The Cover-Up: How Was Movement from Phase I to Phase II Justified?

[Charles Drago]

Today I finished the final rewrite/update of my elderly essay, In the Blossom of Our Sins, for publication in a new collection of essays to be published -- on the Internet, if not elsewhere -- by the estimable John Kelin.

Within the 2013 postscript I've added the following passage:


My re-evaluation of this work some 17 years after its initial publication has been deeply enriched by the historical scholarship and spiritual insights of James W. Douglass.

Today I blanch at my earlier bellicose imagery and attitudes. I have committed myself to the study Satyagraha and the non-violent resistance that "truth force" inspires.

Let's see how long that lasts. For I am an imperfect human being. I cannot claim the right to be thought of as a satyagrahi. Far from it. My blood still boils, my fists still clench, and my righteous indignation still prompts me to savage verbally not only the enemy, but even some well-meaning individuals who, through their arrogance and/or ignorance, cloud all-important issues relating to our shared quests for truth and justice for John Fitzgerald Kennedy and for the millions collaterally damaged by his assassins.

Listen to me. I'm still at it. "Arrogance ... ignorance ... "

Physician, heal thyself.

In that spirit, I take this opportunity to forswear vengeance and the bloodlust that drives it, and to devote my energies currently focused on deep political inquiry to the non-violent pursuit of justice and the truth from which it shall emerge.


Please note that I'm not totally buying what I'm selling. But hey, at least I'm trying -- and looking myself in the eyes.

All of this being stated for the record, Your Lordships, I reserve the rights to rip the bowels out of enemy agents and to refuse to suffer fools.

Sigh ...

This ain't gonna be easy.

[Greg Burnham]

You are a bigger man than I, Charles Drago. And I ain't no midget.

[Charles Drago]

You are a bigger man than I, Charles Drago. And I ain't no midget.

Whatever the over/under is on how long this attitude will last ...

Bet the under.

[Greg Burnham]

You are a bigger man than I, Charles Drago. And I ain't no midget.

Whatever the over/under is on how long this attitude will last ...

Bet the under.

[Magda Hassan]

All of this being stated for the record, Your Lordships, I reserve the rights to rip the bowels out of enemy agents and to refuse to suffer fools.

We don't allow 'enemy agents' on the forum. As for fools use the 'Block' function so you don't have to suffer them.

[Jim Hackett II]

Wilco...

[Charles Drago]

All of this being stated for the record, Your Lordships, I reserve the rights to rip the bowels out of enemy agents and to refuse to suffer fools.

We don't allow 'enemy agents' on the forum. As for fools use the 'Block' function so you don't have to suffer them.

Problem with that is, if fools are given free reign, their foolishness taints the serious work of those around them and threatens to become part of the record.

We're not debating the flat earth hypothesis here, Maggie.

There are knives to our throats.

I'll be goddamned if I run away and hide from the fight by using a "Block" function.

I'll retain disemboweling as an option, thank you.

[Lauren Johnson]

I'll be goddamned if I run away and hide from the fight by using a "Block" function.

I want to Block you because it has become too painful to read your never ending ... well, whatever it is ... it's just never ending. Most of the fights you are in are ones you provoke, and then you won't run away from them. You are your own troll. Kinda reminds me of the song, "I Am My Own Grampa." Allow me to share.



If Magda can figure out a way for someone to Block an Administrator, I'll free at last -- until I UnBlockify my Block. I just need a break, but do not want to leave DPF.

[Charles Drago]

Then by all means block me.

I'll have my good days and my bad.

What you should do now is complain to Magda and the rest of my partners that I am driving you and others from this site.

But of course you don't need me to tell you that, do you?

[Jeffrey Orling]

[quote=Jim DiEugenio]

But I submit that at the Sponsor level there could be found perception of long-term value in the maintenance of a communist "threat" just 90 miles away. Castro was more valuable alive than dead. For wasn't the whole point of Cold War dramaturgy -- on both sides of the Iron Curtain -- to maximize power and profit by maintaining and controlling hostilities?

Thank you for an thought provoking discussion. In trying to put myself back in time I see two main things (probably more) going on... who did / was behind the hit on JFK... and how does this manifest in the official response? And who was providing the advice on the entire process for these two main things?

Would it even occur to LBJ the big cheese... that the hit could have been a coup by the pentagon/CIA nexus? If so what could be possibly do? My guess is that the POTUS under those circumstances would tread very lightly... and if he bit his toungue and observed the advisers he might get an inkling of who was behind it. Of course know who was behind it would determine the response and everyone quickly realized that the lone nut would be the least worst outcome. If it was Cuba, USSR an attack Iraq response was in the offing but it would attack USSR. Was there evidence of that to go that radical? The CIA and friends probably saw this as too radical an outcome and conceivably the end game... They would argue to cool it so their franchise would go on and the generals would be able to get what they wanted if they had to keep their nukes in their holsters they could have their little proxy war in SE Asia.

As creepy as LBJ was it seemed that all he could do is get to sit in the oval office if he behaved and get his corrupt ways swept under the rug... The nation would not stand for one assassination and an impeachment of the VP now pres as a crook and murderer. Johnson was trapped even if he did suspect a coup. He'd also have a hard time of convincing the world that he was not part of it.

To make sure that the coup was feared they offed RFK, MLK and anyone who had visions of anything other than the USA as empire with a unleashed military MIC to roam the world.

What would have happened if the coup possibility has surfaced? If it had any legs at all it might have led to the coup taking over a la South America... marshal music and no need to the fig leaf democracy that they used for cover for the last 50 years. But would America go fascist without some push-back? Boiling frogs and all manner of distraction and PR and slowly legally evolving into a lawless neo-fascist nation would produce a much cleaner and better outcome.

The Warren report was suppose to fool everyone. It didn't. But many were and many seemed to realize that it didn't make sense but the real conspiracy was even more frightening that the lone nut and people settled into domestic tranquility and loss of innocence... and off they went to SE Asia with dreams of a strong nation being a safe one... an easy sell.

But it's hard to keep a lid on lies... they have short legs and don't get far. And they haven't. People know they were lied to... are being lied to all the time and are helpless to do a thing about it. We waited 50 yrs to get a look at the evidence... I'm willing to bet... we don't see it or it's gone... There is nothing that has the force... or whatever it would take to reveal the truth and effect justice. The MIC, CIA are not going away. And they have all the guns. They run the show.