I like to be involved in politics. I like to be involved in

The words of Robert Kennedy carry the tone of both defense and conviction: “I like to be involved in politics. I like to be involved in government. I've been in politics all my life. I would like to remain in government. I don't think that's so sinister.” In these words, he reveals a truth often forgotten by the people: that politics, though often maligned as corrupt or power-hungry, is not inherently evil. For at its heart, politics is the service of the common good, and government is the vessel through which society organizes its hopes, its justice, and its peace. Kennedy sought to remind the world that to remain in government is not a sign of hidden malice, but often a continuation of one’s calling.

In his time, Kennedy faced a nation weary of scandal, violence, and the abuses of power. To speak of lifelong politics was to invite suspicion, for many thought of politics as a game of ambition rather than a field of service. Yet Kennedy declared openly his love for government, not as a scheme for self, but as a noble arena where he could strive for justice. His words reveal the heart of a man who did not shrink from the mistrust of others, but who saw clearly that only by engaging with power could one hope to shape it for the better.

The ancients, too, wrestled with this truth. Plato in his Republic wrote that the penalty for refusing to govern is to be ruled by men worse than yourself. Thus, to enter politics is not to seek glory, but to protect the people from tyranny. Kennedy’s declaration mirrors this ancient wisdom: though many fear that long years in power corrupt, there are those who remain in government not from vanity, but from duty, from the unshakable belief that through governance they may ease suffering and safeguard liberty.

History gives us shining examples. Consider Abraham Lincoln, who spent much of his life in public service, through failures and victories alike. He did not seek office for self-enrichment, but for the chance to preserve the Union and end slavery. His lifelong immersion in government was not sinister, but sacrificial. Kennedy, in his own era, carried this same mantle: to remind the people that politics is not merely a marketplace of power, but can be, when led by conscience, an altar of service.

Yet we cannot deny that politics attracts both the noble and the corrupt. Kennedy himself understood this, for he had seen deceit and violence both within his own family’s battles and within the halls of Washington. His words, “I don’t think that’s so sinister,” are both a defense and a plea—to judge not the institution alone, but the heart of the one who serves within it. For the evil of government lies not in its existence, but in the character of those who wield it.

The lesson, O seeker, is this: do not flee from politics in disdain, nor dismiss government as inherently corrupt. Instead, seek to purify it through service, honesty, and vigilance. For if the good abandon government, the selfish will rule. If the brave walk away, the cowardly will dictate. The true danger is not in men and women devoting their lives to government, but in good people refusing to.

Practical wisdom flows from Kennedy’s words: do not mock those who choose the long road of politics, but demand of them integrity. Support leaders who see government not as a prize but as a responsibility. And in your own sphere, do not shrink from civic duty—vote, speak, participate, for the health of a nation depends on its citizens as much as its leaders.

So let Robert Kennedy’s words echo through time: “I would like to remain in government. I don’t think that’s so sinister.” For in them lies a timeless reminder that power, though feared, can be redeemed when placed in the hands of those who seek justice. Government is not the enemy when it is filled with servants of the people; it is the instrument through which justice may yet prevail.