As we approach the 50th anniversary of the Kennedy assassination, there has been, of course, a great deal of news coverage about that historic event as well as discussion of various conspiracy theories. Most of the commentary that I have seen debunks conspiracy theories in various ways too numerous to list here. I find it interesting, however, that nowhere in these critiques of a conspiracy theory and the labeling of the 65 percent of Americans who still question the Warren Commission’s findings as “nuts,” is there any mention of the two things which still trouble me and many Americans the most about what happened.

There has been precious little attention to and analysis of the assassination of the assassin. What in the world was going on with Jack Ruby? How does this mob-connected, soon-to-die-of-cancer, shadowy character get into the Dallas Police Department and take out Lee Harvey Oswald? And why?

Many who have watched the famous Zapruder film of the event in slow motion come away with the distinct impression that President Kennedy indeed is hit from the rear with a shot (presumably from Oswald firing from the Texas Book Depository building), slumps slightly forward and then appears to be hit from the front, not another shot from the rear. He appears to lurch backwards as blood and material appear to spray in that direction as well.

I am not a conspiracy addict. I can’t think of one other thing in the wide array of American conspiracy theories to which I adjoin myself. I certainly have no answer as to what actually happened. But something about JFK’s murder still smells fishy to me and many others after all these years. I think it is important to keep asking ourselves and our government exactly what happened. I don’t think we are being told the whole truth about it.

Brian Clark

Durango