As we remember this day 45 years ago it serves as a reminder that even one of the most powerful figures in American history could lose his life in a matter of a few deadly minutes on the sunny, streets of downtown Dallas, Texas. It was a beautiful day there and I remember it well. I was going to the University of North Texas in Denton – about thirty miles from Dallas, but I happened to be in Dallas that day in order to go to a dentist at Baylor University. My appointment was at one o’clock. I remember the groups of people huddled together listening to radios as I parked at the Dental Clinic. I remember the looks on their faces – horror, disbelief, fear, tears. I stopped one man who had a dazed look on his face and asked him what was happening. He stared at me for a minute and then said, “They’ve killed our president! Kennedy is dead!” Then he turned and walked away. I walked in to my appointment with my own dazed look and tears running down my face. I will never forget that moment.
And with those memories still so vivid, I found myself this morning being very frightened for our new President-elect – there have been so many threats; there are so many nut cases – like Oswald, who are angry and bitter about so many things; still so many racial issues that have never been completely put to rest. I know security is so much tighter than it was in 1963, so much more awareness of the dangers, but when you have witnessed such violence it is hard to forget.
Kennedy ushered in a new and incredible period for this country and I believe Obama has the ability and desire to bring about that “new day” we have all been talking about over the last year. I think we have come from “hoping” to “believing” that it is possible. So, as we celebrate the life and mourn the death of John F. Kennedy, let us all renew our faith in our country and in our new leaders. Let us once again become a country the rest of the world can respect, admire and look to for hope of a new day.
Sylvia's world in thoughts and pictures
I miss you Sam!!
I miss you Sam!!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
What Can I Say?
I'm interested in almost everything. Use to like to travel, but it's too expensive now. I take Tai Chi classes, swim, volunteer in a Jump-start program for pre-schoolers. I'm an avid reader and like nearly everyone these days I follow politics avidly. I'm a former teacher and Special Projects Coordinator for a Telecommunications company, Assistant to the President of a Japanese silicon wafer manufacturing company. Am now enjoying retirement -- most of the time. I have two daughters, one son-in-law and two sons scattered all over the country. No grandchildren.
13 comments:
I remember that day so well Sylvia - and I was on the other side of the world. It must have been stunning for you.
We must continue in life, not even countenancing the possibility. That's the only way to face people who would deal with matters through force and terror.
June in Oz
It is very interesting that we can all remember what we were doing that day. I can't believe 45 years have passed. I'm very fearful for President-elect Obama also. You're right that there so many evil and crazy people out there. I'm just praying that the secret service is careful and efficient and will keep him safe.
I was watching TV on my mother's little screen in England. I remember it all exactly. I too have fears.
I too remember that day so clearly, and have some fears for Obama. Then I had CNN on yesterday, but was only half-listening while busy in the kitchen, so only caught the tail end of a piece they were talking about, but someplace people are actually making wagers on when Obama will be assassinated! I was horrified! Between the white supremacists, the religious whackjobs, and the neo-con nuts, I hope Obama has security like no other president before.
Well said. I remember that I was a Junior in high school in Algebra class when the announcement came over the PA system. Our teacher, who we all liked, didn't say a word -- he just sat down at his desk and cried. I tried not to cry but a lot of other girls did. The quiet in that room was deafening as was the quiet in the halls as we changed classes until the word came that we were being dismissed early.
I fear for Obama and have said so on my blog. The hatred displayed by the opposition in the recent campaign -- fueled by Sarah Palin and many others -- was frightening and isn't going to go away overnight.
I pray for him and our country in these troubled times.
Sylvia, I lived through Kennedy's assassination and I can't even talk about Obama and what possibilities might be. Let's keep our fingers crossed and pray that we have him with us to turn this country around... :)
I guess we all remember exactly where we were and what we were doing the day Kennedy was killed. I, too, fear for Obama.
I do too. I was just going home from a visit with a friend and heard it on the radio. I turned around and went back and said to her "Quick! Turn on your TV, the president's been shot." They kept the kids at school that afternoon and they were upset when I got home about the shooting. Scott was almost 5 so the others were 8 and 10.
Well said, Sylvia.
I was a college sophomore 45 years ago and heard the news in class. I thought the world was ending. Then the saddness set in and permeated the campus as we all watched stopped our lives and sat in front of the black and white TVs.
We cannot now let fear stop us from a new beginning. We use caution and continue on.
I was taking pictures of my daughter when my husband phoned to tell me Kennedy had been shot. I couldn't believe it at first and thought he was playing some kind of morbid joke. But the sorrow in his voice quickly convinced me. It was a tragic day followed by the next assassinations of Martin Luther King and Bobby Kennedy.
It seems like every time we get a great leader the hate boils over. Pray very hard for Barack and his secret service detail.
I think it's one of those days like 9/11 that we all remember where we were. How we found out. I worry about the inauguration with maybe 5 million people. How do they keep him safe?
let's all pray for our president whoever he/she is they certainly need guidance and protection. i remember that day also and was in college in utah. everyone was in shock...
I was driving on the Los Angeles Freeways. I had the radio on listening to some music and chatting with my mom. We were driving into the city to pay a traffic ticket. I heard the announcement, stepped on my brakes, (odd reaction, I thought... but almost every driver on the road did the same thing.) I turned up the volume and my mom and I listened as they announced that President Kennedy was dead. I don't remember freeway traffic being that slow before or since. When we came to the courthouse, they were in the process of closing the doors and sending everyone home. My ticket, along with all the others on the docket that afternoon, was dismissed. We walked to the car and drove home in silence. It was eerie. The entire city seemed to be moving in slow motion.
I am a fervent believer in God and offer regular prayers for President Elect Obama and his family. I firmly believe that as long as he adheres to doing what is best for the country and works diligently to keep the promises he made, he will be protected. I need to believe that. And I believe he's a man of honor who will do all in his power to keep his word He was not my man... but, he is my president. We have several Muslim families in our area. I've worked very closely with two of them and we've become good friends. They told me this last week that many of the radical Muslim's are angry with Obama because they believe that since his father was Muslim that he has betrayed the faith of his father, been a traitor to his religious heritage, and joined forced with the infidels. He never embraced his father's Muslim faith. We all know that. My friends say that makes him a target of what is referred to as "religious, holy murder. Gads! As if worrying about the white supremist loonies wasn't enough.
BTW I don't think anything Palin said would be the cause of his early demise. I don't think she ever encouraged or proposed anything of such a violent nature. There may have been some radicals out there who said some crazy things on the internet, but, my husband had CNN, Fox and MSNBC on constantly and I never heard any HATRED coming from the McCain camp.
I heard some pretty mean spirited things tossed out by both sides... it was discouraging at best, and disgusting at worst, but, neither of the candidates or thier close associates did what could be called hate mongering. Unless you listened to the View. They were really hateful toward Palin. That was the nsatiest stuff I ever saw on the airwaves.
Post a Comment