DALLAS — About 500 people crowded Saturday into the plaza where John F. Kennedy was shot 45 years ago, all agreeing it was right to remember a pivotal moment in American history, even if they didn’t all believe the official line.
People stood shoulder to shoulder and bowed their heads during a moment of silence at 12:30 p.m. Some hawked JFK memorabilia or pitched conspiracy theories to visitors. Others offered firsthand accounts of their memories of the killing.
Visiting from Pipersville, Penn., 66-year-old Barbara Koenig said coming to the site was something she needed to do.
“I remember the day of the assassination, and I’ve always wanted to visit this site,” she said. “It’s just an eerie feeling. It kind of takes you back 45 years to what you were doing and thinking about the whole tragedy of the affair. I burst into tears (then). In fact, I’m ready to cry now.”
Nearby, street vendors held out commemorative newspapers hoping would-be customers would buy them. One person roamed the crowd with a sign questioning whether it was a lone gunman who killed Kennedy or several.
A group of men who wore black suits, matching ties and earpieces stood silent and appeared to guard a large black banner behind them.
The day Kennedy was assassinated is one people should always remember, but its truth still has not been entirely revealed, argued John Judge, head of the Coalition On Political Assassinations, a Washington-based organization that researches political assassinations.
Judge believes Kennedy’s assassination was a government conspiracy and could easily be solved if all of the facts were revealed.
“If the case were to be honestly investigated or if a grand jury could open it up, we could get at it,” he said. “I think (people) want to remember a piece of their history that was stolen from them.”
On Saturday, two Xs spray-painted in the street marked the spots where Kennedy was hit as his motorcade drove through the plaza. A placard from the National Park Service stood on the ground directly across from one X.
For 68-year-old Ann Murphy, news of Kennedy’s assassination stunned her when it reached her and other teachers in Toronto. She was in disbelief when school officials announced, “President Kennedy has been shot in Dallas,” she said.
Murphy stayed glued to her father’s grainy, black-and-white television set for more news on the events unfolding in the United States. She was even more stunned when she saw nightclub owner Jack Ruby later shoot the suspect in Kennedy’s assassination, Lee Harvey Oswald, on live television, Murphy said.
“It’s strange,” she said, “that one man’s influence and popularity would extend well outside his own country.”
Headline News
Related Photos
-
AP PHOTO
Kennedy anniversary marked in Dallas
- Headline News
-
-
Viral video: Grizzly bear cub, wolf cub play together
It’s like something out of a children's book: A bear cub meets a wolf cub and they become the best of friends. Even though they are different species and ferocious predators, the unlikely couple stays pals for life.
-
GOP vows to reverse Obama birth control policy
Republicans vowed Wednesday to reverse President Barack Obama’s new policy on birth control, lambasting the rule that religious schools and hospitals must provide contraceptive coverage for their employees as an “unambiguous attack on religious freedom in our country.”
-
Romney’s losses show conservative doubts
Mitt Romney still can’t seem to win over the bulk of the conservatives who make up the bedrock of the Republican Party.
Despite primary victories that have established him as the GOP presidential front-runner, his stunning trio of defeats this week laid bare the difficulties that still could undercut his path to the party’s nomination — and hamper him in the general election to follow. -
10 most romantic hotels in the U.S.
Valentine’s Day will be here soon, and a romantic getaway may be just what the heart needs. TripAdvisor has released its list of the 10 most romantic hotels in the country, based on travelers’ reviews about the beautiful scenery, friendly staffs and romantic amenities like hot tubs and fireplaces.
-
Questions remain about probe into Susan Powell’s disappearance
Utah authorities have for at least six months investigated the disappearance of Susan Powell as a murder case. But without a body, they publicly held out hope that she would be found alive.
So what evidence did they have that the mother of two was dead? And was there anything to identify her killer? -
Abortion, birth control grab political spotlight
Political turmoil over abortion and birth control spread suddenly on Tuesday. A high-ranking official resigned from the Komen breast-cancer charity after its backtracking treaty with Planned Parenthood, and Republican presidential candidates blistered the Obama administration for a recent ruling on Catholic hospitals and contraception.
-
Santorum wins in Minnesota, Missouri
A resurgent Rick Santorum won Minnesota’s Republican caucuses with ease Tuesday night, relegating front-runner Mitt Romney to a distant third-place finish that raised fresh questions about his ability to attract ardent conservatives at the core of the GOP political base.
-
Obama urges donors to embrace super PAC
Reversing an earlier stand, President Barack Obama is now encouraging donors to give generously to the kind of political fundraising groups he once assailed as a “threat to democracy.” He had little choice, his campaign says, if he was to compete with big-money conservative groups that are sure to attack him this fall.
-
Best Super Bowl ad? Vote for your favorite
Naked M&Ms, an out-of-shape dog on a mission and Clint Eastwood delivering a passionate speech about American adversity -- these are among the favorite commercials that aired during Sunday's Super Bowl.
-
Romney wins in Nevada GOP caucuses
Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney cruised to victory in the Nevada caucuses Saturday night, notching a second straight triumph over a field of rivals suddenly struggling to keep pace.
“Thank you NV!,” his campaign tweeted as the results were announced. “Our message of restoring America’s greatness continues to resonate through the west & across the country.” - More Headline News Headlines
-
