At this time 50 years ago I was awaiting the opening round of a debate tournament at Wichita State University with my colleague Joel Anderson. We were in an auditorium about to break and head to assigned rooms for the opening round. Someone came in with a transitor radio turned loud with a CBS bulletin that President Kennedy had been shot in Dallas. The room broke into chaos and some one suggested we have a moment of prayer. We went in search of a lounge with a TV and on a black/white screen we watched , most of us stunned into silence or sobbing, until the announcement that the President of the US was dead. There were shouts of disbelief and hugs and tears. A movement started to cancel the tournament and it swept the room. We left soon and made the 5 hour drive back to my college in the school van with the radio continuing the sad story all the way back. I knew my comfortable view of small town values and a benign world would never be comforting again. I still feel the pain and loss.
Posted on: Fri, 22 Nov 2013 18:14:45 +0000
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