This year's choice for the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage award was truly an inspired one.

On Tuesday April 5, some 500 people gathered at Dorchester's John F. Kennedy Library for the presentation of the 2005 honor to Viktor Yushchenko, the recently elected President of Ukraine.

In his introduction, Senator Ted Kennedy said of the leader, "During the presidential campaign last year, the playing field (in Ukraine) was anything but level. The government's candidate was supported by most of Ukraine's powerful politicians and business leaders, who were threatened by his strong anti-corruption stand…

"But perhaps the most alarming incident during the campaign occurred when Mr. Yushchenko became mysteriously ill, from what doctors later determined was an attempt to poison him. It took tremendous courage on his part and the part of his family to continue the campaign in spite of this vicious criminal act that threatened to take his life."

Caroline Kennedy added these words: "In the face of corruption, intimidation and life threatening danger, he remained true to the ideals of freedom, democracy and the rule of law… his courage has inspired citizens of the world. For those of us who are free - he has reminded us that we can never take our freedom for granted."

The afternoon and early evening turned into a semblance of "Ukrainian Day" at the Columbia Point landmark, as hundreds of local Ukrainian émigrés and their families gathered at the JFK, inside and out, to salute the new leader and give witness to their support of the "Orange Revolution." For some time, standing outside the library while waiting for Yushchenko to depart, there was a joyous buzz emanating from the crowd. Young people and old, students and businessmen, all waving the blue and gold flag of the Ukraine, singing the country's national anthem, then bursting into applause and chants of "Yush-chen-ko" as he emerged with his wife, family members and some government ministers. It was as if a rock star had arrived, and the crowd surged as the president moved among them, shaking hands, signing autographs and picking up little children.

For that day at the Kennedy Library, freedom and liberty came dressed in the color orange - a compelling sign of great hope and promise from a country and its people long kept in isolation under the old Soviet Union.

-Ed Forry

Clean Up Your Act, Johnny

Meanwhile, back in the sports world, our Olde Town Team is off to a less than glorious start in defense of the World Championship.

The Red Sox laid siege on Yankee Stadium early this week, and so far, the results just have not been there. The two new starting pitchers thrown out on Sunday and Tuesday do not seem to be antidotes to the loss of Martinez and Lowe, and the new shortstop seems to not quite measure up to last year's late season starter, Orlando whatever his name was.

Sure, it's early, but the troublesome signs are there, enough for the feint of heart among us to be concerned.

There's one thing certain: Johnny Damon better clean up his act, and forget about his TV commercials in the buff and appearances on the morning TV circuit. He is, after all, in his contract year, and we Bostonians have little patience for buffoonery. Self-described idiots can be lovable; self-aggrandizing fools can be quickly gone. And if the season quickly goes south, we all will be looking for a scapegoat.

-E.F.