Fifty years after his death, people are remembering where they were when it all happened. I was minus twenty and therefore have no clue.
All over the radio – because that’s my main source of news as I travel from work to a geocache – there were people who were there, or were children at time, talking about its effects. One person, I can’t remember who, was performing in a high school play at the time and the news filtered through – how, I have no idea at all (these days most news breaks via Twitter!) – and the adults had decided not to tell the performers. However, no one then clapped at the end of the performance, they just cried.
Part of me doesn’t understand the draw of JFK, but then I realise that he was the first global star that wasn’t a footballer, an actor or from general show business type things. The first superstar politician. I think. So… part of me really does see why that event created something that needs recalling today.
His vision to put a man on the moon forced the country to spend a ridiculous amount on the project – succeeding of course in order to now lose face to the Russians. That singled mindedness created the NASA we know today. It is the equivalent of the Spanish sponsoring Columbus to find a fresh route to India. Possibly.
If he had been a politician today, the other areas of his life would certainly have been his downfall as has happened to many men in his position. However, as he was cut down in his prime – a phrase that has been inescapable today – all of that has been avoided to some extent.
The day after his assassination, Doctor Who was launched. Tomorrow sees the worldwide airing of the not at all hyped feature length episode. I simply can not wait.
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