Group’s aim: encouraging courage

We are writing as members of a politically active group pursuing a project we call Profiles Project 17. From our initial group of fewer than 10 retired professors from Xavier University in Cincinnati, our group has grown to more than 50 participants from a variety of political persuasions and walks of life. This project is strictly nonpartisan.

With the help of Half Price Books, we have purchased 100 copies of John F. Kennedy’s, “Profiles in Courage” to mail or personally deliver to each U.S. senator by the end of September.

Although we are encouraged by the brave actions of some senators during the recent debates about health care, we remain deeply troubled by the rancorous discourse and lack of cooperation between our two major parties and by hostility within our citizenry.

Our goal is to help remind current senators of some of their political forebears who found the courage to resist pressure from their parties, regions, presidents, contributors, constituents and even their own earlier positions, whatever the personal costs.

We believe that “Profiles in Courage” eloquently describes the legacy inherited by today’s senators. We hope the book will provide inspiration to them.

This story was originally published September 20, 2017 at 6:06 PM with the headline "Group’s aim: encouraging courage."