Dealey Plaza

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Aug 4, 2016
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Hi fellow Stephen King fans.

This is my first post here. I have been a fan since the day I read The Shining - sometime in the 80s. The other day I visited Dealey Plaza. I was telling my kids how significant this place is in our history and I also mentioned Mr. King's book, 11/22/63 and the mixture of fiction with real characters and events.

So here's the deal, O fans of this book and of US history. People are finding it amusing to run out into the middle of the street to get their picture ... smiling and acting goofy while standing on the X that marks the spot of the fatal shot. In the fifteen minutes I was there I saw at least 12 people run out there, smile, pose, a couple even made gun signs with their hands. Mostly under 30 but not all.

Why am I posting this here ..... well, I think that it is probable that Mr. King (and many of his fans) might have been as deeply moved as I. I want to brainstorm about this. How can this be addressed? Why is this happening and does the city see the atrocity of it? Is there anyone else out there who agrees this is too much to ignore and a symptom of our times? This was NOT happening the last time I visited, 15 years ago.

I went inside and asked the museum clerk, "Do you guys ever get any complaints about people posing , taking selfies on the X? There should be a sign to prohibit it." He didn't know but commented it is not their (museum's ) property.

If you think I am overreacting, maybe that is true but I would appreciate ideas, thoughts and input from this group. To quote from Mr. King's forward in the paperback edition of Delores Claiborne, "...the summer of 1963, the last summer before America, and the whole world, would be changed forever by an assassin's bullet."
 

Tery

Say hello to my fishy buddy
Moderator
Apr 12, 2006
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I'm shocked that nobody has been run over. Also that the city allows that sort of nonsense. I mean, if you want to take a selfie, do it in front of the Book Depository or the grassy knoll or in the actual plaza/park. This selfie stuff has gone berserk.

Oh... Welcome to the Board! I'm sure you'll get some spirited discussion on this.
 

RichardX

Well-Known Member
Sep 26, 2006
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People have been doing that for decades. Now that everyone has a camera phone it has only gotten worse. A bit harrowing given how much traffic passes through but I'm not aware of anyone getting hit. A woman once sat her baby in the road and ran to the sidewalk to take a picture. They tired to remove the white Xs on the road but people just repaint them. I suppose they could ticket folks but they likely don't want to hassle the tourists. For good or ill it has become a tradition.
 
Aug 4, 2016
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Thanks for the welcomes and I am shocked that this has been happening for so long. I am mystified that the city does not at least post a sign asking for respectful behavior. Maybe then at least people would get more disapproving stares! Its just like many issues today..accept the status quo! This kind of behavior should get all kinds of pushback.
 

RichardX

Well-Known Member
Sep 26, 2006
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I honestly don't think most people mean any disrespect. This event happened before most of them were even born. It is more a story from the history books than a real tragedy to them. I take more objection at the conspiracy theorists like Robert Groden who has basically taken up residence in DP making a buck off his conspiracy nonsense. If anything demeans JFK's memory it is the folks that have turned his assassination into a circus with their nutty theories.
 
Aug 4, 2016
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....ignorance is eternal, as is complete and utter disrespect.....in it's way, that's like standing at the 9/11 memorial-cheesing it up and throwing paper airplanes.....
yes gntlgnt, I was thinking of a comparison or two also. 9/11 being relatively recent and also bringing countless Americans through personal loss, I would think that type of thing wouldnt be politely ignored in NY..at least I hope not. Maybe ignorance and disrespect are eternal but if people don't take a stand then they become the norm.
 
Aug 4, 2016
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View attachment 16806

I think it's disrespectful. I might even smile if one of those idgets got hit by a car.
I honestly don't think most people mean any disrespect. This event happened before most of them were even born. It is more a story from the history books than a real tragedy to them. I take more objection at the conspiracy theorists like Robert Groden who has basically taken up residence in DP making a buck off his conspiracy nonsense. If anything demeans JFK's memory it is the folks that have turned his assassination into a circus with their nutty theories.
Yes, Richard X I think you are right about most people not meaning disrespect. But saying this a tradition and has been going on so long, etc., also plays into the perils of desensitization. .which most of us are susceptible to, don't you agree? Secondly, why does a city put up with this instead of at least placing a request there so that maybe those folks will pause and think? Teaching moment for some, perhaps? If a tourist gets offended, so be it. If the city wants to keep the tourists there because of money, that's also disrespectful.

As for the conspiracy theorists, I don't have a strong conviction on whether the government or the mafia had any ties to the assassination. I do agree with you using the site for promoting is disrespectful. Yet, the propoganda doesn't bug me as much. I didn't notice a money grab going on, just a person there pushing theories. If someone wants to discuss theories, at least they care about the event and want to address the issues. Start trying to get wealthier off of it, and they cross the line.
 

GNTLGNT

The idiot is IN
Jun 15, 2007
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yes gntlgnt, I was thinking of a comparison or two also. 9/11 being relatively recent and also bringing countless Americans through personal loss, I would think that type of thing wouldnt be politely ignored in NY..at least I hope not. Maybe ignorance and disrespect are eternal but if people don't take a stand then they become the norm.
...fully agree...with my sweet temperament, I would lay a b*tch low...
 

Blake

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Feb 18, 2013
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Kay Brown is correct, the shooter could not have been Oswald, as even the top mark's person in the American Armed Forces couldn't do what Oswald did. Who invented the can of Spam?
 
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Blake

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Feb 18, 2013
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The weirdest teacher I had was this American guy back in 1983 , a History teacher, who said he was Ronald Reagan's speech writer. He said what i was doing ( I was highlighting the radio program for the week) he told the class he went to Barry Humphries (Dame Edna) flat in Sydney the night before for drinks.
 
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