Friday, November 30, 2012

49 Years Later- And the Memories Are Still Fresh!


Yes—49 years ago, on November 22nd, we marked the anniversary of the death of the President of the United States. John F. Kennedy, was shot and killed on the streets of Dallas, Texas at 12:30PM, while driving in a motorcade!

Yeah, we know the history, we know the story, we know the tales, and we know the truths, the half truths and the out and out lies.

We know that there are conspiracies, we know there are those who believe the complete 27 volumes of the Warren Commission, we know that there are those who will tell you WHO were involved, and who they think were involved, and there are even a few who think that little spacemen from another planet had something to do with it! (REALLY?)

For some, the hallowed grounds in Dealey Plaza, represent the moment when innocents were lost, and that even though the country suffered a great depression, and the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the loss of a great President, in Franklin D. Roosevelt, the death of John F. Kennedy seemed to be something that not only the young held onto, but also those who were counting on a turning point of our country.

Kennedy, in 1961 during his inauguration address, stated: “Ask NOT what your country can do for YOU, ask, WHAT you can do for your country”… here we are 51 years later, and the statement has lost some of its meaning.

Look at those who think that the government should help THEM, and not help themselves! IF Kennedy was alive today, and running for office, his views would be considered to be more conservative than liberal. Would he be on the Republican side of the isle or would he still be a Democrat? And would he be able to get his ideas across. Like Civil Rights, or even the space program.

Forward thinking in the 60’s like sending a man to the moon, or maybe ending the conflict in Southeast Asia, or maybe ending the Cold War.

Were these the reasons WHY he was murdered?

See that’s the real question… WHY? Its not so much the WHO, but the why he was killed.

A lone gunman, that’s a possibility, never truly proven other than the Warren Commission, but the House Senate Committee on Assassinations in1978, they concluded that a 95% possibility that there was indeed a second gunman involved, and that, by definition is a conspiracy, however the CIA and the FBI both stated that the Warren Commission is still the only true answer to the case, and in 1983, the federal government closed the case completely and the case of a murder of John Fitzgerald Kennedy came to a close!

75 years after the Warren Commission was concluded, the entire archive will open to the public. That is a multiple generational time line! Most of those who were alive, will have died off, and those who are old enough to know about the case, will have either not cared, or forgotten about it.

Did Oliver Stone’s movie in 1991, do anything to make you ask questions, or did it leave you thinking that it was nothing more than one big propaganda for Stone and Hollywood?

Truth is, that this is more about what the Government KNEW, and why certain things happened the way they did during the moment that Kennedy was shot.

The entire Cabinet was on a flight, and out of the country along with Press Secretary Perrier Salinger, there was a total mobilization of Armed Forces in the event of rioting in the streets, there was a total phone outage in Washington D.C. for over 30 minutes. Is this ALL a coincidence? I don’t think so… I don’t think that someone can make that happen by accident, and pull it off!

We have to keep asking the questions, and we have to continue to question those who were there before us, and continue to ask so the truth comes out!

That’s all the American public deserves—don’t leave it up to those who think its best for the people to know what is the truth, and what we should not be privy to because we can’t handle the truth!

WE are not an innocent society, we are a society that can comprehend and understand the truth, and our children, grandchildren and generations that follow, should be aware of what either our government knows or at least those who were in charge at the time 49 years ago!

And one final note, it took them 49 years, but finally the City of Dallas and the State of Texas had a historical marker placed on the corner of 10th Street and Patton in Oak Cliff, to mark the spot where Officer J.D. Tippitt died, when alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald, opened fire and killed him near his squad car. Three Murders in less than 48 hours.

A few years later—in 1968, we lost Martin Luther King in Memphis, and in June of that same year we lost Sen. Robert F. Kennedy in Los Angeles. Somewhere we have to connect the dots and get the answers!

Just a thought!

Monday, November 19, 2012

Thanksgiving Holiday Traditions!


Every year, we gather at a table and we have a full meal, and it has always interest me in recent times, that this is the ONLY day in the year, outside of maybe Christmas and Passover (for my Jewish friends) that we gather in one place to eat a meal!

I mean, when I was growing up, it was nothing for the family to sit at the dinner table after mom and dad got home from work, and we ate at a specific time, or close to it, and talked about the days events and how school was, or what was going on in the world.

TODAY! OH MY LORD! WE are lucky if we have a moment to see each other coming and going, between work, and school, and soccer, and band, and dance, and football, and drill team, and cheerleader, and so on and so on and so on!

NOW we know why there is a fast food restaurant on every corner of the city, and then some!

GOODNESS, step back and take a breath!

Traditions, have been bent, broken, shattered, and destroyed over the last few generations.
I will bet that there are few families that will gather in front of their televisions to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade from New York, with bands, floats, and balloons... less will be interested in what is going on in their own home towns where there were once parades that had a Thanksgiving theme or at least the beginning of the Christmas season!

I remember getting up early on Thanksgiving mornings, and with my dad, sit in front of the television to watch the parade- (of course my father originally was from New York) so there was a touch of home for him, but this was in the 1960's, and we would then help mom with cooking the Turkey and the rest of the meal, and set the table and have friends and family over or we would go to other's houses to for the meal... hell there was even times when we would go to the Cotton Bowl to watch the Dallas Cowboys play on Thanksgiving! (Beating the dreaded Packers that particular year 16-13)

Now Thanksgiving is centered around-- what time the games are, and who is playing when, and if there is a college game later in the day, and can we be at so-n-so's house before kickoff , or by at least half time.
Lets not forget that  we also have the dreaded-- what time are you going to be at the SUPER STORE for their opening to start the Christmas shopping on  Black Friday (and believe me, working Black Friday is no peach of a deal either)... WHAT EVER HAPPENED to going shopping on the weekend, not on ONE day and spreading it out til the end of the shopping season?

Well it went away with a generation built on instant gratification! EVERYTHING has to be done RIGHT NOW, without delay, without haste, and by-gum if you get in my way-- I will run you over with my shopping cart, and I don't care if you are bleeding to death-- I need to get to that last SNUGGY BEFORE YOU DO!  Whew! Peace on Earth, Goodwill to all men-- Yeah right!

Thanksgiving! A time to relax, and enjoy the company of our family and friends, and to be with those who matter most in our lives. Sometimes, its nothing more than a gesture to say THANK YOU to someone who was kind enough to invite you over for the meal, and to be a part of their family, when yours is either too far away-- or worse-- right around the corner but you don't talk to them for whatever reason!
Whichever traditions you have, or have had, or will start with your own family, may you enjoy the season, and have a wonderful time stuffing your belly's till they are over lapping your belts! Sleep until Kickoff.. and hoping your team wins!

And as far as shopping is concerned! Best deals are usually AFTER The holidays are over-- usually that is! Don't get suckered into the "TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE DEALS" they usually are!

Best to you this holiday season-- and may the spirit of the holidays be with you throughout the year!

Just a thought!