he was imperfect, the media covered that as well. No one else had his bar exam results all over the news.  Photographers and reporters have intruded on the Kennedy family for over 30 years, canonizing a group of people because of their last name.  The viewing public holds them up to standards no mere mortal could possibly live up — only to crucify them when a Kennedy’s humanity manifests itself in the form of adultery, alcohol or drug abuse. The sad thing, aside from the fact that three people were struck down in their prime, is the reality that young John Kennedy was unable to prove himself as a man separate from his father’s legacy and the world’s expectations of him.  He will always be remembered for the family he came from and not the individual that he may have become.		Summer road repairs continue Enrollment higher Area code overlay outvoted Old to modern tales entertain youth, parents World in mourning 'Inspector Gadget' go, go, goes to theatres 'Eyes Wide Shut' has crossed opinions Winter in Summer Summer 99 ISSUES DAILY 49ER HOMEPAGE