"A nation which has forgotten the quality of courage which in the past has been brought to public life is not as likely to insist upon or regard that quality in its chosen leaders today - and in fact we have forgotten"

John F. Kennedy's quote speaks with the importance of guts in public life. He suggests that if a nation has actually forgotten the courage of its past leaders, it is unlikely to require the same quality in its current leaders. Kennedy indicates that courage is a needed characteristic for a leader to have, which if a nation has forgotten the nerve of its previous leaders, it is not likely to recognize or value it in its current leaders. Kennedy's quote serves as a suggestion that courage is a vital quality for a leader to have, which a nation needs to not forget the nerve of its past leaders. It is just by keeping in mind the courage of its past leaders that a country can make sure that its current leaders possess the very same quality.