Celebrating 100 Years
THEVisrA,.. The Student Voice Since 1903
UNIVERSITY OF CENTRAL OKLAHOMA
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2003
Kennedy dead The Vista commemorates the life and tragic death of our nation's youngest president. November 22, 1963. The day America lost it's innocence. Forty years ago an assassin's bullet took the life of our thirty-fifth president. This fortieth anniversary will no doubt kick up the conspiracy theories that have somewhat settled over the past few years and prompt an influx of visitors into Dallas' Dealey Plaza where John F. Kennedy made his last ride. Kennedy was the youngest man to be elected president at the age of forty-three and won the 1960 election by a razor thin margin. Despite the narrow victory, he quickly gained the support and admiration of the American public with charm and an endearing personality. During his short term as president, Kennedy encountered several international confrontations in Cuba and Berlin. He eased cold war•tensions on August 15, 1963 when the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union signed a test ban treaty forbidding atmospheric nuclear testing. The signing of the
treaty marked the first limitations on arms since the cold war re-directed at Kennedy by the hands of the mob bosses. Another theory says government killed Kennedy — either began. Kennedy's untimely departure shocked millions and many communist or our own. In the case of the communist assassination, the theory says wondered, "Why?" the U.S. government concealed the evidence from the The question was not soon answered. Even though the Johnson appointed Warren Commission American public, who would have demanded military retalideclared that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone in the assassi- ation for the assassination of their president. In the case of our own government being involved, the nation of President Kennedy, four of every five Americans believe Oswald was part of a conspiracy. to kilithe president. thought of our own killing the president would have sent the There are several theories floating around about the assas- public into panic and chaos. Which would be reason enough for a blanket. cover-up. sination. On November 25 as a nation mourned, President One theory is that the Mafia had a hand in it. Bosses Johnny Roselli, Sam Giancana, Carlos Marcello, and Santos Kennedy's body was carried to St. Matthew's Cathedral for a Trafficante are thought to be involved, along with a group of requiem mass. Nearly an entire nation watched as John Fitzgerald Cuban exiles. This team was organized to assassinate Fidel Castro: After Castro finds out, through a Cuban infiltrator, . Kennedy was buried in Arlington National Cemetery where the eternal flame, lit by his widow, still burns. those resources that were assembled to take out Castro were
From the collection of Dr. Terry Clark
President and Mrs. John F. Kennedy arrive at Dallas Love Field, hours before tragedy, 40 years ago this week.
CSC Mourns Kennedy's Death By Larry Snipes Classes were dismissed Monday as Central State joined the nation in mourning the death of President John Fitzgerald Kennedy. Shot to death Friday in Dallas, Texas, Mr. Kennedy was buried Monday in Arlington National Cemetery while most of the nation watched on television. The nation's youngest president, Mr. Kennedy was a particular favorite among the younger Americans. This was demonstrated by initial reaction among students. Usually the weekend before Thanksgiving is a time of happiness' for the Central Students. Thanksgiving provides the students with their first long vacation from the world of studies.
The weekend before is spent thinking of many things the students have to be thankful for. They begin saying goodbye to their friends, they begin to socialize more so as to make up for what they will miss with their friends when they go home for the holidays. Most of the students spent this weekend before Thanksgiving in 'deep thought and sorrow. The President of the United States of America has been assassinated. The governor of Texas had been. The phrase heard around campus was, "Why? I cannot believe it or understand it. Why?" News of the attempted assassination came to the students during the lunch period, about 1 p.m.
Students reacted as if it were a macabre practical joke someone was pulling on them. It took a while for them to realize it could be possible. All of a sudden the Student Union lounge became a focal point of interest as students stopped in their preparations for going home or for Friday night's activities. Students crowded around the television • and discovered that an attempt had been made upon the president's life. Everyone has heard of murders and never thought a great deal on the subject. But, for someone to kill the person who was almost America personified was something unbelievable. Many students were able to push the thoughts of this hideous deed from their mind and continue in their planned Friday evening activities. Those
who were able to do this still went their way with an obvious slowness and sense of depression. Those who were not able to put the deed out of their minds seemed to sit alone, even when they were with a crowd, trying to make something out of it, trying to work it into their way of thinking. Frequent, "I still don't understand" were still heard and an almost frequent, `Nou'll never understand" were also heard. Saturday came with the same mood of, "What's going on?" A man had been arrested for the assassination and had almost already been convicted. Saturday morning no one here at Central knew that the alledged assassinator had already been tried and convicted in someone's mind. The idea of Kennedy's death ,
was a little easier to live with Saturday. Time, even a short time can do a lot. Students seemed almost trying to avoid even mention of Friday's happenings. They seemed to realize that it was beyond their comprehension, beyond their way of thinking. The thought of the president's dying probably never passed through any of the student's minds. The thought even of an attempted assassination was so foreign to the students that the thought of a successful attempt was impossible to comprehend.
The Union Was Quiet The Student Union became the quietest it probably has ever been on a Friday afternoon. Suddenly it was announced that John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th president of the
United States of America, was dead.
Something Unheard Of Slowly, the students realized something unheard of during their lifetime had happened The ? began to break up and all through the group were emotional. "I can't believe it. Not in America. Not in the twentieth century." By nightfall, the president's death had settled in the students' mind and the time for working this tragedy into their way of thinking began. They had to, somehow, learn to live with the fact that there is at least one person in today's culture sick enough to kill the president. Maybe there are more. "Why?" was still heard after. The students began learning to live with the hard fact that they had lost a president.
President Webb speaks on Kennedy's impact by Rick Russick Staff Writer "Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country," President John F. Kennedy said during his 1960 inauguration speech. "That famous call to action is what I give to students and faculty today," President Roger Webb said Nov. 7 as he gave his perspective on JFK's life and presidency in the Will Rogers Room, Nigh University Center. Hosted by the Oklahoma Political Science Association and UCO American Democracy Project, the presentation honored JFK's legacy and the 40th anniversary of his death, which will be marked on Nov. 22. In the presentation, Webb used slides and rare film footage of various high and low points of JFK's life. Highlights were JFK's inauguration speech and Marilyn Monroe's "Happy Birthday" tribute to
the president. Dr. Keith Eakins, associate professor of Political Science and member of the Oklahoma Political Science Association who introduced Webb, said, "JFK served our comtry during a time of great opti-• mism and hope for all Americans." "President Webb has shown [us] great leadership. This can be seen by the great moral [that exists] between students and faculty today," Eakins said. Webb said that he sees a great optimistic spirit on campus. "I love this faculty and this place. I feel privileged to be a part of this university," he said. Webb said that this spirit embodies the values that Central stands for. According to Webb, the "3 C's" or core values on campus are civility, character and community. He said that a new era of hope and leadership resonated across America during the Kennedy presidency and that
same spirit resonates across Central's campus. Webb said he considers JFK to be one of the most fascinating men in history "So many questions have been raised about JFK, and these questions lead to fascination," he said. "Would he have pulled us out of Vietnam or escalated the war like Lyndon Johnson did? Did Lee Harvey Oswald act alone or was.there some deeper conspiracy linked to the JFK assassination?" he said. Webb said that one of the questions that still intrigues him is why there is still a compelling fascination with the Kennedy family and the personal lives of the Kennedys. Kennedy said in his inauguration speech that "[...] a new torch has been passed to a new generation, and I accept this torch on behalf of Americans everywhere." Webb said that JFK modeled his
address after Abraham Lincoln's Gettysburg Address. He said the "Catholic Issue" was big in Kennedy's presidency. In 1960, Rome, feared that Kennedy would become powerful and eventually control the church. However, JFK took that fear like a grain of salt, Webb said. Walter Cronkite, NBC news anchor, asked the president if religious affiliation would hurt his chances in the election. "Kennedy responded, "'Why, the hell do we have to keep addressing this damn religious issue?"' Webb said. Webb said that Kennedy's election in 1960 proved to be a great step forward for religious tolerance. He said that low points of Kennedy's presidency included the Berlin Crisis, the Bay of Pigs disaster and the Cuban Missile Crisis. "Although, JFK's presidency was indeed marred by such events, he still managed to rise above to become one of
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the most popular presidents that ever lived," Webb said. He said that the Kennedy legacy was filled with its share of scandals and JFK loved women. Kennedy was accused of having affairs with a mobster's girlfriend and Marilyn Monroe, but Webb said that none of these scandals seemed to faze the White House. "The public seemed uninterested in such things like they are today," Webb said. "For one thing, newspaper reporters didn't feel compelled to write about the bad." "If Clinton had been in the White House 40 years ago, I believe he would have had quite a time," he said. Webb said that the main reason why JFK is still popular after 40 years is because of his good looks, charm and wit. "His presidency lasted a little over 1,000 days, yet JFK spoke to young people in a way that hasn't been done since," he said. •