Who killed JFK?

[TwinFoxes]

To mark the 50th anniversary of his assassination, who do you think killed President Kennedy? I think Oswald acted alone, but it's hard for people, especially those who lived through "Camelot" to believe that such a schmuck could change history the way he did. If it were a conspiracy, by now someone would have cashed in, or made a death bed confession, or something.

Poll coming...

[BabyBearsMom]

I have always thought Oswald acted alone. But I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist.

[Momit]

I have always thought Oswald acted alone. But I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist.

Me, too.

[minnie-zb]

Fun poll for today -- I do buy into conspiracy theories (I enjoy my mysteries!), but I think he acted alone. I really think it would have all come out by now if there was more to the story.

[TxCat]

I have always thought Oswald acted alone. But I'm not much of a conspiracy theorist.

:yeahthat:

I want to hear from the 6 people who voted for a conspiracy theory!

[TwinFoxes]

:yeahthat:

I want to hear from the 6 people who voted for a conspiracy theory!

I know! Come on y'all, now's the time. Bust this case wide open.

[sariana]

You forgot to include the aliens from Area 51.

I voted Oswald acted alone, but you never know....

[AnnieW625]

I am not a conspiracy theorist, but I do believe that while Lee Harvey Oswald killed JFK he blabbed to someone that he was going to do it and somehow that person knew Jack Ruby and then Jack Ruby killed Oswald to appease someone who was a Kennedy sympathiser.

I voted for option 2.

[wellyes]

Yeah the Jack Ruby thing does complicate it. When you get killed by a thug who said it did it to be nice, that's weird.

But if it was Oswald, or if there were more involved, I really don't care. I don't think it was the CIA, and that's the only scenario that would really shake me if it were true. The CIA completely scares me already.

[queenmama]

The CIA, LBJ, the Mafia, Soviets, Cubans... Some combination of these, someone else altogether... Take your pick.

I believe there was a conspiracy to kill him. Why seal the records for 75 years if there was nothing to hide (I know some files have been opened but not everything.)?

Conspiracy theories exist when all of the facts don't add up. The X-Files was my favorite show during my formative years (along with MSCL, duh) so I blame Mulder and The Lone Gunmen for my paranoia.

Lara

[american_mama]

I'm feeling a bit dumb here. How are choices 2 and 3 different? If there was a conspiracy and Oswald was killed to silence him, isn't that the same as him being a patsy? I think I know what patsy means, but maybe not.

I voted choice 2. So many coincidences - notably Oswald being killed so quickly, and then ruby himself dying so quickly - and conflicting reports in this assasination story that I think there is something more there. But choice 1 is also possible.

eta: Just re-read the choices. Is the difference how involved and knowledgeable Oswald was in a conspiracy? In choice 2, he was actively involved and in choice 3, he was manipulated in a more hidden way? In that case, I'd vote #3, because Oswald didn't seem like too trustworthy of a guy to really be included in such an important conspiracy. But I do think he was killed to silence him from revealing anything. The first rule of assasinations... kill the assasian.

[boolady]

I'm not usually a conspiracy theorist, but I don't believe Oswald acted entirely alone and for his own reasons. Not by a mile. I read several books about Oswald/the assassination years ago, including Jim Garrison's On the Trail of the Assassins, and while I don't buy into his version, I absolutely believe it was part of a far greater plot than we'll ever necessarily know about.

So, I guess I'm a 2 or 3, because the jury's still out for me on who else was involved.

[squimp]

Our local paper ran a story last week with so much contradictory stuff that I can't help but think there's more to the story. I never wanted to believe a conspiracy but now I just don't know.

The saddest thing I have heard this week was a story on NPR from a man who heard the news during schooltime in Alabama. When the principal announced that the president had been shot and the classroom erupted into cheers and clapping. It shocked me to hear that and it just makes me so sad. Not condemning Alabama, just sad that there were children cheering when their president was killed.

[AnnieW625]

Our local paper ran a story last week with so much contradictory stuff that I can't help but think there's more to the story. I never wanted to believe a conspiracy but now I just don't know.

The saddest thing I have heard this week was a story on NPR from a man who heard the news during schooltime in Alabama. When the principal announced that the president had been shot and the classroom erupted into cheers and clapping. It shocked me to hear that and it just makes me so sad. Not condemning Alabama, just sad that there were children cheering when their president was killed.

My grandma had a close friend who was like a second mom to her and she called and told my grandma she was happy. Even my grandma who has been a Republican her entire life was sad.

Southern Democrats or Dixie Crats were much different than Northern Democrats or Republicans of the time. Plus Kennedy was Catholic which didn't help either and yeah the whole communism thing didn't make it any easier.

[TxCat]

I think it's fascinating that there is a 50/50 split so far!

[squimp]

My grandma had a close friend who was like a second mom to her and she called and told my grandma she was happy. Even my grandma who has been a Republican her entire life was sad.

Southern Democrats or Dixie Crats were much different than Northern Democrats or Republicans of the time. Plus Kennedy was Catholic which didn't help either and yeah the whole communism thing didn't make it any easier.

I grew up in the south and it still shocks me.

[TwinFoxes]

I'm feeling a bit dumb here. How are choices 2 and 3 different? If there was a conspiracy and Oswald was killed to silence him, isn't that the same as him being a patsy? I think I know what patsy means, but maybe not.

I voted choice 2. So many coincidences - notably Oswald being killed so quickly, and then ruby himself dying so quickly - and conflicting reports in this assasination story that I think there is something more there. But choice 1 is also possible.

eta: Just re-read the choices. Is the difference how involved and knowledgeable Oswald was in a conspiracy? In choice 2, he was actively involved and in choice 3, he was manipulated in a more hidden way? In that case, I'd vote #3, because Oswald didn't seem like too trustworthy of a guy to really be included in such an important conspiracy. But I do think he was killed to silence him from revealing anything. The first rule of assasinations... kill the assasian.

Yes, the difference is in #2, Oswald shot the president as part of a broader conspiracy, got caught, and then was killed to keep him silent. In scenario #3, he was just some poor schmoe who knew nothing about the assassination and was framed and then killed.

[american_mama]

Yes, the difference is in #2, Oswald shot the president as part of a broader conspiracy, got caught, and then was killed to keep him silent. In scenario #3, he was just some poor schmoe who knew nothing about the assassination and was framed and then killed.


Wait, scenario 3 is that Oswald didn't really shoot the president, wasn't necessarily even at the scene, and it was all a frame-up for him? To my knowledge, I have never heard that theory. Well, I don't know what to think now. Oswald seems like a messed up, unreliable guy, a poor choice to let into your conspiracy, but I always thought he was definitely firing a rifle at the scene. So I guess I believe #2, involved in the conspiracy, maybe with just one contact, and held at arm's length and unaware of the larger players or plans. Then again, to rest the shooting on just one lame guy seems shaky, and to perfectly time two shots, with Oswald and another more reliable assasain, seems shaky too. Hmm. I think I need to refresh my JFK conspiracy knowledge!

[wellyes]

Did you all hear this? The conductor of Boston Symphony announcing to the crowd that the president was killed. Then the orchestra immediately plays a funeral march. It gave me chills to hear it.
http://theweek.com/article/index/253250/hear-the-moment-when-the-boston-symphony-orchestra-announced-jfks-assassination-to-a-shocked-audience

The national moment of silence today at 2 was poignant too.

[indigo99]

Is this why flags were at half staff today? I kept seeing them around town and wondered if there was some big news story I'd missed.

[TwinFoxes]

Wait, scenario 3 is that Oswald didn't really shoot the president, wasn't necessarily even at the scene, and it was all a frame-up for him? To my knowledge, I have never heard that theory. Well, I don't know what to think now.

Really! Google "Oswald framed". Also, that's what he claimed.

[Nooknookmom]

My grandma had a close friend who was like a second mom to her and she called and told my grandma she was happy. Even my grandma who has been a Republican her entire life was sad.

Southern Democrats or Dixie Crats were much different than Northern Democrats or Republicans of the time. Plus Kennedy was Catholic which didn't help either and yeah the whole communism thing didn't make it any easier.

Just wanna chime in To say not ALL southern democrats were Kennedy haters. My mother (83) & father (would be 92) plus MANY of my friends and relatives from that era looked at Kennedy as a true "American president to beat all presidents" that's the only way I can describe it. They were devastated. It stopped Americas heartbeat.

It is true that the old school southern demos were quite different than their Norhern counterparts much more like a lefty republican of today with a demo backdrop, or a very right demo.

Anyway those folks are dying off and it's a shame bc their stories are priceless. Every single elderly relative/friend I have I soak up their stories and history lessons.

Now I'm sad :(

I think Oswald was too stupid to act alone. I don't believe in aliens but I do believe our govt does not disclose everything.

[elbenn]

Oliver Stone just wrote this article in USA Today and it is totally appropriate for this thread.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/11/20/oliver-stone-jfk-conspiracy-assassination-oswald-column/3657321/

[mom2binsd]

A local radio host was talking today about how his father got to drive one of Krushev's son's for some reason while the son was in the US working, they got talking about Oswald and the time he spent in Russia prior to the assasination and I guess word was that Oswald was always a poor shot and there is no way he could have pulled this off alone...I think there were too many things that didn't make sense that all lined up on the day to allow what happened, happen....the lack of secret service agents and the route the motorcade took alone to an amateur are the obvious ones....and like all events in history, it seems there is a Seinfeld episode that explains it all...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKxCFN8ZLlw

[wellyes]

A local radio host was talking today about how his father got to drive one of Krushev's son's for some reason while the son was in the US working, they got talking about Oswald and the time he spent in Russia prior to the assasination and I guess word was that Oswald was always a poor shot and there is no way he could have pulled this off alone...I think there were too many things that didn't make sense that all lined up on the day to allow what happened, happen....the lack of secret service agents and the route the motorcade took alone to an amateur are the obvious ones....and like all events in history, it seems there is a Seinfeld episode that explains it all...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LKxCFN8ZLlw

I think the shocking lack of security is only clear in retrospect. Like how we used to let people on airplanes with boxcutters.

[Kindra178]

I think the shocking lack of security is only clear in retrospect. Like how we used to let people on airplanes with boxcutters.

Agreed. JP II was shot 20 years later. Security measures for public figures were not even implemented across the board.

[TwinFoxes]

Oliver Stone just wrote this article in USA Today and it is totally appropriate for this thread.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2013/11/20/oliver-stone-jfk-conspiracy-assassination-oswald-column/3657321/

Its hard for me not to roll my eyes when he complains about the mainstream media suppressing conspiracy theories in a piece published in USA Today. ;) He still doesn't answer who did it.

[TwinFoxes]

Agreed. JP II was shot 20 years later. Security measures for public figures were not even implemented across the board.

Up until the early 90s you could get your picture taken outside of the door at 10 Downing Street. Even now Supreme Court justices have very little security. I agree, hindsight makes us see security holes, but it was a different time.

[westwoodmom04]

I think the shocking lack of security is only clear in retrospect. Like how we used to let people on airplanes with boxcutters.

This, and sometimes stupid people can pull off a simple plan with a lot of "luck". There were a thousand reasons 9/11 shouldn't have worked, but it did.

[dogmom]

My grandma had a close friend who was like a second mom to her and she called and told my grandma she was happy. Even my grandma who has been a Republican her entire life was sad.

Southern Democrats or Dixie Crats were much different than Northern Democrats or Republicans of the time. Plus Kennedy was Catholic which didn't help either and yeah the whole communism thing didn't make it any easier.

Don't single out the South. There were plenty of WASPs in NE not happy with a RC president. It's not like things have changed much. A client of my MIL said of the current president, "I wish someone would put a bullet in his head." Oh, MIL is African American.

[squimp]

Just wanna chime in To say not ALL southern democrats were Kennedy haters. My mother (83) & father (would be 92) plus MANY of my friends and relatives from that era looked at Kennedy as a true "American president to beat all presidents" that's the only way I can describe it. They were devastated. It stopped Americas heartbeat.

I second that. I grew up in the 60s and early 70s in the south and my parents and most of their friends were Democrats who were devastated by the assassination. They would bristle at being called Dixiecrats, because that is not a synonym to southern democrats butan off shoot of the party that specifically wanted segregation. When I hear someone cast all southern Dems in the 50s and 60s as Dixiecrats, I hear that they think all southern dems were racist and for segregation but they were not. At all.