We can not forget the assassination of John F. Kennedy

Despite rumors of recent years, all books, movies and articles, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy is allowed to quietly enter the story. We must not let this happen, not yet, not always. I fear that if this becomes a simple story, our vision of what is our democratic system, already weakening, is dangerously fading. And the most basic imperative of the system will be forgotten: our government governs by the assent of / all / the people, not by a small group with the power and resources to impose its will. The wolves of the oligarchy wait tonight.

I can hear Mary Ferrell delivering the opening address of a symposium of researchers on Kennedy's assassination in Dallas in October 1992. Here's what she said:

As we celebrate the thirtieth anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, I am very concerned that we are on the threshold of a charge for which there will be no pardon .

We must win this fight for the truth … and do it very quickly, to avoid the assassination of President Kennedy on a remote highway strip, during a century whose history is about to arrive. Over the next century, this case could be relegated to the background to obscure the questions of history exams in high school …

Time is our most implacable and uncompromising enemy. But what happens during this conference can make a difference. Of course, we will be flouted and belittled by the media and the restless fingers of the survivors of the Warren Commission, reproaching us for not believing in the conclusions of these honorable men …

But history teaches us that significant changes are often made by a small number of people facing great difficulties. Many of them managed to challenge the government.

Thomas Paine, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Washington and their followers represented a tiny fraction of the population of this country. As with this tiny fraction, I'm sure you represent millions of people who share your point of view … It's what keeps us united in our cause. According to polls, an overwhelming majority of our fellow citizens is of the opinion that a government-sponsored plot and concealment have erased the rights of our citizens and the sanctity of the rule of law.

And that will be forever paramount among all the issues that continually preoccupy our deliberations. The number on autopsy photos, magic bullets, Oswald's images that obviously are not Oswald, the number and style of coffins and all other issues can not overshadow the ultimate violation of rights citizens in a democracy designed for people …

If we really live in the land of the free and the brave, we had better prove it now …

Mary Ferrell's remarks recalled the reactions I had often encountered when I was working as an investigator in the case: "We will never know what has really happened, shall we? we?". Or: "It is a waste of money, is not it? he? "Or:" What difference does it make now? "

he Is make a difference. A president of the United States was murdered three decades ago and our government still tells us that he does not know what has actually happened. There is no doubt that the murder was a plot, he says, but he is not sure of anything beyond that. And yet, most of us – do not say the polls and the media – do not fear that our government has never told us what has really happened. We do not like it, but we are not very angry. Lord knows there are enough worries for today

But we should be angry. The assignment of President Kennedy was a blatant affront to all of us who feel that we as individuals should have control over what governs us and how we are governed. . This is the foundation of our democracy. We would have been very angry if someone with a gun had prevented us from going to the voting booth, thereby impeding our freedom of choice. We would have seen this as a direct attack on the democratic system – not only a flagrant violation of our rights, but also a scandalous offense. staff affront.

The analogy is obvious: the plot to kill the President of the United States was a plot against the democratic system – and therefore a conspiracy against each and every one of us. Our choice was refused. That's why it always counts a lot.

Also understand this: the action that caused the death of President Kennedy is directly related to the evolution of our country since then. This is especially important for what is happening today. This unique event prefigures the disintegration of our strong faith in government, bolstering the now ubiquitous and annoying assumption that we no longer have control over our economic or political destiny. Its residue lies in the ashes of the sixties – it burned countries, cities and people – and in the debilitating social disparities and persistent civil conflicts of the last thirty years. The assassination and its aftermath have engendered widespread mistrust and disrespect for all established institutions, and this prospect is still bland.

And now, we do not care a bit when our own government violates or ignores its own laws, as it has done with disturbing regularity over the past two decades. A huge public apathy hailed the Iran / Contra scandals; We were hardly moved by the fact that hidden layers of government had pursued a secret program of foreign policy, bypassing the country's law, the Congress and the Constitution itself.

And yet, it seems incredible that we are not angry. The fact is that we know an effective democracy requests a population ready, willing and able to get angry enough to put pressure on its elected officials to do their duty in spite of themselves. Where is this anger now?

The government has failed us. It is scandalous that in a democratic society, after two official inquiries, our government is still telling us that it does not know what happened.

I hope that makes you angry. Very angry. If this is not the case, we might as well let our individual freedom escape. He will be gone soon.

Gaeton Fonzi

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Gaeton Fonzi