Kennedy 50 Year Anniversary the Mystery Continues

Yesterday marked the 50th Anniversary of John F. Kennedy's Assassination. Almost at every moment of the day some channel had something marking the day that changed America.

I was way to young to remember anything of that day but I am sure it had some affect on my family just as it did everyone else not only here but around the world. In school I remember bits and pieces of our history books including the key points like Lee Harvey Oswald, Jack Ruby, Vice President Lyndon Johnson being swore in, the infamous picture of him taking the oath with Lady Bird Johnson and Mrs. Kennedy standing by him in the blood stained dress.

It wasn't really until much later on that I read books about the Kennedy family and some of the other conspiracy theory books that  I too have questions that probably will never be answered as to why this tragedy changed America. It has been extremely interesting to watch old black and white footage of days and hours leading up to that day and even after his death and how the events changed so many peoples' lives. With the technology of today the old 8mm film is brought to bigger than life proportions which to some might be a little to much information to process even after 50 years.

Some interesting highlights for me were: In early reports by the media, they kept calling Lee "Harvey" Oswald " Lee "Harold" Oswald. Guess the media hasn't changed much in reporting the wrong name. The fact that the Texas Book Depository was never searched beforehand or had a Secret Service Agent posted inside but many other buildings did along the route, sounds questionable.  The police officers seemed to be familiar with Jack Ruby (Rubinstein) why was he even their at the time they were leading Lee Harvey Oswald out to appear in court?  Questions will always arise about this time in our history. Do we have the correct answers? Probably not.. Would things have been different if it wouldn't have happened. I am sure they would be. Would we be a different country now? Maybe or maybe not..We have no real way of knowing what might have been.

I also found it touching that even with all of Kennedy's flaws, Jacqueline Kennedy had a tremendous love for him. The infamous pink suit will remain somewhat of a mystery for many, many more years to come since it is tucked away in the National Archives until 2103. A new generation of people will continue the theory of what happened that day.

An Honored Veteran's New View

I think of my grandpa Conner on a daily basis, but this morning while looking at Facebook News Feeds I came across this picture and and article in the Daily Breeze about an area that sits just below the cemetery where my grandpa rests. I couldn't help but get a mental picture of the wonderful man I remembered. Dressed in his chino grey pants, grey shirt and grey baseball cap. With his hand on his hip leaning against the block wall or wooden fence on either side of his "home", shooting the breeze as he liked to say.

I remembered as  a kid riding to visit another family member buried at Green Hills and Grandpa would mention about what wonderful housing for families of those who served were right across the street. Single family homes dotted the main avenue. I remember asking him why there was barbed wire and large signs around  the gated community. "All military areas are that way Cindy".

In the article the city planners will be designing a brand new project of  homes, condos and  townhouses. This process has been on-going for as long as I can remember since it has been empty, and all homes boarded up for many years. For several years after families left  this area was I believe used for police, and fire training from various city departments in the area.

I believe that by reading this article and today being Veteran's Day that it was his sign to me that he was thinking of me and would be so excited that something new was coming to his home. I recall when the sidewalks were put on his street he stood out and watched all the equipment dig up and then pour the cement. Talking to the worker's on a daily basis. 

He was a great man, he will be watching over whatever project decides to finally happen on the site. Just look up on the hill, to the guy in grey, scratching his head and putting his ball cap back on. He along with many other veteran's at home will be with you.