JFK's Assassination Continues to Fascinate

 I was in Mrs. Seeger’s grade four class at Assumption School in Aylmer, Ontario back on November 22^nd, 1963. It was just after lunch when the Principal entered the classroom to whisper something in her ear. She reacted strongly, seemingly shocked at something awful. A few moments later she announced to the class that U.S. President John F. Kennedy had been shot and killed by an assassin’s bullet. Despite being only nine years old, we all knew who President Kennedy was.

 I remember responding “ Not much.” after  getting home and being asked by my mother what had happened at school that day, and then adding ,”Oh yah. Kennedy got shot.” “Are you sure"!!? she responded.  We then turned on our black and white television to watch the news and the film footage taken by bystander Abraham Zapruder, which was aired over and over.

In the years that followed there have been many conspiracy theories, a popular film by director Oliver Stone, and countless documentaries about the event. Many have focused on the “Kennedy Curse” regarding the many tragic deaths the family has endured including that of JFK’s brother Senator Robert Kennedy, and son John Kennedy Junior. JFK’s dalliances with mob mistresses and starlet Marilyn Munroe are also legendary.

The story continues to fascinate, as though it happened more recently.

A former colleague has devoted much of his life to the legacy of JFK. Randy Owen, a talented broadcaster, began his fascination as a child when he was asked to write a school essay. He picked the topic of JFK’s assassination and has since become a lifelong student of the topic. Owen has appeared on talk shows and has been interviewed about his findings and collection of photos countless times. With the 50th anniversary being marked this week, he’s no doubt very busy.

http://www.stcatharinesstandard.ca/2013/07/04/50-years-later-remembering-jfk

But what if Kennedy had lived?  Stephen King addresses the question in his 2011 novel “11/22/63”. The story revolves around time travel and how events might have been different if Lee Harvey Oswald had never had a chance to fire the bullet from the Dallas book depository. If that had not happened, and Oswald had not been shot by Jack Ruby, how would things have played out?  Or was it Oswald’s bullet, as the Warren commission claimed?

 Documentaries and articles about the fiftieth anniversary of the assassination of U.S. President John Fitzgerald Kennedy, his wife Jackie and the “Camelot” years are everywhere this month, providing compelling and ongoing food for thought.