Yesterday November 22nd marked the 50th Anniversary of the assassination of Our 35th President John F. Kennedy. He became the first and only Catholic president. Our Bishop of the Diocese of Dallas held a special memorial service at Dealey Plaza where the fateful shot took place. It was a sober occasion for those in attendance.
The murder took place nearly 10 years before I was born. Living in Dallas at the time, my mother gives an account of that horrific day. She was eating lunch in the middle school cafeteria. My grandmother worked as a cashier at a local Woolworths department store. Granddaddy calculated away as a staff accountant at Braniff Airlines. People always remember where they were and what they did at the moment of a tragic event.
The entire nation was shocked. A state of mourning ensued. Americans couldn't believe such a popular president was shot dead. Nothing like this had ever happened before. 50 years later, conspiracy theories and questions still remain.
That fateful day stigmatized Dallas, Texas for years to come. My mom recalls people blaming the city for its lack of security and overall anti-catholic mentality. The President's initiative in Vietnam and tough support of civil rights lead to questioning if his assassination was racially infused. Of course, the majority of Americans believed the Mafia played a role in the assassination.
The assassination of President Kennedy still remains as part of our nation's history. A few years ago I visited the JFK Presidential Library in Boston, Massachusetts. The museum depicts the president in a much more positive light. His life is remembered more than his horrific death. (I remember viewing Jackie's beautiful suits and shoes. That classic Camelot style!)
The assassination of JFK is a reminder of the need for us to value all human life. Do not kill for the sake of hate, bigotry, greed or revenge.
-J.
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