Not long after the announcement my seven-year-old ran into the house, wild-eyed and gasping. “The principal said we had to go home,” my daughter told us. “They said to hurry. I was so scared.”
My little girl ran all the way, a half-mile from the school to our house. Her fears were local; she couldn’t fathom that much commotion unless it meant that something bad had happened to her family. The death of a president was not something she needed to worry about, but the sight of her sobbing mother made her knees buckle and she joined in, crying because I was crying.
I cried for three days; not continuously, since we had two small children who needed reassuring, but my daughter, middle-aged now, remembers that for the first time in her life she felt fear in her own house.
The TV was on from morning until night. We watched Lyndon Johnson being sworn in as president aboard Air Force One. Too soon. Too soon! We’re not ready to call him president. Impossible to avoid the bloodstains on Jackie’s pink bouclé suit as she stood silent nearby. It seemed such a brave, foolish, poignant thing to do, to continue to wear that suit still showing traces of her husband’s splattered brain. Even those who had seen the First Lady as a bit of an extraneous butterfly now held her to their hearts.
We watched the funeral–the riderless horse; Jackie in her heavy black veil, eyes hollow, staring straight ahead as John’s grieving brother, Robert, held her arm; John-John, sweet little boy, saluting his father’s casket. We watched as a procession of dignitaries followed along behind, someone’s somber voice announcing their names as they passed by the television cameras. For a few brief moments we found respite in trying to identify the Washington celebrities by sight before they were announced. But, as happened many times throughout those terrible days, reality set in: Our president, Jack Kennedy, had been murdered.
Later we watched the assassin Lee Harvey Oswald enter the jail, arms held by two armed guards, and then watched in horror as a man, later identified as Jack Ruby, lunged in front of the camera and shot Oswald dead.
Rumors flew; it was a conspiracy and not the work of a lone gunman. Oswald knew too much. Ruby had ties to the mob. Castro had orchestrated this from Cuba. The Soviets were involved. Others would die. Nobody was safe.
We didn’t lose our innocence on that day. We hadn’t been living in a fairy tale world. We had lived through WWII, had feared the Hydrogen Bomb, had been glued to the TV during the Cuban Missile Crisis, had watched as our country botched the invasion at the Bay of Pigs. U.S troops were in Vietnam and anti-war rallies were sprouting up all over the country. The civil rights movement was growing and with it came long-hidden truths about the institutionalized brutality against blacks.
We lived with uncertainty, but it was tempered and presented to us in black and white on our televisions and in the pages of Life Magazine. We had no 24-hour-a-day news channels. No internet. Our newspapers were thick with other things to distract us. We could turn it on and turn it off.
We’ll never know where we would be today if on that fated day in November those bullets fired from the Dallas Book Depository hadn’t hit their mark, but we do know we didn’t get over it. We couldn’t close the book; we couldn’t change the channel. Our president had been assassinated and for far too long afterward our world was an ugly place.
Now, 51 years later, we’re hearing about White House breaches where people with weapons are getting too close to our president before they’re stopped and the same fear surfaces from a half-century ago. I’m afraid for Barack Obama.
The level of murderous hatred toward this man is far beyond anything I’ve ever witnessed in my lifetime. I would like to think much of it is an act, made easier because one can remain hidden and anonymous and penalty-free on the internet, but I know all it takes is one lone gunman hell-bent on killing the president.
I want every person who ever publicly threatens the president, or wishes out loud for his death, to be found and questioned and made to prove he or she has no real intentions. I want those threats to be taken seriously.
I want us to stop interpreting the First Amendment to mean there are no consequences to advocating for the death of the President of the United States. We have given the highest honor in the land–the presidency–to a man named Barack Obama. He is a good man, but even if he weren’t, we, as citizens of the country he was elected to head, have an obligation to make sure our president is kept safe. This president. Any president.
(The 50th Anniversary post, November 22, 2013)
fancypants November 22nd, 2014 at 20:47
I guess the steps on the back of the limo and handle bars above were only for looks ?
http://youtu.be/6xEK16kLHsM
fancypants November 22nd, 2014 at 20:54
………………
http://youtu.be/F1FVZksUiZw
Anomaly 100 November 22nd, 2014 at 21:05
What?
fancypants November 22nd, 2014 at 21:11
that’s what I said When I saw the ss riding on back in tampa florida earlier that week
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 08:10
No idea what you’re getting at.
fancypants November 22nd, 2014 at 21:47
I guess the steps on the back of the limo and handle bars above were only for looks ?
http://youtu.be/6xEK16kLHsM
fancypants November 22nd, 2014 at 21:54
………………
http://youtu.be/F1FVZksUiZw
Anomaly 100 November 22nd, 2014 at 22:05
What?
fancypants November 22nd, 2014 at 22:11
that’s what I said When I saw the ss riding on back in tampa florida earlier that week
Anomaly 100 November 23rd, 2014 at 09:10
No idea what you’re getting at.
tiredoftea November 22nd, 2014 at 23:23
Not to quibble, but it was 12:30PM, not 12:30 A.M.
Nice post!
Ramona Grigg November 23rd, 2014 at 08:31
Oh, you’re right! I originally had written “11:30 AM Eastern Standard Time” because that’s what time it was in our area, and then decided to go with Dallas time, as Cronkite did. Forgot to change the AM to PM. Thanks.
Anomaly, can you change that for me? Thanks.
tiredoftea November 23rd, 2014 at 00:23
Not to quibble, but it was 12:30PM, not 12:30 A.M.
Nice post!
Ramona Grigg November 23rd, 2014 at 09:31
Oh, you’re right! I originally had written “11:30 AM Eastern Standard Time” because that’s what time it was in our area, and then decided to go with Dallas time, as Cronkite did. Forgot to change the AM to PM. Thanks.
Anomaly, can you change that for me? Thanks.
burqa November 23rd, 2014 at 00:56
Beautifully said, Ms. Grigg. Yeah, I remember where I was standing when another kid rode by on his bike and hollered at me, “President Kennedy’s been shot!” I went in from the yard to find my mother crying. I couldn’t fathom it all, and remember watching the funeral procession on TV.
We had a tertiary connection, as we were close to Kennedy confidante Muggsy O’Leary. My parents had been at the inaugural ball and had an inscribed, autographed copy of “Profiles In Courage” that Muggsy got for them. We never missed it when JFK was on TV.
I don’t think we’ll ever really know for sure what happened, other than he was murdered gruesomely in Dallas. For years I read the conspiracy books and now I have theories, but it just doesn’t seem to matter as much anymore.
I really like your points about people misconstruing licence with freedom of speech and share your concerns about the threats to President Obama. It’s as if making such threats are becoming more acceptable because of their number and the lack of a social backlash where such things are regarded as being shameful and over the line.
One thing that annoys me is the hucksters who appear this time of year flacking their books and films and such that allegedly “solve” the assassination of President Kennedy. I just get disgusted seeing it – seeing people trying to line their pockets off something so awful. I was on another website a week or so ago when a bunch of them showed up, pushing their stuff, arguing over this or that detail, people with serious ego problems and no damned sense.
Ramona Grigg November 23rd, 2014 at 08:47
Great reply, Burqa. Your parents at the inauguration ball. That’s special! The way people felt about Kennedy was pretty extraordinary; even those of us with no connections and not living a lifestyle anywhere close to the Kennedys.
The missile crisis was terrifying, mainly, I think, because the public was given information in real time, through TV, maybe for the first time. When Kennedy made the speech about what was happening and what we would do if it did, nobody relaxed until it was over. Nobody believed for a minute that Khrushchev would ever back down. We thought he couldn’t do it and still live through it. We were remembering the hard line Stalin era, and we had seen enough of Khrushchev to know we were dealing with a blustering buffoon.
When it was over, Kennedy was riding high. But the truth is, by the time he went to Dallas some of the shine had tarnished. As any president has to do, he was making decisions that seemed to go against the will of the people. It happens with every president. They can’t satisfy everyone.
But I do remember that there was reason to be uneasy about his trip to Dallas. There were newspaper pundits warning him not to go, though I don’t remember why now.
burqa November 23rd, 2014 at 23:13
You’re too kind, Ms. Grigg. I had a pretty special upbringing.
As I mentioned, above, I knew Marine Commandant David Shoup, who won the Medal of Honor in perhaps the most vicious fighting in the Pacific during World War II on Tarawa. When they were debating an invasion of Cuba, Shoup had an overhead projector brought in and displayed a map of Cuba on it. First he had a little dot shown on it that showed the relativ size of Betio, the island they landed on at Tarawa. Then he superimposed an outline of Cuba, and it stretched from something like Chicago to New York City, so they’d see just how much territory they’d have to take. (Shoup also said about Vietnam, “We don’t need to be wasting our resources in that piss-pot”).
Though I’ve read the history, I’m unsure as to the reason for caution in going to Dallas. My best guess would be that summer, Kennedy had introduced civil rights legislation and the South was fired up about it. Looking back, we have to remember that this was all new to some people and sentiment for segregation was widespread, not just in the South but elsewhere, too. I don’t know. Here again, he was threading a needle. He had made some gestures and had met with Martin Luther King, but feelings were raw and emotions up.
I think Kennedy might have riled up conservative Texas oil millionaires by seeking excise taxes on oil or something of that nature. This was the time of the John Birch Society. I’d have to go back and read some more, but it seems to me these dynamics were in play.
Ramona Grigg November 24th, 2014 at 07:54
I’m reading your comments here thinking you should be blogging these things. If you decide to do it, I would be a loyal reader! Very interesting.
If you haven’t read Claire Conner’s book, “Wrapped in the Flag”, about her parents’ role in the JBS, it’s well worth the read. She writes about Kennedy and Dallas here;
http://claireconner.com/2013/11/11/hate-the-president-1963-hate-the-president-today/
burqa November 23rd, 2014 at 01:56
Beautifully said, Ms. Grigg. Yeah, I remember where I was standing when another kid rode by on his bike and hollered at me, “President Kennedy’s been shot!” I went in from the yard to find my mother crying. I couldn’t fathom it all, and remember watching the funeral procession on TV.
We had a tertiary connection, as we were close to Kennedy confidante Muggsy O’Leary. My parents had been at the inaugural ball and had an inscribed, autographed copy of “Profiles In Courage” that Muggsy got for them. We never missed it when JFK was on TV.
I don’t think we’ll ever really know for sure what happened, other than he was murdered gruesomely in Dallas. For years I read the conspiracy books and now I have theories, but it just doesn’t seem to matter as much anymore.
I really like your points about people misconstruing licence with freedom of speech and share your concerns about the threats to President Obama. It’s as if making such threats are becoming more acceptable because of their number and the lack of a social backlash where such things are regarded as being shameful and over the line.
One thing that annoys me is the hucksters who appear this time of year flacking their books and films and such that allegedly “solve” the assassination of President Kennedy. I just get disgusted seeing it – seeing people trying to line their pockets off something so awful. I was on another website a week or so ago when a bunch of them showed up, pushing their stuff, arguing over this or that detail, people with serious ego problems and no damned sense of propriety.
Ramona Grigg November 23rd, 2014 at 09:47
Great reply, Burqa. Your parents at the inauguration ball. That’s special! The way people felt about Kennedy was pretty extraordinary; even those of us with no connections and not living a lifestyle anywhere close to the Kennedys.
The missile crisis was terrifying, mainly, I think, because the public was given information in real time, through TV, maybe for the first time. When Kennedy made the speech about what was happening and what we would do if it did, nobody relaxed until it was over. Nobody believed for a minute that Khrushchev would ever back down. We thought he couldn’t do it and still live through it. We were remembering the hard line Stalin era, and we had seen enough of Khrushchev to know we were dealing with a blustering buffoon.
When it was over, Kennedy was riding high. But the truth is, by the time he went to Dallas some of the shine had tarnished. As any president has to do, he was making decisions that seemed to go against the will of the people. It happens with every president. They can’t satisfy everyone.
But I do remember that there was reason to be uneasy about his trip to Dallas. There were newspaper pundits warning him not to go, though I don’t remember why now.
burqa November 24th, 2014 at 00:13
You’re too kind, Ms. Grigg. I had a pretty special upbringing.
As I mentioned, above, I knew Marine Commandant David Shoup, who won the Medal of Honor in perhaps the most vicious fighting in the Pacific during World War II on Tarawa. When they were debating an invasion of Cuba, Shoup had an overhead projector brought in and displayed a map of Cuba on it. First he had a little dot shown on it that showed the relative size of Betio, the island they landed on at Tarawa. Then he superimposed an outline of Cuba, and it stretched from something like Chicago to New York City, so they’d see just how much territory they’d have to take. (Shoup also said about Vietnam, “We don’t need to be wasting our resources in that piss-pot”).
Though I’ve read the history, I’m unsure as to the reason for caution in going to Dallas. My best guess would be that summer, Kennedy had introduced civil rights legislation and the South was fired up about it. Looking back, we have to remember that this was all new to some people and sentiment for segregation was widespread, not just in the South but elsewhere, too. I don’t know. Here again, he was threading a needle. He had made some gestures and had met with Martin Luther King, but feelings were raw and emotions up.
The 1964 Civil Rights Act was taken from language in the 1960 Democratic Party platform.
I think Kennedy might have riled up conservative Texas oil millionaires by seeking excise taxes on oil or something of that nature. This was the time of the John Birch Society. I’d have to go back and read some more, but it seems to me these dynamics were in play.
Ramona Grigg November 24th, 2014 at 08:54
I’m reading your comments here thinking you should be blogging these things. If you decide to do it, I would be a loyal reader! Very interesting.
If you haven’t read Claire Conner’s book, “Wrapped in the Flag”, about her parents’ role in the JBS, it’s well worth the read. She writes about Kennedy and Dallas here;
http://claireconner.com/2013/11/11/hate-the-president-1963-hate-the-president-today/
rg9rts November 23rd, 2014 at 02:21
The boomers, we lost our innocence …..a good warm up for Viet Nam….
rg9rts November 23rd, 2014 at 03:21
The boomers, we lost our innocence …..a good warm up for Viet Nam….
burqa November 23rd, 2014 at 07:46
For a great read on President Kennedy in his finest hour, I recommend “The Kennedy Tapes: Inside the White House During the Cuban Missile Crisis,” edited by Ernest R. May and Philip Zelikow.
Even though we know how it turned out, it is still a fascinating read. We came so close to nuclear war and to see the situation develop and to see Kennedy searching for answers, trying to find his way through the fog, listening to various advisers and the masterful way he took decisions and let things develop in his mind before committing himself is illuminating, especially in a time when it seems we are compelled to decide various issues immediately.
I don’t think the book says so, but in the 90s we found out the Soviets had tactical nukes in Cuba we knew nothing about. The commander was ordered to use them if we invaded.
We were right on the brink and Kennedy kept us safe while removing a mortal threat without going to war. But it was a very, very close thing and we see this as the transcripts of meeting after meeting is given, with some commentary for context.
When one is finished and realizes this is real history and not a novel, it takes you back and is cause for reflection.
Ramona Grigg November 23rd, 2014 at 08:52
Thanks for the suggestions. There was a documentary about the Missile Crisis a while back and it brought back all of those fears. It really was a gutsy thing for Kennedy to do, and I have to say, I wish Barack Obama had a little of that kind of courage. Kennedy was hated by the Republicans, too, but he didn’t let their hatred stop him from doing what he had to do.
burqa November 23rd, 2014 at 22:50
Yes ma’am, it was. Kennedy really threaded a difficult needle. I knew, though not well, one of the generals advising him, David Shoup.
The one on the Cuban Missile Crisis is terrific. As the hours roll by the tension increases and we see Kennedy weighing his various options as time runs out.
He put in the quarantine and deployed the Navy and we see them tracking inbound Soviet ships and wondering what we’d do if they tried to break the blockade, and at first, we let one or two ships get through.
I remember watching the movie “Topaz” in the late 60s when a family friend who was in military intelligence came by. I can still remember him telling me to pay close attention because about 80% of the movie was true.
Kennedy was being pressed to invade and to launch massive air strikes because that was the only way to be sure, and it was a difficult argument to resist.
Not really mentioned in the book is at the same time, about the only intelligence asset we had of any significance in the USSR was Oleg Penkovsky, who was arrested by the Soviets right as this thing began to unfold. So we were suddenly blinded, in a way.
As I recall, we had a U2 shot down over Cuba and another one was shot down over China at the time, so Kennedy had them stand down. We had other recon aircraft to deploy over Cuba. So anyways, on “Black Saturday” of the crisis, one U2 took off from Alaska or somewhere and got confused over the north pole and flew over Siberia. The Soviets scrambled fighter planes and we did too. Kennedy wasn’t told right away and when he was, he remarked, “There’s always one dumb sonofabitch who doesn’t get the word.”
Ramona Grigg November 24th, 2014 at 07:59
Thanks so much for this. I’ll have to look for “Topaz”. They were scary times. We had no idea what the Soviets would do if pushed hard enough. As I recall from the documentary, Bobby Kennedy was the president’s confidante and together they struggled through the decision-making–based, of course, on the input from the Pentagon. Much of it was kept from us until way later–which is as it should be.
burqa November 23rd, 2014 at 08:46
For a great read on President Kennedy in his finest hour, I recommend “The Kennedy Tapes: Inside the White House During the Cuban Missile Crisis,” edited by Ernest R. May and Philip Zelikow.
Even though we know how it turned out, it is still a fascinating read. We came so close to nuclear war and to see the situation develop and to see Kennedy searching for answers, trying to find his way through the fog, listening to various advisers and the masterful way he took decisions and let things develop in his mind before committing himself is illuminating, especially in a time when it seems we are compelled to decide various issues immediately.
I don’t think the book says so, but in the 90s we found out the Soviets had tactical nukes in Cuba we knew nothing about. The commander was ordered to use them if we invaded. With that in mind, we see to an even greater degree how wise this man was.
We were right on the brink and Kennedy kept us safe while removing a mortal threat without going to war. But it was a very, very close thing and we see this as the transcripts of meeting after meeting is given, with some commentary for context.
When one is finished and realizes this is real history and not a novel, it takes you back and is cause for reflection.
Another strongly recommended book to help get the measure of the man is “PT109: John F. Kennedy In World War II,” by Robert Donovan. It is a fine read and we see the man’s heroism, especially after his PT boat was sunk and he and his crew were thrown into shark-infested waters, ending up on an island with no water and Japanese forces all around them. We see a young man persevere in extraordinarily difficult circumstances to save them all.
When I was a kid, we all read it and knew the story backwards. We had models of the boat, too.
Kennedy was a hero and should be remembered as such. He was and is beloved for all the right reasons and efforts to bring him down have failed, fortunately.
I think those in younger generations need to know just what sort of man Kennedy was, and the above 2 books go a long way toward establishing that.
Ramona Grigg November 23rd, 2014 at 09:52
Thanks for the suggestions. There was a documentary about the Missile Crisis a while back and it brought back all of those fears. It really was a gutsy thing for Kennedy to do, and I have to say, I wish Barack Obama had a little of that kind of courage. Kennedy was hated by the Republicans, too, but he didn’t let their hatred stop him from doing what he had to do.
burqa November 23rd, 2014 at 23:50
Yes ma’am, it was. Kennedy really threaded a difficult needle. I knew, though not well, one of the generals advising him, David Shoup.
The one on the Cuban Missile Crisis is terrific. As the hours roll by the tension increases and we see Kennedy weighing his various options as time runs out.
He put in the quarantine and deployed the Navy and we see them tracking inbound Soviet ships and wondering what we’d do if they tried to break the blockade, and at first, we let one or two ships get through.
I remember watching the movie “Topaz” in the late 60s when a family friend who was in military intelligence came by. I can still remember him telling me to pay close attention because about 80% of the movie was true.
Kennedy was being pressed to invade and to launch massive air strikes because that was the only way to be sure, and it was a difficult argument to resist.
Not really mentioned in the book is at the same time, about the only intelligence asset we had of any significance in the USSR was Oleg Penkovsky, who was arrested by the Soviets right as this thing began to unfold. So we were suddenly blinded, in a way.
As I recall, we had a U2 shot down over Cuba and another one was shot down over China at the time, so Kennedy had them stand down. We had other recon aircraft to deploy over Cuba. So anyways, on “Black Saturday” of the crisis, one U2 took off from Alaska or somewhere and got confused over the north pole and flew over Siberia. The Soviets scrambled fighter planes and we did too. Kennedy wasn’t told right away and when he was, he remarked, “There’s always one dumb sonofabitch who doesn’t get the word.”
Ramona Grigg November 24th, 2014 at 08:59
Thanks so much for this. I’ll have to look for “Topaz”. They were scary times. We had no idea what the Soviets would do if pushed hard enough. As I recall from the documentary, Bobby Kennedy was the president’s confidante and together they struggled through the decision-making–based, of course, on the input from the Pentagon. Much of it was kept from us until way later–which is as it should be.
crc3 November 23rd, 2014 at 10:42
First of all Kennedy was shot by Oswald at 12:30 PM Central time and arrived at Parkland Hospital about five minutes later. He wasn’t officially pronounced dead until 1:00 PM Central. However JFK was actually dead the moment he was hit in the head in Dealey Plaza at 12:30. Anyone who was a witness to the assassination knew he was dead when the fatal shot exploded his head.
Because of inaccuracies in reporting and how news was received in those days there was great confusion as to what really happened and thus conspiracy theories were born. After over 30 years of research through books, videos, and tv specials I have concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in killing JFK.
The definitive book on the assassination was written by Vincent Bugliosi (prosecutor of Charles Manson and his murderous “family”). I won’t attempt to change people’s minds on what happened on 11/22/1963. That is up to you…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reclaiming_History
Ramona Grigg November 23rd, 2014 at 12:31
I’m embarrassed by that time detail. Thank you for the clarification. I found the 12:30 PM time somewhere and didn’t verify it. Now I’ve listened to the Cronkite announcement and, yes, he says 1 PM. Thank you!
I’m frankly tired of the many conspiracy theories surrounding Kennedy’s death. It takes away from the impact of his death and turns it into theater.
It’s been 51 years now and nobody has ever been able to prove even one of the theories. Conspiracies don’t happen in a vacuum. Somebody involved would have come forward by now, or an investigation would have turned up something concrete. So far, nothing substantive.
crc3 November 23rd, 2014 at 12:44
You’re welcomed! Yep, conspiracy theorists have nothing to offer but their theories. None of them hold water. The case against LHO is overwhelming. Bugliosi stated that if 80% of the evidence against Oswald was removed he would still be found guilty of assassinating JFK. Additionally the movie “JFK” has done more damage to this tragedy by creating an overwhelming pile of misinformation and outright lies. It is a shame this is the case. Hopefully one day the truth will reign instead of some garbage theories about the Mafia, Cubans, CIA, MIC, the umbrella man, etc….
burqa November 23rd, 2014 at 22:27
The time detail makes no difference as to the message of your post. As I said above, getting caught up in the conspiracy theories tends to distract us to such a degree that we omit the far more important issue as to who John F. Kennedy was, what he did and who he was to the American people.
This is where our focus should be, as it is in your lovely OP.
I have my own ideas about the assassination, but this is not the time to go into it.
burqa November 23rd, 2014 at 22:22
Your post shows how profitable it is to get caught up in the minutia of all the conspiracy theories – spending time and effort on that distracts us from who Kennedy was as a man and to the nation.
crc3 November 23rd, 2014 at 11:42
First of all Kennedy was shot by Oswald at 12:30 PM Central time and arrived at Parkland Hospital about five minutes later. He wasn’t officially pronounced dead until 1:00 PM Central. However JFK was actually dead the moment he was hit in the head in Dealey Plaza at 12:30. Anyone who was a witness to the assassination knew he was dead when the fatal shot exploded his head.
Because of inaccuracies in reporting and how news was received in those days there was great confusion as to what really happened and thus conspiracy theories were born. After over 30 years of research through books, videos, and tv specials I have concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in killing JFK.
The definitive book on the assassination was written by Vincent Bugliosi (prosecutor of Charles Manson and his murderous “family”). I won’t attempt to change people’s minds on what happened on 11/22/1963. That is up to you…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reclaiming_History
Ramona Grigg November 23rd, 2014 at 13:31
I’m embarrassed by that time detail. Thank you for the clarification. I found the 12:30 PM time somewhere and didn’t verify it. Now I’ve listened to the Cronkite announcement and, yes, he says 1 PM. Thank you!
I’m frankly tired of the many conspiracy theories surrounding Kennedy’s death. It takes away from the impact of his death and turns it into theater.
It’s been 51 years now and nobody has ever been able to prove even one of the theories. Conspiracies don’t happen in a vacuum. Somebody involved would have come forward by now, or an investigation would have turned up something concrete. So far, nothing substantive.
crc3 November 23rd, 2014 at 13:44
You’re welcomed! Yep, conspiracy theorists have nothing to offer but their theories. None of them hold water. The case against LHO is overwhelming. Bugliosi stated that if 80% of the evidence against Oswald was removed he would still be found guilty of assassinating JFK. Additionally the movie “JFK” has done more damage to this tragedy by creating an overwhelming pile of misinformation and outright lies. It is a shame this is the case. Hopefully one day the truth will reign instead of some garbage theories about the Mafia, Cubans, CIA, MIC, the umbrella man, etc….
burqa November 23rd, 2014 at 23:27
The time detail makes no difference as to the message of your post. As I said above, getting caught up in the conspiracy theories tends to distract us to such a degree that we omit the far more important issue as to who John F. Kennedy was, what he did and who he was to the American people.
This is where our focus should be, as it is in your lovely OP.
I have my own ideas about the assassination, but this is not the time to go into it.
burqa November 23rd, 2014 at 23:22
Your post shows how profitable it is to get caught up in the minutia of all the conspiracy theories – spending time and effort on that distracts us from who Kennedy was as a man and to the nation.
greenfloyd November 23rd, 2014 at 19:00
I’ve wondered over the last 6 years if there even would be a President Obama if not for President Kennedy? I know it’s silly, imponderable given all the events and turmoil of the 60s. However it’s clear JFK was determined to push political and racial boundaries that inflamed the South, but inspired and united the rest of the country.
Ramona Grigg November 23rd, 2014 at 20:02
it’s hard to know, but in the end it was Lyndon Johnson who legitimized the Civil Rights movement and fought the War on Poverty. Without him the Old South would still be rising.
greenfloyd November 24th, 2014 at 17:15
… Strange bedfellows… What an odd-couple that was. New England lib meets Texas redneck, clam chowder and ribs, turned out to be a great team. That “Old South” may no longer be rising, however its legacy persist. Today there are about as many young black men in prisons as there were in slavery back in the 1850s.
floyd[@]greenfloyd.org November 23rd, 2014 at 20:00
I’ve wondered over the last 6 years if there even would be a President Obama if not for President Kennedy? I know it’s silly, imponderable given all the events and turmoil of the 60s. However it’s clear JFK was determined to push political and racial boundaries that inflamed the South, but inspired and united the rest of the country.
Ramona Grigg November 23rd, 2014 at 21:02
it’s hard to know, but in the end it was Lyndon Johnson who legitimized the Civil Rights movement and fought the War on Poverty. Without him the Old South would still be rising.
floyd[@]greenfloyd.org November 24th, 2014 at 18:15
… Strange bedfellows… What an odd-couple that was. New England lib meets Texas redneck, clam chowder and ribs, turned out to be a great team. That “Old South” may no longer be rising, however its legacy persist. Today there are about as many young black men in prisons as there were in slavery back in the 1850s.