Kennedy memorial; central attraction in Dallas

by Rex Clementine

Dallas is one of the main cities in the US state of Texas alongside San Antonio, Austin and Houston. It was here in Dallas, 60 years ago President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. The site where he was shot is a short ten-minute drive from where Sri Lanka played their World Cup fixture against Bangladesh last week.

Kennedy’s election as President was fairytale stuff. His chances to earn the Democratic party nomination were not so great as he was said to be young and inexperienced. But the policies he talked struck a chord with the masses and he was chosen as party’s Presidential candidate over several other seasoned campaigners like Adlai Stevenson, Hubert Humphrey and Lyndon B. Johnson.

Kennedy then went on to win the 1960 election beating Republican party nominee Vice-President Richard Nixon. He was the youngest man to become President at the age of 43.

The reforms Kennedy introduced as President ensuring equality and championing the cause of the marginalized earned him the wrath of the conservative whites. At the same time, under his watch, the American economy experienced steady growth as inflation was low and unemployment rates dropped.

The window from which bullets were fired killing President Kennedy

However, less than three years into his Presidency, Kennedy was killed. He was on a two-day tour of state of Texas and arrived in Dallas for a huge reception. During the presidential election, he had lost Dallas. The state of Texas is a Republican party stronghold and it’s known for the conservative views. Kennedy was determined to change it in the next election in 1964. However, a progressive President wasn’t everyone’s friend.

Kennedy was travelling through the key areas of Dallas in an open car with his wife by the side of him waving to the public when several bullets were fired by a nearby building. He was hit by two bullets with the second one causing fatal injuries. Although he was rushed to hospital, the President died.

Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested for killing the President. It is said that Oswald had fired the gun shots from the sixth floor of a nearby building. However, Oswald maintained that he was being scapegoated. Two days later, he was killed by a local nightclub owner who said he was avenging the killing of the President. Hence, the real motives of killing Kennedy were forever buried with the killing of Harvey.

Kennedy’s killing has lots of conspiracy theories as some believe that it was an inside job with fingers being pointed at Kennedy’s Vice-President, Secret Service and even CIA. Russian intelligence agency KGB, Fidel Castro, wealthy conservative American oil interests are also blamed by in some others.

The Kennedy Memorial is a monument in the heart of Dallas. Adjoining that is the Sixth Floor Museum. The building from where the shots were fired has been converted into the museum. It contains highlights of Kennedy’s life in pictures and video clips. There’s also a collection of rare items that the President used.