Preparations & Ideas for the 50th

[Jim DiEugenio]

I just answered that question to the best of my ability.

BTW, just as I asked Charles, who I don't see in Dallas very often at all, how many people here are willing to get arrested?

Why?

Because if a lawsuit is launched, and we can say that oh a hundred people are willing to create a spectacle, then that would be good leverage to get a settlement.

[Charles Drago]

I go to Texas each year. I have not seen you there in a long time.

You can watch Star Wars only so many times.

Will you be willing to show up and do that?

Yup.

If there is an alternative, like a settlement, then I would surely consider it. IF you recall some guy once said: "Never negotiate out of fear, but never fear to negotiate."

I do. It was the guy who got his brains blown all over his nice Pierre Cardin suit in that city you so often visit.

Are you seriously suggesting that we negotiate with the surrogates -- some witting, some half-witting, some unwitting -- of the assassins?

Just how many tender mercies were evident in Dealey Plaza on November 22, 1963?

Let me suggest to you that Dealey Plaza is sacred ground -- a position I argued in a major speech delivered at a JFK Lancer symposium some years ago in -- wait for it -- Dallas. You seem unwilling to fight for that ground -- as if those who caused blood to be shed on it somehow have equal standing with those whose blood, literally and symbolically, has sanctified that ground.

In my remarks, I quoted historian Edward T. Edward T. Linenthal:

"On the one hand, these sites are ceremonial centers, where various forms of veneration reflect the belief that the contemporary power and relevance of the lessons of the site are crucial for the continued life of the nation. Many people believe that the patriotic inspiration to be extracted from these sacred places depends not only on proper ceremony, but on a memorialized, preserved, restored, and purified environment. On the other hand, these sites are civil spaces where Americans of various ideological persuasions come, not always reverently, to compete for the ownership of powerful national stories."

I added:

"'To compete for the ownership of powerful national stories.' That's what we're doing. We are looking to reclaim land --- reclaim stories, reclaim history."

And you want to "negotiate" with those who would rob us of our history, of the truth, of our right to the land that is sanctified by the blood of JFK?

I closed my presentation by proposing that we:

" ... at least in our own minds, and in our own hearts ... rename Dealey Plaza as the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Battlefield Memorial Monument."

And you want to "negotiate" WHAT with WHOM?

(For John Kelin's coverage of my speech, see http://www.acorn.net/jfkplace/09/fp.back...view3.html )

To my knowledge, Lancer has no role in this at all.

Not even a passive role, such as those who remain silent in the face of tyranny play?

Check with Conway and get back to us.

[Jim DiEugenio]

Charles:

If you want to propose to everyone to get handcuffed, placed in a paddy wagon, booked, jailed, arraigned, set for trial, fined, and then return for a trial at your own cost, OK. I guess that is your idea of leadership.

If you want to guarantee that we all look like a bunch of 9-11 Truthers, instead of negotiating, fine. See how far you get. Or what you achieve.

Facing up to power does not always mean getting punched out, or arrested, or killed. It means doing something sensible to force a settlement, so you get something reasonable instead of a court date. If you recall, this is what King did in Montgomery and other places. And before you say, he got killed, Jim DiEugenio in not King, and neither are you. And he achieved a lot more than we did or ever will.

[Charles Drago]

Charles:

If you want to propose to everyone to get handcuffed, placed in a paddy wagon, booked, jailed, arraigned, set for trial, fined, and then return for a trial at your own cost, OK. I guess that is your idea of leadership.

If you want to guarantee that we all look like a bunch of 9-11 Truthers, instead of negotiating, fine. See how far you get. Or what you achieve.

Facing up to power does not always mean getting punched out, or arrested, or killed. It means doing something sensible to force a settlement, so you get something reasonable instead of a court date. If you recall, this is what King did in Montgomery and other places. And before you say, he got killed, Jim DiEugenio in not King, and neither are you. And he achieved a lot more than we did or ever will.

Know your enemy.

I do not know myself as a leader of anyone.

Are you a leader, Jim?

A certain historical event was explained this way: "Suppose, a people rise in revolt. They cannot attack the abstract constitution or lead an army against proclamations and statutes...Civil disobedience has to be directed against ... some other particular point not that that is our final end, but for the time being it is our aim ..."

The event in question has come to be known as Gandhi's "Salt March."

I am anything but expert in the life and teachings of Gandhi. But if memory serves, it was in a place called Dharasana where thousands of nonviolent Salt March protesters stood silently as they were savaged by British troops. And the world took note. And an empire trembled.

Who will take note of your negotiations, Jim? Who will you make tremble with your negotiating style?

I'll take it, then, that if you had been present when Gandhi proposed the Salt March and all its attendant risks, you would have responded, "OK, because I guess that's his idea of leadership," and then gone on to try to negotiate with the British.

You don't have a clue about who and what you're up against, do you?

You don't have a clue about the significance of Dealey Plaza, do you?

Why don't you address Linenthal's observations within the context of my references to them?

As for Dr. King: Correct me if I'm wrong, but he is not remembered for writing, "Letter from a Birmingham Office Building in Which I'm Trying to Negotiate with Racists, After Which I'll Go to a Book Signing."

[Mark Prior]

Charles:

As for negotiating, I do have a background in sales. And I know that price is just a number...if you don't ask for the deal, you definitely won't get it.

To Everyone Else:

"...something sensible..." and "...something reasonable..."

I'm a fan of the concept.

Negotiating with city leaders who are not necessarily conspiracy deniers but most likely are looking put their best foot forward regarding the city's image is not a slap in the face of man who was assassinated there. After all, politicians will always be politicians, JFK would understand that. And we should not be surprised that they do not want provide even the smallest opening that every November 22 Dealey Plaza might turn into a circus. Even if that is not our intention.

No speculation please - does anyone have any information on how tickets will actually be available?

[Jim DiEugenio]

Mark:

Thanks for breaking Charles' attempt to equate me and him with Gandhi, and Dealey Plaza with the Salt March.

Whew.

In one of the articles I used for my piece, it was stated that the tickets would be distributed to VIPs.

What I think this means is that the committee will either sell or give the tickets to local and state luminaries. Also, I think this means that there will only be a finite and rather small number of people in attendance.

[Charles Drago]

In one of the articles I used for my piece, it was stated that the tickets would be distributed to VIPs.

And who, may I ask, is more important than you, or me, or a homeless wretch living in a sewer drain in the Plaza?

And why, may I ask, do you exhibit not the slightest hint of outrage at this abomination?

VIPs killed John Fitzgerald Kennedy.

[Jim DiEugenio]

Charles, Mark and I were not comparing ourselves with Gandhi or King.


We were dealing with some informational discourse i.e. exchanging information.

In my article, there is enough indignation.

And behind the scenes, I have been trying to do something about this.

Please, tell us what you have done?

[Dawn Meredith]

Mark:

Thanks for breaking Charles' attempt to equate me and him with Gandhi, and Dealey Plaza with the Salt March.

Whew.

In one of the articles I used for my piece, it was stated that the tickets would be distributed to VIPs.

What I think this means is that the committee will either sell or give the tickets to local and state luminaries. Also, I think this means that there will only be a finite and rather small number of people in attendance.

Oh? VIPs? Fuck the "committee". We need to unite against this insanity and find a way so that everyone who wants to be there can be. Dealey Plaza is not private property so I am not exactly sure how the PTB plan to prevent those without magic tickets from assembling. But we have a year to come up with plans. The critical community has to put aside egos and the like and be united on this one.
One place to begin is to ascertain who prosecutes these kinds of cases: criminal tresspass I mean. Texas is not at all uniform. Where I practice it is the office of the county attorney who handles misdemeanors, not the DA. If we can get those who would be prosecuting to agree that they would not be a party to this illegal power grab that could be a way to circumvent those would like us all to disappear.

Dawn

[Charles Drago]

Charles, Mark and I were not comparing ourselves with Gandhi or King.


We were dealing with some informational discourse i.e. exchanging information.

In my article, there is enough indignation.

And behind the scenes, I have been trying to do something about this.

Please, tell us what you have done?

I'll answer your questions after you've answered mine (as previously posted), Jim:

You don't have a clue about who and what you're up against, do you?

You don't have a clue about the significance of Dealey Plaza, do you?

Why won't you address Linenthal's observations within the context of my references to them?

As for Dr. King: Correct me if I'm wrong, but he is not remembered for writing, "Letter from a Birmingham Office Building in Which I'm Trying to Negotiate with Racists, After Which I'll Go to a Book Signing," is he?

I am anything but expert in the life and teachings of Gandhi. But if memory serves, it was in a place called Dharasana where thousands of nonviolent Salt March protesters stood silently as they were savaged by British troops. And the world took note. And an empire trembled. So who will take note of your negotiations, Jim? Who will you make tremble with your negotiating style?

Are you seriously suggesting that we negotiate with the surrogates -- some witting, some half-witting, some unwitting -- of the assassins?

In re your eagerness to show your throat to the "VIPs only" crowd:

Who, may I ask, is more important than you, or me, or a homeless wretch living in a sewer drain in the Plaza?

Why, may I ask, do you exhibit not the slightest hint of outrage at this abomination?

As for your "What have I [Drago] done?" question: Your ego is showing, Jim. But little else -- especially anything resembling depth of thought and courage of conviction.

Answer my previously posed questions, or forfeit your right to ask any of your own -- at least to me.