Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the name rings a political lineage like no other!
Robert Jr. is currently campaigning for the upcoming elections, and people are anticipating his political stance, considering his uncle was the former president, John F. Kennedy, and his father, Robert F. Kennedy was a US senator from New York and a lawyer. Robert Sr., also known as RFK, championed for civil rights movement and created resistance against organized crimes and mafia. He married the socialite Ethel Skakel and had 11 children.
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the third oldest child and has always admired his father’s political journey.
But the Kennedy family had a rough history, witnessed by the young Robert Jr. He was only nine years old when his uncle and then-president JFK was assassinated.
And just five short years later, a young Palestinian shot the senator over Kennedy’s Israeli support during the six-day war. Robert Jr. lost his father to a deadly assassination at just 14. This trauma led to his substance abuse when he was just 15, struggling with a severe addiction in his adolescence.
He was determined to clean his act and get his life together to continue his family’s legacy. He graduated from Harvard University with a Bachelor of Arts in American history and literature, then studied at the London School of Economics and earned a Juris Doctor degree and Master of Laws.
Ever since then, he has been involved in politics with some stern opinions. Political pundits have labeled his stance as grounded on conspiracy theories.
While the other spectrum believes that Robert Jr. is a credible democratic candidate who is not afraid to dive deep into the unanswered questions in American politics, subsequently bringing light on these issues for the public.
Robert F. Kennedy has been working hard, giving interviews, participating in debates, appearing on podcasts, and more. Even with a conviction for his political stance, he seems to be struggling to speak. Why are the people concerned after hearing Robert Jr.? Let us unravel his rare condition.
Why Does RFK Jr Have a Hoarse Voice?
People couldn’t help but hear intently what RFK Jr. had to say. Not because he said something profound or put forth a groundbreaking opinion. But because it is sometimes difficult to comprehend his speech.
RFK Jr.’s raspy, hoarse voice is becoming his most critical obstacle in the campaign. The new Kennedy candidate carrying forward his political DNA is also struggling with a rare disease that has distorted his original voice. In a tell-all interview with Oprah Winfrey in 2007, he revealed details of his speech impediment.
“The disease didn’t hit me until I was about 43. I used to have a strong voice,” he told The Oprah Magazine. He further stated that initially, he experienced mild trembles in his voice. But he thought that would eventually fade away, but the condition worsened over the years.
What Is Spasmodic Dysphonia?
Here are some key points about this disorder–
- It is categorized as a voice disorder that affects the muscles of the voice box or larynx.
- The voice can be heard as tight, strained, or strangled with the usual breaking-in sound.
- There are three kinds of Spasmodic Dysphonia:
- Adductor: most common type with sudden involuntary spasms that trigger the vocal cords to stiffen and close. Stress can trigger these spasms further.
- Abductor: In this rare type, the spasms cause the vocal cords to open. The speech sounds breathy and quiet as the air escapes due to open vocal cords.
- Mixed: this type is the amalgamation of the above two dysphonia.
- Experts have inferred that the disorder stems from the central nervous system, caused by a problem in the basal ganglia of the brain.
- Some of the causes are cold or the flu, injury to the voice box, a long period of voice use, or stress that may manifest into this disorder. At the same time, this disorder can also be hereditary.
- Since this is also linked to neurological disorders, the overall speech treatment involves consulting with a speech-language pathologist, otolaryngologist, or neurologist.
- It is also recommended to control stress levels to avoid worsening the disorder.
What do you think of RFK’s voice disorder? Do you think it will hamper his presidential campaign?
What are your opinions on his political stance? Let us know in the comments section below.
