Lessons From A Bygone Campaign

In more ways than one, Barack Obama and the Democratic leadership should take a few lessons from Lyndon Johnson and the 1964 campaign.

In 1964, the Democratic ticket of Lyndon Johnson and Hubert Humphrey ticket defeated Republicans Barry Goldwater and William Miller in one of the biggest landslide Presidential elections in history (it ranks #5). Johnson, who was sworn in as President upon the death of John F. Kennedy in 1963, received 61% of the popular vote and 486 votes. Goldwater got 38.5% of the vote and 52 electoral votes. The defeat of Goldwater was so overwhelming he took down the Republican party with him.

The more things change, the more they remain the same (only different).

Johnson road the coattails of Kennedy's popularity and painted Goldwater as a reactionary who wanted to end Social Security. Johnson, as part of his campaign, was promising to expand Federal programs to include Medicare and Medicaid.

Richard Nixon, who had lost the 1960 election by one of the narrowest margins and then was defeated in the 1962 California gubernatorial race, had decided that no one was going to "kick him around anymore" and opted not to run. During the 1964 primary season, there was a clear divide between the Conservative and Moderate wings of the party. Goldwater championed the Conservatives and was eventually crowned "Father of the Conservative Movement." His opponent in the moderate wing was Nelson Rockefeller, the Governor of New York.

Rockefeller was initially the front-runner, but his quick 963 marriage to Happy Murphy (who gave up custody of her kids to get divorced and marry the governor) angered the social conservatives in the party and caused his poll numbers to plummet. Senator Prescott Bush (who unfortunately spun off a dynasty that would later lead this country to real ruin) was one of the most vocal critics of Rockefeller. Goldwater would secure the nomination after narrowly winning the California primary (Happy Rockefeller had given birth 3 days before primary day, and this revived the adultery issue).

At the 1964 convention in San Francisco, Rockefeller was booed as he gave his speech condemning the conservatives. The open warfare between the two sides led to a split in the party that could not be healed during the 1964 presidential campaign.

Goldwater was a strict Libertarian and had a deep hate of communism. He voted against the 1964 Civil Rights Act, which Johnson was able to use to tarnish Goldwater as a racist. Goldwater's comments from his past came back to haunt him. His criticism of Eisenhower caused the former (and still popular) Republican President to withhold support. He often spoke about his dislike of liberal social and economic policies - to which Johnson used in a commercial. He remarked about selling the Tennessee Valley Authority and stated that the military "should lob a nuclear bomb into the men's room of the Kremlin." Aside from Eisenhower, moderate Republicans like Rockefeller and George Romney (Mitten's dad) refused to support him.

One person who actively supported Goldwater was Ronald Reagan. A speech in support of the GOP nominee was used in television commercials during the campaign. This is often thought of as the launch of Reagan's political career.

Johnson successfully painted Goldwater as an extremist and right winger. The Johnson staff took Goldwater's campaign slogan of "In your heart, you know he's right" and morphed it into "in your guts, you know he nuts" and "in your heart, he's too far right." All of Johnson's ads concluded with "the stakes are too high for you to stay at home."  The famous "daisy ad" which had a little girl picking daisies just before a nuclear attack, was probably the most effective ad for the Johnson campaign.  That ad only aired once.

Goldwater won 6 states - Arizona and five states in the heart of Dixie (he was the first Republican to win the Deep South since Reconstruction).

Of course in 1964 there were only three television networks, no national newspapers and no takeover the radio airwaves by mega-owners.  There was not a mouthpiece to counter the arguments tossed out by Johnson - being in charge really meant having the bully pulpit.  Today, the lack of limited access has degraded the bully pulpit as a position of dictating the narrative.

Barry Goldwater went on to be re-elected to the US Senate in 1969 and served until 1987.

The father of the modern Conservative movement, while often admired by some of the more intellectuals in the GOP, would more than likely cringe at the lunacy of the party he led to a resurgence.

Goldwater's father was Jewish and sometimes referred to himself as Jewish (he was raised Episcopalian). He rarely attended church. Goldwater won the Arizona Senate seat in 1952. He was an active supporter of the conservative coalition and was a staunch anti-communist and was known to match his convictions with his actions. He did not vote to censure Joseph McCarthy, but often rejected the wild fringes of the anti-communist right. He was a strong supporter of state's rights due to his libertarian views. Goldwater was one of the Senators who forced the resignation of Nixon in 1974 (Goldwater hated Nixon and stated "Richard Nixon was the most dishonest person I ever met in my entire life.")


In 1980, as Reagan easily defeated Jimmy Carter, Goldwater barely won his Senate seat. As the religious right became more influential in GOP politics under his protege Reagan, Goldwater became more outspoken on several key Republican hallmarks. He viewed abortion as a matter of personal choice and that the government should stay out. While the religious right supported him in 1980, he then voted to uphold abortion rights and resented the bullying of these religious organizations.

When Jerry Falwell opposed Sandra Day O'Connor's nomination to the Supreme Court in 1981, he said "every good Christian should kick Falwell in the nuts." He criticized the military's ban on gays, told the GOP to lay off Clinton. He wanted to legalize medical marijuana.  He did not want to be associated with the new right of the Republicans. In 1989, he stated the Republican party had been take over by a :"bunch of kooks." (if he only was alive today!). In 1994 he said to the Washington Post:

When you say "radical right" today, I think of these moneymaking ventures by fellows like Pat Robertson and others who are trying to take the Republican party and make a religious organization out of it. If that ever happens, kiss politics goodbye .

Finally Barry Goldwater said to Bob Dole during the 1996 campaign "we are the new liberals of the Republican Party."

I surely do not agree with much of Barry Goldwater's politics and ideals - but he was basically a man of conviction and one who would adapt over time. Some of his policies were extreme, but as real libertarian - his cause was individual freedom and policies, not the lunatic arguments of the current GOP torch bearers. Having a viable opposition is actually a good thing for this country - but the current Republican party is not so much opposition as it is just obstructionism and idiocy.  Barry Goldwater died in 1998 - he must be turning in his grave with the thought of Sharron Angel, Joe Miller, Rand Paul, Christine O'Donnell and especially Sarah Palin as the new keepers of the right.

The Last of the Mohicansteins.

For nearly 2000 years, Jews lived along side their Arab and Muslim neighbors (peacefully and not-so-peacefully) in Yemen - a small, significant and volatile country in the Southwestern corner of the Arabian Peninsula. Yemen was the only country on the Peninsula with a sizable Jewish population. Sadly another country will join the ranks of cultural pure, as the last hundred or so Jews living in Sana'a (the capital) will pull up their stakes and move to Israel in the next few months.

This of course will go mostly unnoticed in the US, as almost all Middle Eastern countries are viewed as impoverished, radical-filled societies, unworthy of our attention. Besides we have our own cultural cleansing to witness.

A one time Yemen had a thriving Jewish community, mostly of Sephardic descent. Jews were prominent leaders and merchants in the country during the 4th and 5th centuries. As late as the early 1900's, nearly 100,000 Jews lived among the dominant Muslim society. The Jews of Yemen spoke Arabic - and many considered themselves Arabic Jews. Yemenis claimed they were proud of the Jewish culture in their country - but were against Zionism (a familiar excuse throughout the Middle East). After the creation of Israel in 1948, life changed dramatically. Tens of thousands were flown out of the country by the US to Israel, Europe and America. The wave of emigration came just after the 1967 war, and finally around 1,200 Jews fled in 1990. With Yemen increasingly becoming hostile to Americans and non-Muslims, refugee groups raised the needed funds to resettle the remaining in Israel.

Their departure closes another window on tolerance, understanding and peace.

The countries of the Middle East - from Morocco to Iran - used to be the home to hundreds of thousands of Jews. This is what is left of those communities:

Saudi Arabia

At one time there used to be a considerable Jewish community in the land that is now known as Saudi Arabia. Before the ascension of Islam, most of the Jews of Arabia lived near Medina in the 6th and 7th centuries. Today there are no known Jewish Saudi citizens. Saudi Arabia is a strict theocracy and does not permit public worship of any religion other than Islam. As guardians of the holy Muslim shrines, the Saudis do not permit any non-Muslims to enter Mecca, but Jews from other countries have lived and worked in the kingdom. It is not a simple process for Jews to enter Saudi Arabia, but there is no out-and-out ban.


United Arab Emirates

As a virulent anti-Zionist, anti-Israel country, the UAE does not have an organized or even visible Jewish community. Like Saudi Arabia, the UAE probably has no Jewish citizens, but does have guest workers and long-term businessmen (in Dubai) that are Jewish. There is some record history of Jewish settlers and traders in the current borders of the UAE. The UAE has made some outreach to Israel and Jewish organizations.

Oman

Jews lived in Oman for many centuries. As late as the 1800's, the city of Muscat had a Jewish presence. While Oman did not outwardly discriminate - the few Jews living there migrated to other countries before 1900. Today there are no known Omani Jews.

Qatar

There is no known Jewish community in Qatar. While the country is a theocracy that bans public display of any religion other than Islam, personal bibles and home prayer is tolerated. Qatar was the home of the US military during the invasion of Iraq. Jewish soldiers were permitted to pray, have services and receive kosher food.

Kuwait

Before 1914, there were around 200 Jews, mostly from Iraq, living in what is present-day Kuwait. They were traders and also known to make alcohol for the native Muslims. To blend in with the locals, many would cover their head with a traditional Fez. During the 1920's, all the Jews living in Kuwait went back to Iraq. Today there are none.

Bahrain

Bahrain an island nation the size of New York City, has a Jewish community that numbers around 50. During the 1930s and 40s, there were approximately 1,500 Jews living in Bahrain, mainly from Iraq. Many of the retail shops in the downtown business district were run by Jews, who would close for Shabbas. After Israel was created, riots broke out on the island. Many Bahraini Arabs hid their Jewish neighbors. Most of the Jews in Bahrain fled to England in the early 50's. Bahrain is the only country on the Arabian peninsula with a synagogue.

Jordan

Much of present-day Jordan was part of the land of Israel in Biblical times. Three of the 12 tribes of Israel lived in Jordan. The lands around the Jordan River fell under various Empires, always with some sort of Jewish presence. The Ottoman Empire ruled over Palestine (which incorporated modern day Israel and Jordan) for 400 hundred years until 1917. At the close of WWI, the British were awarded the Mandate of Palestine (which is split into Palestine and Transjordan in 1921). The Balfour Declaration in 1917 endorsed the idea of a Jewish homeland in the Mandate. When the Israel and the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan were created in 1947, there was a sizable Jewish community on the West Bank. Jordan seized that territory in the 1948 war and expelled the Jews. Jews living in Jordan were excluded as citizens. While Jordan and Israel have signed a peace treaty, tensions are high. There is no Jewish community in Jordan

Syria

Jews have lived in Syria for centuries. Damascus was a center of Jewish culture during Roman times. When the Jews in Spain were expelled in 1492, many settled in Syria. In 1948 there were 30-40,000 Jews living in Syria. Conditions became harsh after the formation of Israel, with severe restrictions on emigration. Many escaped. In 1992, the Syrian government began to grant exit visas to the Jews - as long as they didn't go to Israel. Thousands left for Europe and the US. Today, there are over 40,000 Syrians Jews in New York, there are less than 200 in Syria. The Ben Zeruyah Synagogue in Aleppo was in operation for over 1,600 years - today it is deserted.


Lebanon

Lebanon was home to one of the oldest Jewish communities. In 1948 there were 25,000 Jews in the country. After the 1948 war, Jews from Iraq and Syria fled to Lebanon. However, after the 1958 Civil war, many began to flee to Canada, France and Israel. By 1967, the Lebanese Jewish community had dwindled to 1,000. Today there are less than 700 Jews, many living among the Christians and Druze.

Iraq


The plight of the Jews in Iraq is one of the most tragic in all of the Middle East. The Jews of Iraq were one of the world's oldest and most historic communities. Baghdad was the center of Jewish culture and learning for thousands of years. During the Babylonia period, the Jewish community thrived and was economically strong. The rise of Islam and the Mongol Invasions led to a decline. Fortunes changed during the Ottoman Empire, but over time the tight grip of the Turks led to a deteriorating situation for the Jews. In 1900, 25% of Baghdad's population was Jewish.

Jews played a critical role in the formation of the Iraqi nation. They helped develop the postal system and judicial process. Things changed as Nazi propaganda began to filter in after 1933. In 1934, many Jews were dismissed from their jobs in the public sector and quotas were set in colleges. A pogrom broke out in 1941, killing 200 Jews.

In 1948, there were nearly 150,000 Jews in Iraq. After the war with Israel, businesses were boycotted and oppression became the norm. Emigration to Israel was forbidden. The underground began to smuggle out Iraqi Jews. From 1950 to 1951, over 120,000 Jews fled to Israel via Cyprus. In 1969, 9 Jews were hanged after being accused of spying for Israel. Most of the remaining fled by 1971. In 2003, just as the US invaded Iraq, there were 100 Jews in the country. The new constitution in 2004 does not include Jews as a minority group. Some people estimate there are less than 25 Jews in Iraq today.

Other Arab countries:

Algeria: In 1948, there were 140,000, today there are none
Egypt: In 1948, there were 80,000, today there are less than 100
Libya: In 1948 there were 40,000 Jews, today there are none.
Morocco: In 1948 there were 275,000 Jews, today there are less than 7,000
Tunisia: In 1948 there were 100,000, today there are around 1,000

All told there were well over 750,000 Jews living in Arab countries before the creation of Israel. Today there are just under 10,000 - with 90% of that tally living in Morocco. Turkey and Iran still have sizable communities.

The lack of diversity in many of these nations........

Why, land is the only thing in the world

Unlike many European nations, the US never had a large overseas empire (yes there was the Westward Expansion, but not any sailing the seas for lands to conquer). Aside from the 50 states, there are many other political entities that are controlled to some degree by the US Federal government (which of course means huge layouts in money).

There are two types of territories - incorporated (which are technically part of the US) and unincorporated - which are treated as possessions.

Incorporated territories generally fall under the laws of the Constitution, their residents are usually citizens and are an integral part of the US. The main difference between an incorporated territory and a state is the fact that a state elects and sends representative to Congress. The last incorporated territory was Hawaii - which became a state in 1959. Other examples are Alaska, Oklahoma, Arizona, etc. All of these territories eventually became states.

A Commonwealth is (per the US State Department) is a area that is self-governing under a home Constitution, with the right of self-determination. Four US states are designated as Commonwealths - Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Virginia, Massachusetts. In this sense, a commonwealth is a "government based on the common consent of the people." Politically, these 4 commonwealths are no different that then 46 other states. Four states were independent nations before becoming part of the US - Vermont, Texas, California, and Hawaii.

Unincorporated territories are controlled by the government, but not part of the US proper. A list of these possessions are as follows:

• 1898 - Guam, the Philippines and Puerto Rico are ceded to the US by Spain as a result of the Spanish-American War.
• 1900 - the US takes control of Samoa
• 1903 - Cuba and the US sign a treaty granting the Americans perpetual control of Guantanamo Bay. Technically, Cuba retains ultimate sovereignty over the region.
• 1917 - the US purchases the Virgin Islands from Denmark.
• 1934 - the Philippines becomes a Commonwealth, and becomes an independent nation in 1946.
• 1947 - the US is granted the Marshall Islands, Micronesia, Northern Mariana and Palau as a Trust Territory
• 1952 - Puerto Rico becomes a Commonwealth
• 1978 - the Northern Mariana Islands becomes a Commonwealth
• 1986 - the Marshall Islands become independent
• 1986 - Micronesia become independent
• 1994 - the UN terminates the Trust Territory of the Pacific, making Palau independent

Areas under current control of the US government but not states are American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and the District of Columbia.

Alaska was purchased from Russia on March 30, 1867 for $7.2 million (probably not much more than what 1/2 term governor Sarah Palin is raking in). The sale was negotiated by William Seward. The acquisition was known as Seward's folly, since most people thought the territory was worthless.

Hawaii was an independent nation from 1810 until 1898. The US annexed Hawaii in 1898. (OK, we did sail the seas for imperialism).

Puerto Rico has "voted" on its status three time. A plebiscite on July 23, 1967, 60% of the voters selected to remain a commonwealth, 39% picked statehood and 1% for independence. A non-binding referendum in 1993 showed 49% for Commonwealth, 46% for statehood and 5% for Independence. Another referendum in 1998 tallied under 1% for Commonwealth, 47% for Statehood, 3% for Independence and 50% for none of the above. To achieve statehood, Puerto Rico (with a large majority of its residents Democrats) would have to gain Congressional approval to join the US - an unlikely scenario in today's political climate.

Other areas that were occupied or controlled by the US:

Panama Canal 1903-1979
Cuba 1899-1902
Haiti 1915-1934
Dominican Republic 1916-1934
German Rhineland 1918-1921
South Korea 1945-1948
West Berlin 1945-1990
Austria 1945-1955
Japan 1945-1952
Ryukyu Islands (includes Okinawa) 1952-1972

Next up - US invasions.

From Dallas, Texas - The Flash, Apparently Official

No matter how many times you watch it, the outcome is the same......... and history forever changed.

I spliced together the following movies taken of the Presidential motorcade before and at Dealey Plaza that Friday in November:

Charles Bronson (not the actor), Malcolm Couch, Elise Dorman, Robert Hughes, George Jeffries, Maria Muchmore, Orville Nix, Patsy Pascall, Tina Towner, David Wiegman and of course the 27 -second, Kodachrome 8mm home movie from Abraham Zapruder (the most watched and analyzed movie in history).

The Bronson, Nix, and Muchmore films all capture the assassination from one angle or another, but none in the gruesome detail that the Zapruder film shows. Other known films from that day include Thomas Atkins, Mark Bell, John Martin, Charles Mentesana and possibly the infamous "Babushka Lady".

Then I added a few scenes from the days following to give an overview (and hopefully feel) of that tumultuous day.

Mr. Sandman Bring Me A Dream

More songs claim the title of the first Rock ‘n Roll song than there are Elvis impersonators.

The first time the words “rocking and rolling” were heard on a recording was in 1916, on a song called ‘The Camp Meeting Jubliee” (artist unknown). Six years later, in 1922 blues singer Trixie Smith released the first titled rock ‘n roll song - “My Man Rocks With Me with One Steady Roll.” In 1934, the Boswell Sisters just used the title “Rock and Roll.”

For the next 20 years, American music was grounded in music styles like Country & Western, big band, gospel, Swing, R&B and crooners like Bing Crosby. Little did they realize some portion of these genres would mix, match, influence and morph into what we know as Rock ‘n Roll. But during this period, a large portion of the most creative music in America was from African-American artists.

In 1951, Cleveland disk jockey Alan Freed was credited with coining the term “rock ‘n roll” mostly as a description for R&B. Freed decided to speculate on the success of a retail store, started a radio program called "Moondog Rock'n'Roll Party. Moondog was airing mostly black music to an audience of white teenagers. The cross-over was beginning.

The record industry, looking for a way to expand sales, was keenly aware that the most innovative and best sounding music was being written by African-Americans. But while blacks were the most progressive in their music, it was the whites who had the money during the early 1950’s. In 1952 a white singer, Bill Haley, formed the Comets, which are often considered the country’s first rock'n roll band. They were the first group of this genre to hit the Billboard charts.

In 1952 was a watershed year in American pop culture – the year which was the perfect storm for rock ‘n roll.

Several machines that would revolutionize music were introduced to a wide audience. The solid-body electric guitar (invented by Les Paul) by Gibson and Fender’s Stratocaster guitar began to be sold in music stores. The first juke-boxes that played 45 RPM records were installed in 1951 and had begun to spread to every malt shop in every corner of the USA in 1952.

Television was still a rarity in most American homes, but just a few months after I Love Lucy became a show business phenomenon – everyone ran out to get a TV set. With 24 hours to fill (the networks concentrated mainly on only Primetime) – all you needed was a novel idea – or a radio show to get exposure on this new medium. In 1952, WFIL radio in Philadelphia asked Bob Horn to move his Bandstand program from the radio to WFIL-TV (later WPVI). The show aired Mon-Friday from 230-430p. Horn spun a few records, interviewed whom he could get and played a lot film clips. This was really the first incarnation of MTV – only with grainy, poorly produced black & white clips. It bombed.

When it reappeared as a live show with dancing – within days kids were lining up to be on the show. In 1956, the show became American Bandstand with Dick Clark.

Also in 1952, DJ Alan Freed organized the first rock'n'roll concert, the "Moondog Coronation Ball". It was also the year in which the first rock'n'roll song to enter the Billboard charts -- Bill Haley's Crazy Man Crazy. The tremendous success of music on TV, a ‘rock’ concert and Bill Haley’s hit proved that there was a broad audience for this kind of new kind of music.

The straw that propped up the camel’s back for rock ‘roll occurred in 1954. All the major record companies switched from the heavy and bulky 78 RPM to the smaller and lighter 45 RPM. The 45 RPM came to represent an era of prosperity, fun and youth. Later that year an unknown Japanese electronic company, TTK, introduced the world's first transistor radio to mass audiences. This TTK radio was called the Sony. In 1958, TTK changed its name to Sony. (The first transistor was invented by Western Electric, and the first transistor radio was actually invented by an Regency – both American companies)

All the pieces were now in place – the rest is, as they say, history.

The list of serious contenders to the title of first rock'n'roll song (not just a title referencing the act of "rocking") begins with The Fat Man (1949), cut by Antoine "Fats" Domino, a New Orleans performer, which certainly sounded like a new kind of sound.

Candidates

Pre 1954
“Strange Things Happening Everyday” (1944) – Sister Rosetta Tharpe
“Blues, Part 2” (1944) – Illinois Jacquet
“Good Rockin’ Tonight” (1947) – Roy Brown
“Rock the Joing” (1949) – Jimmy Preston or (1952) – Bill Haley
“Rocket 88” (1951) – Jackie Brenston (with Ike Turner)

1954-1955
“Shake, Rattle and Roll” (February) – Joe Turner (and later Bill Haley and Elvis Presley)
“Sh-Boom” (March) – Chords (and later the Crewcuts) -- more doo-wop
“Rock Around the Clock” (April) – Bill Haley and the Comets – The first #1 rock song and the song that propelled this kind of music into teen mainstream. Bill Haley was the most unlikely "teen idol." First he was almost 30 years old. Rock Around the Clock sounded more like a novelty number, not a revolutionary anthem. Two 1955 films, Rebel Without A Cause and The Blackboard Jungle established a new role model for teenagers - the rebellious loner (James Dean) and sometimes juvenile delinquent. The song came along just at the right time. Rock Around the Clock was previously recorded in 1953 by Sonny Dae & His Knights.

“That’s All Right Mama” (July) – Elvis Presley. His first single.
“I Got a Woman” (November) – Ray Charles – widely considered the first soul song (Gospel and R&B).
“Bo Diddley” (Mar 1955) – Bo Diddley
“Maybelline” (May 1955) – Chuck Berry
“Tutti Fruitti” (Sep 1955) – Little Richard
“Blue Suede Shoes (Dec 1955) – Carl Perkins and later by Elvis.

In 2004, Rolling Stone Magazine declared Elvis’ “That’s All Right Mama” as the first rock ‘n roll song. Many would argue with that.

Are You Now Or Have You Ever Been...

After the economy went over a cliff under the stewardship of former President Bush (who by the way was busy staring at the asses of beach volleyball players at the Olympics in Beijing while everything was beginning to unravel), the government, under new President-ad-litem Hank Paulson began massive infusions of money into the teetering financial system.

You didn’t hear a lot of yells of socialism from the right, since it was their guys socializing the nation.

After the Obama administration took over in January, Congress quickly passed a new financial stimulus (which was just in effect more of the same that Bush/Paulson pushed through) and several months later began to tackle Health Finance Reform. The right, with a gigantic case of sore-loser syndrome, and an even bigger problem of dealing with the first African-American President, found its new rallying point.

American was turning into the Soviet Union.

Magically, a new group appeared on the right and in Republican circles – the tea baggers. The tea baggers (an other assorted whack-o’s who needed some sort of cover) MO is to label everything Obama does as “socialist,” “communist” or “nazi.” They figured since they couldn’t beat Obama with rationale ideas, they might as well try irrational behavior.

This of course was all done with the tacit approval (read: silence) of the GOP leadership.

While the terms “socialist” and “communist” conjure up very negative connotations in the minds of most Americans (blame that on 70 years of misinformation, propaganda, and our deep psychological need to have an enemy), there was a time, not too long along when tossing around those terms ruined careers and lives.

* * * *

The roots of the Communist witch hunt in America run wide and run deep. One of the most notorious was the accusations towards and blacklisting of many in the entertainment industry .

In 1938 (pre-McCarthy), the House Un-American Committee (HUAC) released a report that claimed that Hollywood was overrun with communists. Some of those who were accused were Humphrey Bogart, James Cagney and Frederic March. In 1941, Walt Disney stated that Communist agitation was behind a strike at his company (which really was about the heavy handedness of Disney).

The “find the commie furor” tapered off during WWII, when the Soviet Union was actually our ally against the Nazis. The American Communist Party actually grew in membership during the war – to nearly 50,000. After Germany surrendered, the Nazzi enemy was gone and we needed a new one quickly. Hating Commies became vogue again (and this demonizing rapidly began to include anti-Semitism). In 1946, the Republicans took control of both the House and Senate, and voila – HUAC was revived. Time to go on that witch hunt again.

In 1947, a number of Hollywood insiders, under the guise that Communist sympathizers were planting propaganda in American films, were summoned to appear before HUAC . Some of those called were current and former members of American Communist Party – others were just “rumored” to be sympathizers.

43 Hollywood professionals were put on the HUAC witness list, of which 19 declared they would not testify. Eleven of the “unfriendly” witnesses were ultimately called before Congress. Only one answered questions (initally) – Bertolt Brecht. The other 10 refused. The question that they refused to answer has slipped into American cultural lore -- “Are you now or have you ever been a member of the Communist Party?” Of course it wasn’t mentioned that being a member of the Communist Party was perfectly legal in the US. The “Hollywood Ten” were held in contempt of Congress.

While hearings were going on, several Hollywood heavyweights began distancing themselves from the 10 and declaring their allegiance to America. Eric Johnston, President of the MPAA stated he would “never employ a Communist.” Ronald Reagan (then President of SAG) and Walt Disney both testified to HUAC that the Communist threat in Hollywood was real and serious. SAG officers had to swear to a non-Communist pledge. On November 24, 1947, the Hollywood 10 were cited for contempt. The next day, Johnston stated anyone who did not swear they were not a Communist would be blacklisted until they took an oath.

The Ten were:

• Alvah Bessie (his career was ruined and never worked in Hollywood again)
• Herbert Biberman (worked independently, his wife, Academy Award winner Gale Sondergaard never found work again)
• Lester Cole (only made 3 movies afterwards, including Born Free in 1966)
• Edward Dmytryk (he ultimately named names and damaged many careers. He directed several major films in the 50’s and 60’s – including Raintree County and The Caine Mutiny)
• Ring Lardner (worked under pseudonyms, received an Oscar for M*A*S*H in 1970)
• John Howard Lawson (wrote under pseudonyms – including Cry, The Beloved Country)
• Albert Maltz (gave his works to other writers)
• Samuel Ornitz (died shortly afterwards)
• Adrian Scott (wrote under pseudonyms)
• Dalton Trumbo (the most famous member of the Ten – wrote under pseudonyms. Won an Oscar in 1956 under the name Robert Rich. In 1960, he received credit for Spartacus in 1960 – which marked the end of the blacklist. He also was fronted for Roman Holiday – he was given the screenwriting Oscar in 1993).

Note than 6 of the 10 (Maltz, Lawson, Ornitz, Biberman, Bessie, Cole) were Jewish. All Ten went to prison. Dmytryk was released when he said he would testify, including naming his good friend Adrian Scott.

In 1949-1950, the American Legion and The American Business Consultants released their own blacklist of hundreds of Hollywood professionals. CBS began to institute a loyalty oath of all its employees.

Some of those included in the above lists were Lillian Hellman, Canada Lee, and Paul Robeson. Hellman didn’t write again for Hollywood until 1966. Lee, an African-American, died in 1952. Robeson was an unabashed supporter of socialism and the Soviet Union. His life was – to say the least – complicated.

Many in Hollywood willingly testified to HUAC and “named names.” Most notable was Elia Kazan in 1952. Among the people he named was Zero Mostel. Mostel did not work until the 1960s. Kazan defended his actions for years. Actor Sterling Hayden also testified, but regretted it later on, stating "I don't think you have the foggiest notion of the contempt I have had for myself since the day I did that thing." Larry Parks begged not to be forced to testify. He testified, named names and was blacklisted anyway. He never made a living in Hollywood after that, dying of a heart attack at age 60.

In 1952, the Screen Writer’s Guild authorized the studios to omit names of people who were not cleared by HUAC. Newspaper columnists such as Walter Winchell, Hedda Hopper and Jack O’Brian would suggest names for blacklist.

The blacklist began to become under in 1957, as more writers and composers began to be hired. The big break was in 1960, when Otto Preminger announced that Dalton Trumbo would adapt and write Exodus. Before Exodus was release, Trumbo was given credit for Spartacus – a move pushed by Kirk Douglas.

In 1962, the private blacklisters (like American Business Consultants) lost a court case and became legally liable for the professional and financial damage they caused.

In 1976, Woody Allen starred as cashier who poses for blacklisted writers in The Front. It was directed by blacklisted director Martin Ritt and written by blacklisted writer Walter Bernstein. Zero Mostel (who was named by Kazan) stars as a blacklisted actor. It was his last film.

Other famous names dragged into this witch hunt were
Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Howard Duff, Jose Ferrer, John Garfield, Ruth Gordon, Jack Gilford, Uta Hagen, Dashiell Hammett, EY Harburg, Judy Holliday, Lena Horne, Burl Ives, Garson Kanin, Arthur Laurents, Gypsy Rose Lee, Burgess Meredith, Arthur Miller, Zero Mostel, Dorothy Parker, Anne Revere, Edward G. Robinson, Pete Seeger, Artie Shaw, Irwin Shaw, William Shirer, Howard K. Smith, Sam Wanamaker, Orson Welles

Other who were blacklisted included:
Eddie Albert, Richard Attenborough, Barbara Bel Geddes, Herschel Bernardi, Charlie Chaplin, Charles Collingwood, Jules Dassin, Lee Grant, Kim Hunter, John Ireland, Larry Parks, Martha Scott, Madeline Sherwood

Don’t think it can’t happen again. Especially with the rhetoric we are hearing from the right wing and Republicans in Congress.

"Give me your tired, your poor...

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tost to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!"

Emma Lazarus 1883

So speak the final words of "The New Colossus" engraved at the Statue of Liberty. Etched on a bronze plaque in 1903, the words by Lazarus were meant to bring hope and inspiration to the millions of immigrants who entered the United States through Ellis Island.

Only today the meaning of those words are completely lost in the rhetoric from a large chunk of the rightwing and the Republican party. Ellis Island, which was the first door to America for over 12,000,000 immigrants (including my maternal grandmother and paternal grandfather) between 1892 and 1924, is now what the right wing would call an open door from hell. Over 100,000,000 Americans can trace their ancestry through Ellis Island, including some of the most virulent xenophobes on the right.

Ellis Island sits in New York Harbor and offers sweeping views of lower Manhattan and the New York City, especially of the most famous symbol of American freedom - the Statue of Liberty [note to the GOP - the Statue is a gift from France]. The immigration processing center opened in 1892. Most of the immigrants were from Europe - often leaving their homelands for religious and ethnic persecution - including millions of Catholics and Jews. 98% of all people landing on Ellis Island were admitted into the US. The reasons that people were sent back included chronic contagious diseases, a criminal background, insanity or "likely to become a public charge."

Despite the entry of millions through Ellis Island and a rejection rate of only 2%, the US has never made it easy for immigration.

A Catch-22

The Immigration Act of 1882 required that all immigrants "not become public charge" - meaning they had to have means of financial support and would not be looking to the US government for funds to survive. The Alien Contract Labor Law of 1885 prevented the importation of cheap labor from overseas - so many of the landed at Ellis Island could not say they had a job. It was a very fine line to walk.

A story persists that officials on Ellis Island would alter the immigrants names to a more Anglicized version. No historical records bear this out. The inspectors were required to use the passenger lists from the steamship companies to process the entrants. The Americanization of many immigrant surnames was often adopted fter the immigration process, to hide the fact they were immigrants and become more assimilated into American culture. Many last names were altered slightly due character differences between English and other languages (like Russian, Croatian etc.) and pronunciation of letter combinations (often from Polish surnames).

During World War I, immigrant to the US slowed down and Ellis Island processing slid from its peak in 1907 - 1,200,000 - to just over 200,000 in 1920. In 1921, Quota Laws were passed, and the enactment of the National Origins Act in 1924 severely restricted immigration to the US. These laws set strict numeric limits of immigrants into the US based on the percent concentration of ethnic groups already living in the United States - as per the 1890 and 1910 Census. All persons seeking entry to the United States were now permitted to file their paper work in their home country. The need for an American processing center ended.

After 1924, only people detained on various grounds were sent to Ellis Island. The facility was closed entirely in 1954. The Ellis Island Museum opened in 1990.

When you visit Ellis Island, you really can get a small sense of what immigrants had to go through (especially the very long line to leave the island). While one can never feel the fear and trepidation that must have been going through the minds of the newly landed - but you can get the sense of awe and wonder as you sail past the Statue and see a looming New York. It is truly amazing.

It is a shame that today many in America see immigration as such an overwhelmingly negative and dangerous thing. Yes, the problem of illegals and severe economic troubles compounds a already complicated situation. But the rich multi-cultured life we have all become accustomed to is a direct product of those who put so much on the line to come to this county. My little jaunt to Ellis Island today reinforced to me that our once welcoming shore was worth the price of admission - and that was needed and invigorating.

Ok. the music is corny (and the wind made the audio unintelligible) and Laurie (the cameraperson) is no Cecil B. DeMille. But it still was a beautiful day on New York Harbor

60's Thursday - Hot Town, Summer in the City

Hot town, summer in the city
Back of my neck getting dirty and gritty
Been down, isn't it a pity
Doesn't seem to be a shadow in the city
All around, people looking half dead
Walking on the sidewalk, hotter than a match head

John Sebastian, Lovin' Spoonful 1966

We may have elected the first black President, but the United States is far from a racially harmonious society. In fact, the election of Barack Obama has brought out some of the most racially charged and ugly language seen in over 40 years – the same type of language that led to one of the most violent periods in American history. 42 years ago today - America burned like never before.

The decade of the 1960’s was a period of painful transition for American society. The era, which began with the election of a young and energetic President exploded into a violent and divisive period soon after the assassination of President Kennedy. The two biggest forces that threatened to tear the country apart were the war in Vietnam and the march toward civil rights.

So powerful and polarizing were both those events, family turned against family, neighbor turned against neighbor and citizen turned against citizen – producing the most bloodshed on American soil since the Civil War. In many cases, the government was forced to mobilize National Guard troops against its own citizens to stop the violence from spreading.

For the civil rights movement, the mid-60’s saw President Johnson, state governments and the courts beginning to implement statutes and policies to enforce racial equality under the law. While the government could legislate equality – it could not exorcise discrimination from the minds of its citizens. Tensions between the races exploded into deadly violence in many parts of the country. Several cities experienced riots and disorder, leading to the beginning of “white flight” from urban areas. Some of the more notable events were:

Philadelphia, August 1964

The African-American community of North Philadelphia was very leery of police brutality. On the night of August 28, a black woman got into an argument with two white policeman over her stalled car. When the officers tried to remove her from the vehicle, an argument erupted. She was arrested.

Rumors spread that a pregnant black woman was beaten to death by the police. Mobs looted and burned white business in North Philadelphia. There were hundreds of injuries and 225 buildings were torched.

Watts, Los Angeles, August 1965

The mostly African-American neighborhood of Watts in South Central Los Angeles was a hotbed of racial tension throughout the early 1960’s.

On hot August 11 evening, a black man was pulled over for driving while intoxicated by the LAPD. When tensions arose between the driver and the police, a crowd of onlookers began to show their disdain for the police by throwing rocks and shouting obscenities. Shortly thereafter, literally “all hell broke loose.”

For the next few hours, Watts was essentially a war zone. There was looting, mob violence, vandalism and other forms of civil disorder that put the city on high security alert. Motorists were dragged from cars and beaten, stores set on fire and blockades set up against the fire fighters. LAPD Chief of Police, William Parker added fuel to the already tense atmosphere when he called the rioters “monkeys in a zoo.”

For five days, Los Angeles was on the edge. As the mayhem continued, Parker called for the California National Guard. On Saturday August 14, there were fires all over the business district. Nearly 14,000 Guard troops were deployed to quell the violence and a curfew was imposed. On Sunday, the rioting began to subside as churches and community groups began to give out food and medical care. By Monday, order had been restored, but the damage was done. 34 people were killed, thousands injured and nearly 1,000 businesses and buildings had been burned and damaged.

The aftermath of Watts was as confusing as the riots themselves. Stories vary wildly as to the direct cause of the violence. The final government analysis was nothing more than a watered down summary with no answers – it read as a timeline of the events. Despite the lack of “official report” stating the cause – the fact that the blacks in Watts lived with poor schools, abject poverty, joblessness and discrimination made the Watts riots almost inevitable.

Today Watts remains a Black enclave and a neighborhood facing crime, poverty and poor schools.

Omaha, July 1966

July 4, 1966 was more than just Independence Day in Omaha, Nebraska. When a group of black men refused to disperse after being ordered by the police, fights broke out. Shortly afterwards, a crowd began to attack businesses in North Omaha. Firebombs were thrown into storefronts. The National Guard was called to help quell the violence. For three days Omaha burned, until calm was restored. Three weeks later – rioting again erupted after a white policeman shot a black teenager during a burglary.

Newark, July 1967

Newark, New Jersey was one of the few cities in America whose population was more than 50% black (Washington DC was another). The white mayor, Hugh Addonizio, kept African-Americans out of city leadership positions, especially in the Police Dept. Despite having a majority in the city, blacks comprised only 11% of the police force.

The riots were set off when the police arrested a black man for a moving violation on July 12. When a rumor began to circulate that the man was killed while in police custody, violence broke out. Six days of destruction left millions of dollars in damage and 26 deade. The city of Plainfield, New Jersey, just 20 miles to the south, also saw rioting a few days of after Newark.

The Newark riots were a major factor in the flight of business and population out of the city to nearby suburbs. What the flight left behind in Newark was a mostly poor and immigrant population with no business for a economic and tax base. 40 years later Newark still struggles economically and sociologically. Unemployment, crime and poor education still plague the inner city of Newark. There has not been a white mayor since 1967.

Detroit, July 1967

The most infamous and destructive urban riots in American history (to the point in time) occurred in Detroit from July 23-27, 1967, barely 5 days after Newark. The violence began when the police raided an illegal speakeasy in West Detroit. The confrontation between the police and customers spilled into the streets and ultimately led to riots all over the city. In the end 43 people were killed and over 2,000 buildings were burned.

The American auto industry at that time was booming and prosperous. Needing a large pool of laborers, many blacks migrated to Detroit looking for steady work and good pay. This led to the growth of a large black middle class in Detroit. Detroit was known for liberal politics and the advancement of minorities into leadership roles. The city singled out as place for harmony and redevelopment. Detroit received millions of dollars in federal funding to rebuild schools and housing. Glowing articles about race relations in the city had been published in leading news journals like the Wall Street Journal and Newsweek. White mayor Jerome Cavanaugh consistently received high praise for his work mending race relations.

But underneath the surface tensions were brewing between the various communities. Only 5% of the police force was black. Many in the African-American community claimed the police department was biased against blacks. Raiding after hours drinking clubs (dominated by blacks) was also seen as being discriminatory against minorities.

After the raid, the violence intensified and quickly spread to other parts of the city. The media initially avoided reporting so as to prevent copycat actions.

Politics entered the fray, as President Johnson refused to send federal troops, citing it was illegal unless Governor Romney declared a “state of insurrection.” The next day, the violence got even worse and looting became widespread. Black and white businesses were attacked. The rioters even attacked firemen who were dousing flames. Representative John Conyers tried to calm the mobs by speaking to them directly. His car was pelted with bottles.

Using a little known, back-end law from 1795, President Johnson sent Federal troops to calm the crowds. Within 48 hours, the rioting was over. After Detroit, disturbances were reported in other Michigan cities – Flint, Pontiac, Grand Rapids and Saginaw

Within in 3 years – nearly 200,000 people moved out of Detroit. The city has never recovered.

April 1968

After the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. on April 4th – riots broke out in Baltimore, Washington, Louisville, Pittsburgh and over 50 other cities. Robert F. Kennedy gives one of the most famous speeches in civil rights history that night in Indianapolis. That city remains calm.

I hate to sound cliche - but the more things change, the more they remain the same. Based on the behavior of certain TV pundits and fat drug addicted radio hosts - we haven't learned a thing.

The Dark Side of the Moon

....And if the cloud bursts, thunder in your ear
You shout and no one seems to hear.
And if the band you're in starts playing different tunes
I'll see you on the dark side of the moon.

"Brain Damage," Roger Waters - Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd (1973)*

Today is the 40th anniversary of man’s greatest technical achievement – the landing of Apollo 11 on the surface of the Moon and the first men to walk on the lunar landscape. From a speech made by President John Kennedy to Congress in 1961, the collective minds of the best and the brightest took on this challenge - to send a man to the Moon and return him safely before the decade’s end. It was the pinnacle of success for a program that actually believed it could take man where no man had never gone before. The expansion of education with respect to Earth's development and history was truly geometric.

However, the modus operandi of the NASA-Lunar manned program (Mercury, Gemini, Apollo) was not entirely altruistic – to expand the base of human knowledge. The primary drive for Kennedy’s rush to land on the Moon was to get there before the hated and dreaded commies – aka the Soviets - got there. After all the Russians surprised (or rather humiliated) the Americans by launching Sputnik in October 1957 – becoming the first country to put a satellite into orbit. The “Space Race," as the competitive battle of rocket technology and astronomy became to be known, was in fact just an extension of the political Cold War between the US and USSR. Fortunately for the planet, this chapter of the Cold War actually worked to benefit human knowledge and society (unlike the more deadly Arms Race and Proxy Wars that also sprung up during the 1960’s).

In fact, the success of the Apollo missions owes something to the achievements of the Soviet Lunar Program – know as Luna, even if it was just the competitive spirit.

Over a seventeen year period – 1959 to 1976, the Soviets Union launched 46 missions for lunar exploration. 15 were successful – either by entering orbit or landing on the moon. Many were unsuccessful or downright failures – but many of those details were not released to the world at-large until after the demise of the Soviet Union in 1991.

Some of the highlights of Luna are as follows:

• The first three missions in 1958 all failed on launch.
• Luna 1 was launched Jan 2, 1959 and was the first artificial satellite to reach the moon. The craft flew by on Jan 4 and then continued on, where it went into orbit around the Sun.
• Luna 2 was launched Sept 12, 1959. It became the first spacecraft to reach the surface of the Moon, as it crashed to the surface on Sept 14.
• Luna 3 sent back the first pictures of the far (or dark) side of the Moon on Oct 18, 1959.
  
• Luna 4 did not receive a course correction and missed the Moon completely
• Luna 9 became the first spacecraft to make a soft landing on the Moon – Feb 3, 1966. Transmissions and photos were sent back to Earth for 3 days – the first ever from an extraterrestrial body.
• Luna 10 became the first spacecraft to orbit the Moon on Apr 1, 1966. Luna 10 made 460 orbits and transmitted data back to Earth through May 30, 1966.
• On December 24, 1966, Luna 13 landed on the Moon. The spacecraft sent back panoramic images of the surface for 4 days, when the batteries failed.
• Luna 15 was launched on Jul 13, 1969 - 3 days before Apollo 11 with the purpose of landing a robotic probe on the moon, collecting rocks and then returning to Earth – all before Apollo 11. The Soviets wanted to steal some of the thunder from the American manned mission. Luna 15 entered lunar orbit on July 17. When the Russian controllers finally fired the rockets to land, Luna 15 crashed into the Moon – a day after Armstrong and Aldrin had set down.
• Luna 16 was the first robotic probe to land on the Moon and return a sample of Moon rocks to Earth. The craft landed on the surface Sep 20, 1970 – 26 hours later the upper stage lifted off and returned to Earth with 101 grams of soil.
• Luna 17 carried the first rover to the Moon in Nov 1970. It remained operational until Oct 1971.
• Luna 20 landed on the Moon Feb 21, 1972. The probe drilled for lunar samples and returned to Earth four days later.
• Luna 21 carried the second rover vehicle – Lunokhod 2 - to the Moon on Jan 15, 1973. The rover took over 80,000 pictures and performed soil tests. To help the Soviets with this mission, the Americans gave the Russians photos taken by Apollo 17 to assist in navigating the landing. A few months later, the rover ended up in a crater and became covered in dust – terminating its mission on May 9. 1973.
• Luna 24 was the final mission of the Luna Program. The craft landed in Mare Crisium and safely returned soil samples to Earth on Aug 22, 1976.

Since Luna 24, no nation has landed on the moon.

*one of my favorite albums of all time

60's Thursday - Death by a Thousand Conspiracies

Jim Marrs is one of the leading investigators into the Kennedy Assassination. In his book Crossfire, The Plot That Kill Kennedy, he lists 103 people who have died in strange, mysterious, or convenient ways.

Whether you believe in a conspiracy theory (multiple gunmen, Castro, the CIA etc.) around the murder of John Kennedy, there is no doubt the assassination of the 35th president of the United States remains the crime of the century one of the most controversial events in American history. (Personally I believe there is some sort of conspiracy and definitely a government cover-up, but there is enough written and published on this topic, another diatribe from this amateur sleuth would add nothing).

Marrs has been called nut, whack-o and liar. People have gone through his list and have allegedly debunked a lot of it. No matter how you slice it, a lot of people connected directly or indirectly to the case, seemed to have met strange, if not untimely deaths. Coincidence? Just the odds? A grand plan? Who knows – as important as this event is, reading about all the theories is a lot more fascination or interesting than listening to the constant bombardment of Sarah Palin and Michael Jackson shit…

46 years later, the case still fascinates and brings out intense emotion in many people. Here are three of the more interesting deaths on Marrs list….

Karyn Kupcinet was a young actress in LA just getting started in show business. A few days after the assassination of Kennedy, Kupcinet was found dead. Kupcinet’s connection to the events in Dallas is through a bizarre phone call.

Shortly before the shots rang out in Dallas, a telephone operator reported that an agitated female told her the President would be killed. The call came from fifty miles north of Los Angeles. Conspiracy theorists suggest that Karyn had learned of the impending assassination from her father. She made this phone call in a desperate attempt to save the President. Days later, friends found Karyn Kupcinet dead. The coroner ruled she was strangled. Conspiracy theory says the mob had silenced her.

Who was Kupcinet’s father? Karyn Kupcinet was the daughter of Irv Kupcinet, a very prominent personality in Chicago. He wrote “Kup’s Column” for the Chicago Sun Times, hosted a talk show on local TV, and was announcer for the Bears games. Kupcinet knew everyone in the city, included prominent members of the Chicago mob. Irv Kupcinet also knew Jack Ruby very well.

Other conspiracy theorists do not think she made the phone call, but wonder if the actress was murdered to send a message to her father to keep silent. Another coincidence in the Kupcinet case was (it is alleged) that Karyn was somehow tied to Mary Jo Kopechne. They both went to college in Wellesley, Mass (not the same one). There is no proof she ever met Kopechne. But it sure makes for a good game of Six Degrees of Separation.

The Kupcinet case makes for great mystery.

On October 12, 1964, a 43-year-old Washington, DC area artist was shot to death on a path in Georgetown. While the murder of Mary Pinchot Meyer brought much criticism towards Washington's Police Department, it was the shadowy events of Meyer’s life that have kept this mystery alive. Marrs lists Mary Pinchot Meyer's death as one of the mysterious deaths associated with the assassination.

Mary Pinchot Meyer's death was nothing more than a tragedy until the National Enquirer printed a story in 1976 about a two-year affair she had with President Kennedy. The article’s source was James Truitt, the ex-husband of Ann Truitt, who was one of Mary's best friends. In the article, he claimed Mary had confided with him and his wife about her relationship with John Kennedy. He also stated she kept a dairy. Most people used to laugh off the Enquirer (with the state of news today, they are as credible – if not more - as many other organizations, including Fox) but content has since been confirmed by those involved.

Two phone calls the night of Meyer’s death added new dimensions. One came from Pierre Salinger, Kennedy’s Press Secretary, who was in Paris. It was not known that Salinger had been a friend of Mary's. The second was from Anne Truitt in Tokyo. She was Mary's closest friend. Mary had asked Anne to take her private diary 'if anything ever happened to me.' In another quirk of coincidence, Meyer’s ex-husband, Cord Meyer, worked at the CIA.

The diary contains a short section that discussed an affair between Mary and an unnamed person. Despite the anonymity, those who read it knew she meant the President of the United States.

The police investigation of Mary Meyer's murder concluded it was a botched rape or robbery attempt, in which, as she tried to escape, or get help, the assailant then gunned her down. Again – who knows, even her death was a coincidence and unrelated, the fact there is another well-connected person to Kennedy dying under mysterious circumstances just adds to the aura of mystery.

The most famous death connected to the Kennedy assassination is that of journalist and television personality Dorothy Kilgallen. It seems Dorothy had some sort of black shadow following her around.

In 1950, producers Mark Goodman and Bill Todman asked Dorothy (who was a very successful journalist and radio host) to be one of the panelists on their new television game show, What’s My Line. She emerged as the natural star of the show. When Arlene Francis, Bennet Cerf and Fred Allen were added to the panel, the show became one of the biggest hits of the 50’s. The game show made Dorothy nationally-known personality and the most famous female journalist of the 50’s. She would remain a panelist on the show for the rest of her life.

For a long time, Dorothy stayed away from covering politics in her column. When McCarthy was making news about communists in the government and Hollywood, Kilgallen stayed quiet. In the mid 50s, she covered the trial of Dr. Sam Sheppard (which later become the premise for The Fugitive). Sheppard was accused of murdering his wife and the trial captured national attention. Kilgallen, who had already written about the Lindbergh trial and rode in the doomed Hindeburgh, produced some of the best work of her career with this case and became even more famous.

In early 1964, Jack Ruby was about to stand trial for the murder of Lee Harvey Oswald. Dorothy was not assigned to cover the trial, but she took it on herself to go to Dallas and report on the proceedings.

Using her years of experience, Dorothy met with Ruby's lawyers. They were impressed enough with Dorothy's work and credentials that they showed her some correspondence with the the Department of Justice. What they showed her was the fact the Government refused to make any material related to Oswald available. Dorothy found this highly unusual and suspicious and she wrote about this in her column. For the first time, someone talked about the Kennedy assassination openly in the press.

During a recess in the trial, the attorneys introduced Dorothy to Ruby himself. They chatted briefly, and then she left him as the trial resumed. She requested another meeting with Ruby, this time a private one, saying she had some information for him from a mutual friend. Ruby's lawyers granted the request. No one knows what they talked about or who the mutual friend was, or what exactlyDorothy learned from Ruby. The amount of time she met with Ruvy is claimed to be anywhere from 5 minutes to a half hour. She never mentioned the meetings in her column, nor did she leak any details of what may have transpired. The trial ended with Ruby's conviction, and Dorothy returned home to New York.

Back in New York, Dorothy was a surprise witness for the defense in comedian Lenny Bruce’s well-publicized obscenity trial. Bruce was ultimately acquitted, thanks in part to Dorothy's testimony.

They've killed the President, the government is not prepared to tell us the truth, and I'm going to do everything in my power to find out what happened.

-- Dorothy, to fellow investigator and New York assemblyman Mark Lane.

The mystery surrounding the Kennedy assassination haunted Kilgallen. She hadn't forgotten the Justice Department's refusal to release the Oswald material. Dorothy wanted to know why, and began to believe the government knew more than it was willing to say. She managed to obtain a copy of the yet-unreleased Warren Commission's final report and began publishing parts of it in her columns. Furious, the Commission requested that FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover find out how Dorothy Kilgallen got the report. Dorothy never revealed her source, nor did anyone else discover it.

Dorothy returned to Dallas to check out discrepancies she found in the Dallas statements and the official police logs relating to the assassination. Again, she published what she discovered. She continued to break all the rules about keeping quiet and published revelation after revelation: a mysterious 'oil man' who met with Ruby, witnesses allegedly threatened by the Dallas police or the FBI; clandestine meetings between people involved in the crime, people that weren't ever supposed to have met. Dorothy told a few friends that she was going to get the real facts between what she called "the biggest story of the century.”

Dorothy believed that the famous photograph of Oswald with gun that was featured on the cover of Life magazine was altered. She planned a return trip to Dallas, and a trip to New Orleans to meet someone who would give her information. Kilgallen taped an episode of What's My Line on Sunday, November 7, 1965. The next day - Monday, November 8, Dorothy Kilgallen was found dead in her New York aparment, sitting up in bed. All her notes regarding the Kennedy assassination had vanished. It is said Kilgallen had told many of her friends she was going to “blow the whole Kennedy case wide open.” Here is the real conspiracy theory - the next day - Tuesday November 9th, the entire Northeast, including New York City was plunged into darkness under a massive blackout.

The official cause of Kilgallen's death was given as "acute ethanol and barbiturate intoxication – circumstances undetermined". Years before, Kilgallen had developed problems with both barbiturates and alcohol. The "undetermined" was whether her death was accidental or suicidal. In his 1977 biography of Kilgallen, Lee Israel concluded that some sort of coverup had been staged.

Was Dorothy Kilgallen "silenced"? We will never know. She was said to have returned from one of her trips and left behind a package of documents, "to be made public if anything ever happens to me", but there is no evidence that this ever happened nor has any such package surfaced. Though it was ultimately ruled accidental, the exact circumstances of Dorothy Kilgallen's death, like Kupcinet, Meyer and John Kennedy remain unresolved.

60's Thursday - To The Moon Alice

On May 25, 1961, President John Kennedy spoke these words to Congress

"I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the Moon and returning him safely to the Earth."

In a decade filled with blackouts, civil unrest, several major wars and the assassination of the man who made this pledge, it was quite amazing that only 8 years and 2 months later, Kennedy’s dream was fulfilled.

The prime mission objective of Apollo 11 is stated simply: "Perform a manned lunar landing and return".

On July 16, 1969, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins (A, A, C – the same initials of the first three men on Earth according to the Bible – Adam, Abel, Cain) blasted off from Florida for their ¼ million mile trip to the Moon. After orbiting the moon, the Lunar Module Eagle separated from the mothership Columbia and began its descent to the Sea of Tranquility.

Several hours later, Armstrong opened the hatch and released the surface television camera know as the Modularized Equipment Stowage Assembly (MESA). The MESA would record mankind's first step on the Moon. At 10:56PM EDT, Neil Armstrong climbed out of the Lunar Module Eagle and took the first steps by a human on another planetary body (we all know what he said). A few seconds later, Buzz Aldrin emerged from the module and followed Armstrong.

A sample of lunar surface material was collected immediately and stowed to assure that, if a situation arose requiring an early end to the lunar mission, samples of material would be returned to Earth.

The astronauts remained on the moon for 21 hours and 38 minutes. They collected around 46 lbs of rock, planted a flag, and played golf (oops that was a later moon mission). The entire Apollo program cost around $25 billion in 1969 - which would be around $150 billion today (we have spent 7x more in Iraq – and what do we have to show for that?).

In every way, Apollo 11 was a smashing success – it achieved its primary mission to perform a manned lunar landing and return safely to Earth and it provided scientists with a trove of samples to analyze and examine. Apollo 11 paved the way for 6 more lunar missions to follow (5 of which landed on the Moon). More significantly, Apollo 11 gave the United States a major shot in the arm of pride, technological superiority and confidence.

The Apollo moon mission was perhaps mankind’s greatest technological achievement. It also was the United States at its finest moment. For eight short days the world literally came together to celebrate something positive, a truly miraculous invention, and an achievement that many thought could never happen in their lifetime.

What is also incredible is that the computer I am using to write this post is infinitely more sophisticated than the computers that took Apollo 11 to the Moon. A 4-year old would scoff at the limited abilities of computers used in 1969. A machine with the same power as this PC would have cost millions of dollars would have taken up a warehouse of space. One of the most complicated and dangerous science experiments ever planned was achieved with a computer that couldn’t run child’s software written today. The fact that NASA was so successful and did it without a major hitch is incredible.

The world was changed in so many ways after Apollo 11. Technology expanded at a rapid pace. Inventions used to get man to the Moon became part of every day life. Scientific advancements began to take hold and the mysteries of the Universe began to unravel. However, it didn’t take very long to for that incredible high to revert back to strife, hatred, war and plain reality. In many ways, it was the peak of power and pride for America. After this peak, the US would begin to witness an accelerating decline as a society in many ways.

Triumph turns to arrogance turns to hubris turns to disaster

The nightmare of Vietnam would get worse before finally collapsing in 1975. The President of the United States would be embroiled in criminal activity and forced to resign in 1974. Our dependence on cheap foreign oil would bring about gas lines and recession in 1973. The US government began to not-so-secretly nose around in places that it should not have been (like Chile) in the mid 1970's. Before long we would vote in a moron (1980) and elect appoint an even bigger asshole (2000) president whose policies would insure our current place.

If you ask some people (like Sally Kern), they would tell you America has declined because of drinking, drugs, gays and liberals. But if you look carefully, you can see America has declined because our goals of achievement and betterment for mankind became achievement and betterment for me.

For some reason, the triumph of Apollo 11 seemed to mark the end of the challenges this country dared to face and conquer. The enormous success of the Moon landing should have been a stepping stone to even loftier goals and improving our lives on Earth. Instead, America 40-years later has resorted to a place where ending free lunches for kids, preventing universal health care for all citizens, and stopping gays from getting married are more crucial and imperative. This is one Eagle that landed but never took off again.

A Gallup Poll a few years back show 89% of the US public believed the landings were genuine 6% believed they were staged, and 5% were undecided. You know where Sally Kern stands. She is a fan of Capricorn One.

HERE MEN FROM THE PLANET EARTH
FIRST SET FOOT UPON THE MOON
JULY 1969 A.D.
WE CAME IN PEACE FOR ALL MANKIND

(today someone like Newt Gingrich would change those last two words to THE UNITED STATES



There is a reason we have not gone back to the moon since 1972.