When Rand Paul told Rachel Maddow that he is virulently opposed to what he repeatedly called "institutionalized racism," and implied that segregation, under any circumstances, was acceptable, he was insulting the memory of our 35th president.

While Johnson gets credit for having passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it was John Fitzgerald Kennedy who was the architect of that legislation. Listen to this riveting speech the young president gave on the topic of civil rights on June 11, 1963, and remember that, only two weeks before, in a nationally televised speech, Kennedy urged the nation to take action to guarantee equal rights to all Americans
http://www.ourdocuments.gov/doc.php?flash=old&doc=97

John F. Kennedy would have turned 93 on Saturday, May 29th. Somehow, we know he is resting with the angels, but we've got our work cut out for us. (listen to JFK's civil rights speech, delivered only months before his untimely demise, below)

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/jfkcivilrights.htm

(if the link doesn't work, cut and paste in your browser)