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LonghornJack

(137 posts)

44. It was a Huge Shock, followed by a Great Emptiness

Wed Nov 22, 2017, 10:35 AM

Nov 2017

I recall being told about JFK being shot just as class at Catholic school in my small South Texas town was to resume after lunch break. A nun quietly told us to pray because "...the President has been shot." I was in 6th grade, all of 11 yrs old. I couldn't believe my ears, as she kept repeating the news. When Walter Cronkite confirmed JFK's passing later, I remembered everyone in the classroom stunned into silence. Then rumors started flying about who might have done this... the Russians? the Cubans?....

Afterwards, as the news sunk in, and the country began mourning. It felt like a great emptiness. Some said it felt as though God had left us. It took me a couple of weeks to recover.

I agree with a lot of what DUers have been saying on this thread -- the nation has not been the same since that day.

There's been a touch of sadness to every November 22 since that awful day.

LHJ

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November 22nd has never been the same since they killed JFK [View all] malaise Nov 2017 OP

I was in 9th 49jim Nov 2017 #1

Who do you think is "they?" Nt raccoon Nov 2017 #2

A group of misguided anti Castro zeolots Rustynaerduwell Nov 2017 #7

Wish I knew n/t malaise Nov 2017 #8

Read the James W. Douglass book. One of the most important books Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #36

Thanks malaise Nov 2017 #38

Feel free to pm me to discuss if you do read the book. nt Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #42

Cool malaise Nov 2017 #46

The book changed the way I see the world. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #47

Hello Irish_Dem syringis Nov 2017 #49

Bonjour syringis Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #51

Merci beaucoup :-) syringis Nov 2017 #58

Merci! I will be happy to help if you run into something you Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #59

Hello Irish_Dem syringis Nov 2017 #69

Bonjour syringis Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #70

Thank you for mentioning Mr. Douglass' book. The US took a turn toward the dark with JFK's murder!! LongTomH Nov 2017 #53

The US has never been the same since the day JFK was murdered. Irish_Dem Nov 2017 #55

I was in high school in NYC, riding the train home secondwind Nov 2017 #3

.. ucrdem Nov 2017 #4

I was a sophomore in college, living in a dorm just off campus. CaliforniaPeggy Nov 2017 #5

My oldest sister had left for college that year malaise Nov 2017 #9

Hi Peggy, glad to see you here. Please stop by more. Blue_true Nov 2017 #29

. Achilleaze Nov 2017 #6

It was a Friday DFW Nov 2017 #10

You were really close to it malaise Nov 2017 #41

Washington was like a headless chicken that weekend DFW Nov 2017 #62

The country has never been the same since JFK was assassinated. milestogo Nov 2017 #11

I was 12 years old at the time, and yes, I agree. whathehell Nov 2017 #12

Fifth grade in a Quaker school PCIntern Nov 2017 #13

7th grade math class. Miss Coates was our teacher. We were working on an assignment. spiderpig Nov 2017 #14

I remember it vividly. I'll never get the drums out of my head. Vinca Nov 2017 #15

Yes...the drums... ewagner Nov 2017 #20

They took away some of our belief that we can do anything that is good if we work together. nt Blue_true Nov 2017 #30

It was a defining moment. TNNurse Nov 2017 #16

In high school. 16 years old. n/t rzemanfl Nov 2017 #17

Two years old that day OnlinePoker Nov 2017 #18

I remember it rained in my town the day of his funeral. Blue_true Nov 2017 #33

It was the end of the post WW II era of good feeling and national patriotism FarCenter Nov 2017 #19

It is interesting to hear from you all... syringis Nov 2017 #21

His Presidency was short. I was too young to know that at the time. Blue_true Nov 2017 #35

Hello Blue_True syringis Nov 2017 #48

I wasn't 21 in 60, so couldn't vote for JFK bobbieinok Nov 2017 #56

I will never forget it..... spanone Nov 2017 #22

I won't ever forget that day. Our Fifth grade teacher, Ms Manning, came in crying... FailureToCommunicate Nov 2017 #23

I was in 1st grade in Corpus Christi, TX... Upthevibe Nov 2017 #24

Off Topic, But... RobinA Nov 2017 #27

Yes even the nuns cried malaise Nov 2017 #34

Age 5 RobinA Nov 2017 #25

9th Grade Geography class. Had everyone go outside to parking lot for some reason. Hoyt Nov 2017 #26

Also ninth grade--gym class The Blue Flower Nov 2017 #52

Yeah, I remember like 3 days of sadness B&W TV. My dad, who was not that big a JFK fan, was upset Hoyt Nov 2017 #54

First thing that I thought of this morning. Blue_true Nov 2017 #28

Four years old MaryMagdaline Nov 2017 #31

Second Grade: Home Sick ProfessorGAC Nov 2017 #32

I was in the sixth grade in Austin. Timer Nov 2017 #37

I was a sophomore in H.S. Greybnk48 Nov 2017 #39

Found Mom pounding DownriverDem Nov 2017 #40

Home with my baby son. Husband came home with beautiful antique marble top table given cornball 24 Nov 2017 #43

Wow! malaise Nov 2017 #45

Oh no, it came that way. That is the fascinating aspect of "the table". cornball 24 Nov 2017 #67

It was a Huge Shock, followed by a Great Emptiness LonghornJack Nov 2017 #44

I clearly remember everything about that day and the solemn period oasis Nov 2017 #50

Since he killed JFK. Not they. stopbush Nov 2017 #57

It's okay to believe Oswald acted alone BannonsLiver Nov 2017 #66

All of that was thoroughly, THOROUGHLY investigated decades ago. stopbush Nov 2017 #68

I was in my 2nd yr of grad school bobbieinok Nov 2017 #60

I was a junior at Univ. of North Texas. Hangingon Nov 2017 #61

I was in my 10th grade biology class in high school, Ft. Worth, TX. Grammy23 Nov 2017 #63

I was in High School study hall. For our family it was like a enormous blackness overtook jalan48 Nov 2017 #64

10th-grade French class. Teacher read the bulletin and collapsed in tears. VOX Nov 2017 #65