This is why when my family moved here in 1975, my mother couldn’t wait to get out. And even though I always felt this pull to Texas, my early years here, the inter generational pull of my great grandmother who was born here and also was forced to leave when her father oversaw the 1900 census, it was and still is a terrible place.
They being said though, there are amazing folks like Opal Lee and Barbara Jordan and even LBJ, and now Beto O’Rouke who refuse to give up on this state.
You and I can be included as well. Keep fighting mama.
Dallas killed Kennedy. Those responsible for killing Kennedy organized here. They cowed LBJ into obfuscating the investigation into the assassination and they pinned it on Oswald. While Oswald thought he was investigating right wing extremists he was laying the groundwork for his own framing.
The point is these people are powerful, hateful, cruel, wealthy, and irretrievably racist and fascist.
I doubt I’ve technically learned more history in the last year than all of my childhood and two years of being a history major, but I’ve definitely learned a lot more that makes modern life feel alive and context rather than a story book.
"If it can be built here, it can be broken here." Exactly. My academic family moved to Texas from Massachusetts in the 1980s, recruited as part of the effort to lift up the state flagship universities to national status. As a result, I was able to get a TAMU grad degree and work in the Richards administration. Texas hasn't always been controlled by fascists. Everything went to shit when Bob Bullock died, but there's nothing Texans can't do to recover the state and run off the far right, if the majority agrees.
I think Oswald was setup by the interests you characterize in this piece. Oswald was just too odd to have been for real, and then the need to silence him.... cannot buy it.
Several years ago, I read the entire Warren Commission Report, and I know it didn't leave me feeling satisfied. Especially knowing how LBJ put Dixiecrat Richard Russell on the Commission, even though he hated JFK. But LBJ and Russell were friends. Still, it never sat right with me.
All 26 volumes? Oof, that's substantial. Oswald was hanging out in the snack bar of the School Book Depository waiting for a phone call 90 seconds after the shots. Would a shooter do that?
That might have been the Main Report. It’s a large volume itself. There are 26 accompanying volumes that go with it. My father made an effort to read all of them. It’s housed at the Underwood Law Library at SMU.
My father told a story about LBJ. LBJ would fly into all the little towns by helicopter when he campaigned for US Senate in 1948. My father was 7 years old when LBJ buzzed into Gainesville, TX in his rented helicopter. Super excited, my dad ran over to the helicopter as it was taking off. Dad said LBJ leaned so far out of the cabin to waive at him that LBJ looked like he was going to fall out!
Thank you, Michelle! I just now shared this to bsky. I remember a lot of this as well although I was a young kid from upstate NY who had just moved to Houston earlier in the year. My parents (fr Pittsburgh, PA) wondered aloud if they'd made a big mistake in moving to Texas. They were horrified & disgusted by some of the coverage, but at least we weren't in Dallas. My grandparents had just arrived for a visit & we all watched endless heartbreaking coverage.
I’ve always enjoyed reading this blog and hearing your insights about the people and processes. Please keep up the good work!
Thank you 💙
This is why when my family moved here in 1975, my mother couldn’t wait to get out. And even though I always felt this pull to Texas, my early years here, the inter generational pull of my great grandmother who was born here and also was forced to leave when her father oversaw the 1900 census, it was and still is a terrible place.
They being said though, there are amazing folks like Opal Lee and Barbara Jordan and even LBJ, and now Beto O’Rouke who refuse to give up on this state.
You and I can be included as well. Keep fighting mama.
💙💙
Dallas killed Kennedy. Those responsible for killing Kennedy organized here. They cowed LBJ into obfuscating the investigation into the assassination and they pinned it on Oswald. While Oswald thought he was investigating right wing extremists he was laying the groundwork for his own framing.
The point is these people are powerful, hateful, cruel, wealthy, and irretrievably racist and fascist.
The whole maddening story is horrendous.
Excellent article, Michelle - I learned things that I didn't know. Thanks for keeping up the fight!
💙💙
I doubt I’ve technically learned more history in the last year than all of my childhood and two years of being a history major, but I’ve definitely learned a lot more that makes modern life feel alive and context rather than a story book.
🙏
"If it can be built here, it can be broken here." Exactly. My academic family moved to Texas from Massachusetts in the 1980s, recruited as part of the effort to lift up the state flagship universities to national status. As a result, I was able to get a TAMU grad degree and work in the Richards administration. Texas hasn't always been controlled by fascists. Everything went to shit when Bob Bullock died, but there's nothing Texans can't do to recover the state and run off the far right, if the majority agrees.
I think Oswald was setup by the interests you characterize in this piece. Oswald was just too odd to have been for real, and then the need to silence him.... cannot buy it.
Several years ago, I read the entire Warren Commission Report, and I know it didn't leave me feeling satisfied. Especially knowing how LBJ put Dixiecrat Richard Russell on the Commission, even though he hated JFK. But LBJ and Russell were friends. Still, it never sat right with me.
All 26 volumes? Oof, that's substantial. Oswald was hanging out in the snack bar of the School Book Depository waiting for a phone call 90 seconds after the shots. Would a shooter do that?
It came in an old book from the 1960s. I bought it used online.
That might have been the Main Report. It’s a large volume itself. There are 26 accompanying volumes that go with it. My father made an effort to read all of them. It’s housed at the Underwood Law Library at SMU.
My father told a story about LBJ. LBJ would fly into all the little towns by helicopter when he campaigned for US Senate in 1948. My father was 7 years old when LBJ buzzed into Gainesville, TX in his rented helicopter. Super excited, my dad ran over to the helicopter as it was taking off. Dad said LBJ leaned so far out of the cabin to waive at him that LBJ looked like he was going to fall out!
Wow. I would love to see footage of that.
There are photos of LBJ’s helicopter.
Thank you, Michelle! I just now shared this to bsky. I remember a lot of this as well although I was a young kid from upstate NY who had just moved to Houston earlier in the year. My parents (fr Pittsburgh, PA) wondered aloud if they'd made a big mistake in moving to Texas. They were horrified & disgusted by some of the coverage, but at least we weren't in Dallas. My grandparents had just arrived for a visit & we all watched endless heartbreaking coverage.
I've long held the opinion that all roads lead to Dallas.