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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 24, 1998)
EDITOR Erin Gibson OPINION EDITOR Cliff Hicks EDITORIAL BOARD Nancy Christensen Brad Davis Sam McKewon Jeff Randall Bret Schulte 1 Our VIEW The first thanks Insight given into roots of holiday On June 20,1676, the governing council of Charlestown, Mass., met and determined how to best express thanks for the good for tune that provided their community secure establishment - and firm disestablishment of American Indian tribes in the area. By unanimous vote, the council instructed its clerk, Edward Rawson, to pro claim June 29 as the first Thanksgiving. It was later moved to the fourth Thursday in November. In order to show the now-controversial roots of the holiday, we have decided to print the first Thanksgiving proclamation. It’s steeped in anti-American Indian sentiment, as well as genuine thanks to God for American bounty. We think it provides signif icant insight into the holiday. Thanksgiving proclamation - June 20, “The Holy God having by a long and Continual Series of his Afflictive dispensa tions in and by the present Warr with the Heathen Natives of this land, written and brought to pass bitter things against his own Covenant people in this wilderness, yet so that we evidently discern that in the midst of his judgments he hath remembered mercy, having remembered his Footstool in the day of his sore displeasure against us for our sins with many singular Intimations of his Fatherly Compassion, and regard; reserving many of our Towns from Desolation Threatened, and attempted by the Enemy, and giving us especially of late with many of our Confederates many signal Advantages against them, without such Disadvantage to ourselves as formerly we have been sensible of, if it be the Lord’s mercy that we are not consumed, It certainly bespeaks our positive Thankfulness, when our Enemies are in any measure disappointed or destroyed; and fear ing the Lord should take notice under so many Intimations of his returning mercy, we should be found an Insensible people, as not standing before Him with Thanksgiving, as well as lading him with our Complaints in the time of pressing Afflictions: The Council has thought meet to appoint and set apart the 29th day of this instant June, as a day of Solemn Thanksgiving and praise to God for such his Goodness and Favour, many Particulars of which mercy might be Instanced, but we doubt not those who are sensible of God’s Afflictions, have been as diligent to espy him returning to us; and that the Lord may behold us as a People offering Praise and thereby glorifying Him; the Council doth commend it to the Respective Ministers, Elders and people of this Jurisdiction; Solemnly and seriously to keep the same Beseeching that being persuaded by the mercies of God we may all, even this whole people offer up our bodies and souls as a living and acceptable Service unto God by Jesus Christ.” Editorial Policy Unsigned editorials are the opinions of the Fall 1998 Daily Nebraskan. They do not necessarily reflect the views of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, its employees, its student body or the University of Nebraska Board of Regents. A column is solely the opinion of its author. The Board of Regents serves as publisher of the Daily Nebraskan; policy is set by the Daily Nebraskan Editorial Board. The UNL Publications Board, established by the regents, supervises the production of the paper. According to policy set by the regents, responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies solely in the hands of its student employees. letter Policy The Daily Nebraskan welcomes brief letters to the editor and guest columns, but does not guarantee their publication. The Daily Nebraskan retains the right to edit or reject any material submitted. Submitted material becomes property of the Daily Nebraskan and cannot be returned. Anonymous submissions will not be published. Those who submit letters must identify themselves by name, year in school, major and/or group affiliation, if any. Submit material to: Daily Nebraskan, 34 Nebraska Union, 1400 R St. Lincoln, NE. 68588-0448. E-mail: letters@unlinfo.unl.edu. Mook’s VIEW The truth about JFK Government should tell public what they know ADAM KLINKER is a sophomore English and his tory major and a Daily Nebraskan columnist. It was 35 years ago last Sunday that a sunny day in Dallas turned into one of the most somber and terrible days in American history. Nov. 22,1963, was the day that America stood still and watched in hor ror as midday newscasts relayed that President John F. Kennedy had been shot by an assassin. Two days later, America again wit nessed the brutality of the nation’s first televised murder as Jack Ruby executed the alleged assassin Lee Harvey Oswald under the eye of the Dallas Police. That was 35 years ago today, and Wednesday will mark the 35th anniver sary of both the Oswald and Kennedy funerals. Thirty-five years ago, this week was a lougn one in America. looay, me burning questions over what happened that fateful day in Dallas still remain unanswered. Everybody heard something differ ent that day in Dealey Plaza. Everybody saw something different, felt something different, lived some thing different Nellie Connally, wife of late Texas Gov. John Connally, continues to affirm that only three shots had been fired, and all had come from behind - from the Texas School Book Depository where Oswald worked. Nellie Connally is the last surviv ing member of the four riding in the presidential limousine that day; even she doesn’t know the truth, though she claims she does. America will never know what happened. America can never know the truth because the circumstances sur rounding those ill-fated days in Dallas were so full of discord and confusion that nary a government agent could properly assess the situation. The assassination of President Kennedy was not a conspiracy on behalf of the government. It has only been perpetuated by government silence. It is difficult to fathom the idea of our government hir ing hitmen to take out its chief execu tive. It is even more improbable that then-Vice President Lyndon Johnson played a role in this proposed con spiracy. Whether or not it was a conspiracy remains to be seen, though Congressional studies have suggested that it may have been. Congress is correct - a conspiracy is probable. But a government conspir acy? Hardly. Certainly it is probable that Oswald and another one or two Communist radicals seeking their own political agenda could have conspired to kill Kennedy. But the idea of Oswald being hired by some outside faction working for the government is less believable. And what about Jack Ruby? Maybe he was employed by the gov ernment to take out Oswald, but what was his connection with the assassina tion? If he had one, it was probably not through the government - he was a nightclub owner with Mafia ties. Conspiracy is the fuel that keeps American ignorance burning. Government conspiracy is the stuff that fanatical dreams are made of. \ t rtrtrtM nil rtf rt X m.%, U1V 111VLJI. UIUVVVUI VI U1V government, the huddled masses cry conspiracy. Such has been the case for the last 35 years. Perhaps it is too long to wait for the real truth. But remember that Oswald is dead - and he was the man with all of the answers, or maybe none of them. Maybe it was Oswald acting alone, and therefore, we’ll never know but for the speculation of the Warren Commission and those who haven’t been corrupted by the Oliver Stone film “JFK.” America doesn’t know the truth, but we probably should. If the truth is indeed out there, then the American public has a right to it If the govern ment truly doesn’t know, then they should say so. However, the government has already bungled this assassination research and investigation past the point of recognition. Thirty-five years has been the only closure for the American people; and time hasn’t healed all wounds. Yes, there was probably a conspira cy, but more along the lines of the way Jackie Kennedy described it- a couple of silly Communists trying to get a headline. One way or another, the painful or 66 If the truth is indeed out there, then the American public has a right to it. If the government truly doesn’t know, then they should say so.” painless truth must be known. We’ll never know if it was government con spiracy because what kind of govern ment would openly admit its role in the assassination of its leader? If the truth is already out, then the government should say so, instead of stepping around the problem and insin uating a probable conspiracy. Either there was or there wasn’t - there is no probably. Only the finite truth can be accept able at this point With most members of the Warren Commission dead or limirillinrt tn to 11a A ic nmninrr out of chances to discover die real story behind that day in Dallas. And Nellie Connally is not the ultimate source, despite die fact that she was in the car. Who really knows what happened? If it was Oswald, and only Oswald, then the entire crowd at Dealey Plaza is the last witness. If it was a triangulation of fire and involved more than one assassin, then, as New Orleans District Attorney Jim Garrison so emphatically argued, by definition it was a conspiracy and more witnesses are out there. It is most unlikely that such wit nesses will come forward in the case of conspiracy. If Oswald and Ruby carried assassination stories to the grave, we’ll never know. And if the government continues its silence, then die truth is already lost Releasing the documents of the assassination little by little will result in disinterest and lead to further distrust in the government. Releasing the Zapruder film did lit tle more than get American fanatics out to their video stores to see live-action shots of a man’s head exploding. America shouldn’t have to wait any longer for the truth. Enough time has passed and enough has been specu lated. The time for the real story is now.