Kennedy Week

[praxis1966]

Did anyone see the History Channel documentaries last night? I was quite surprised. They interviewed this guy who used to be Lyndon Johnson's attourney. He came right out and said "If anyone killed John Kennedy, it was Lyndon Johnson." Tonight at 8 ET they've got three more coming on, including one completely on the infamous "Grassy Knoll Badgeman." I can't wait. BTW, if you missed any of them Mon or are going to tonight, they're going to replay the whole series on Saturday starting at 8 am ET.

[truthaddict11]

i hate JFK the imperialist bastard

[suffianr]

Yeah, I saw something on one of those "documentary" channels - Murder Most Foul, I think - on Kennedy.

My question is, and it's because we haven't had any leaders assassinated here in Malaysia yet, what's the big deal?

Yes, this goes out to the American comrades; do you want closure, or is it something else?

Thanks. :)

[praxis1966]

It's not closure, it's just that there's too much evidence suggesting involvement on the part of the CIA and or FBI. A large number of people think that Lyndon Johnson, the vice-president at the time, was behind all of it.

Truth, I don't know that I'd call him imperialistic. He just did what he had to to keep the rabid anti-communists (the prevailing attitude back then) of the time happy. I guess you're referring to Vietnam, but the year he was assassinated he issued an executive order to get 1000 of the 11000 troops in country home by Christmas, and the rest home by the end of 1965. That's why all the suspicion. Bell Helicopter and Hunt Oil contributed a lot of money to Johnson's senate campaigns and stood to lose a huge amount in defense contracts if a war wasn't produced. I would refer you to the "military industrial complex" Eisenhower warned about in his last speech before Kennedy took over.

[suffianr]

Yes, we learnt about the military industrial complex in ANG in my freshman year...And I know about the suspicion...But why is Kennedy still a poster boy for martyrdom? Was it because he had so much going for him when he was slotted (personifying the American Dream or whatever), or that it's just a case of romanticizing a leader who could have in fact changed the face of history had he lived out his term in office?

The critical importance of Kennedy's influence on politics, the pivotal nature of his times cannot be understated, but how much of it is a case of "What If's" as opposed to just wanting to know how far that corruption, and all that cloak-and-dagger stuff (FBI & CIA), figured in the grander scheme of things?

(I'm probably being anal, but bear with me, please) :D

[praxis1966]

Well, nobody can say for sure what would have happened if he weren't killed. That, however, is not the point. The real point is knowing the truth. If in fact there was a conspiracy and cover-up of the highest order, then we can never truly know who really runs things. I'm not a big fan of the American brand of democracy, but I prefer the enemy I know to the one I don't. That's why I'm concerned about it. How can anyone succeed in changing this whole mess if you don't even know who's running it. Besides, truth for truth's sake is a noble enough pursuit for me.

As far as the martyrdom issue is concerned, I would say this. Most people who were around back them grieved the loss of Kennedy more than even the loss of their parents. While with their parents they had lost a piece of the past, with Kennedy the felt the loss of a piece of their future.

[Urban Rubble]

No, I don't think many people care about closure.

I think there are a few reasons people want to find out what happened to Kennedy. One, because it was quite obviously a conspiracy and was covered up. Anyone who reads up on it for 5 minutes (and isn't completely stupid) will know that. There was a conspiracy, period. That just makes people want to know.

Secondly, before that time, people were fairly trustful of their government. After they realized it was almost impossible that their government wasn't involved, they lost some trust. People want to know because they feel their government covered it up.

Now, as for Kennedy being Imperialistic, I don't think so. As far as American presidents go, he was of a lesser evil. He wanted us out of Vietnam and even had a bill in the works to get us out by 1965. He also fucked up the Bay of Pigs, so we Socialists need to thank him for that =)

[suffianr]

Great points:


Most people who were around back them grieved the loss of Kennedy more than even the loss of their parents. While with their parents they had lost a piece of the past, with Kennedy the felt the loss of a piece of their future.

and,


Secondly, before that time, people were fairly trustful of their government. After they realized it was almost impossible that their government wasn't involved, they lost some trust. People want to know because they feel their government covered it up.

That explains a lot. Thanks fellas.

[Jesus Christ]

I had watched the 2-hour special on ABC last night, and the whole premise, they said, for Lee Harvey Oswald to kill JFK was that he was a Marxist.
He had spent time in the Soviet Union, heavily monitored by the KGB, and eventually tried to travel to Cuba.
So they spent the whole time taking cheap shots at Marxists, and other leftists, saying that leftists killed JFK.
It was horrible.

[Xvall]

I saw it. Good stuff.

[Valkyrie]

What slanted filth that ABC program was....

The whole premise of the evidence of Oswald being the shooter was based on the single-bullet theory entering Kennedy's back, exiting his chest and entering Connelly's back.... maybe so..... BUT -- It took what-- an hour and half to even mention that the fatal wound to the head even existed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Eastside Revolt]

Originally posted by [email protected] 19 2003, 04:00 AM
Yeah, I saw something on one of those "documentary" channels - Murder Most Foul, I think - on Kennedy.

My question is, and it's because we haven't had any leaders assassinated here in Malaysia yet, what's the big deal?

Yes, this goes out to the American comrades; do you want closure, or is it something else?

Thanks. :)
Oh c'mon, as if the murder of the one of the most powerful men in the world is not gonna draw widespread interest?

[Monty Cantsin]

yer i saw some of those doc i wouldnt put it past the cia or fbi to do something like that. now i havent readed all the posts but ill feel that kennedy was the best chance for relationships between the u.s. and cuba. thus could have been part of the reason why they would want him dead. also he was irish decent with most republicans, looking down at people now of english decent. it was like he was leting them have it with his whole why of life.