I am sitting directly behind Cheryl Hines, Robert F Kennedy Jr.’s wife, and family. The moms, namely Vani Hari (right), her daughter, myself (Zen Honeyvutt), Laura Bono, Megyn Kelly, and his sister Dr. Casey Means (left), had reserved seating for the camera shot.
Our Moms Across America moms and parents from hundreds of organizations and grassroots groups have worked for decades for this moment.
Hundreds of supporters fill the hallways outside the hearing, most knowingly traveling for many hours from dozens of states away, knowing they would probably not get in the hearing room. Instead, they pack the live streaming viewing room or wait in the hallway for a glimpse of him, with the hopes of just being able to yell, “We LOVE YOU BOBBY!” as he walks in and out of the hearing for a few seconds. All we want to do is show him our love.
Why? Because he has shown us his love for decades. His tireless commitment to health, our children, free speech, and justice is the most remarkable testimony to the teachings of his mother, Ethel Kennedy, of any Kennedy who has ever lived. You know what I mean if you have read his book, American Values. His mother was tough, fierce, and an undauntable stand for public service.
She drilled her children daily with the importance of serving the public, making a difference, and standing up for the underprivileged. She was fastidious about learning the Bible, poetry, geography, political perspectives, and philosophy. Her children had to volunteer every summer. Bobby was raised to serve, to risk his life for justice, and that he does.
I hear Bobby acknowledge every mom who has struggled, cried, pleaded to countless clueless doctors for help, screamed, hid in bed in exhaustion, shouted on the streets, called their elected officials, were shunned by their peers for their views, and the moms who begged their mother or husband to listen.
I hear him acknowledging the thousands of hours thousands of moms have volunteered to raise awareness about our health crisis in America.
I hear the acknowledgment of the mothers who have had to bury their babies and see their child’s future robbed from them, the children who cannot walk or talk because of the chemicals in food, our environment, and vaccines. I hear them thinking, maybe, just maybe, my loss will be someone’s gain. Maybe a complete stranger’s baby will not be harmed in the way my baby was.
Maybe their child will be healthy enough to live up to their fullest potential. Maybe my child and their child will be a part of what Makes American Great Again.