Fifty years ago Friday, the hearts of Americans were crushed. President John F. Kennedy was killed in his car while driving through downtown Dealey in Dallas, Texas. A president of the United States was gone and so was the hope he inspired.
Today’s 20-year-olds did not live through this tragedy, but it is still covered in the mainstream media and his life is celebrated on the anniversary of his death. But, do young people really care?
St. Thomas alum Cheryl Norrad said they don’t.
The Purple Violet Press blogger sent a letter to The Globe and Mail last week criticizing them for only writing stories for old people.
“I never grieved: John Kennedy wasn’t the leader of my country and it’s not my generation. JFK is from the bygone era of boomer youth,” she wrote.
“Yes, it’s significant that it has been 50 years since JFK was shot. But it’s time to move on. Baby boomers need to realize it’s not all about them, and the media need to stop being enablers in letting them think it is.”
American student Val Johnstone does care about JFK because of what he did for her country.
“He was an icon who impacted the U.S. with what he did for our country and the adversities that he had to overcome when he was running. I mean, he was criticized for being Catholic in a time when that wasn’t the majority, so his election was a really big deal at the time.”
Johnstone said remembering JFK for his work as president is important, especially when people are discussing political or economic issues.
Political science student Lindsey MacKay is not American but loves to read about JFK.
“His wife even wrote about it. She was so strong. His brains were all over her lap, but she still thought he was the most handsome man she had ever seen.”
MacKay said peoples’ reactions to it were intense. She compared it to when Princess Diana died.
“People felt like they knew him, but no one actually knew him,” said the third-year student. “It was such a huge thing because no one saw it coming.”
MacKay said she is only interested in JFK because she is studying political science. She doesn’t think other young people are.
“I don’t think younger people would be interested because our generation doesn’t really care about politics,” she said. “They’re not even interested in modern day politics. So, what are the chances they will be interested in historical politics?”
My grandmother was 27-years-old when John F. Kennedy was killed. She was living in Manchester, N.H. and had just gotten married.
“The day I found out I was working in the office at Bernard Tire and they let us out early,” she said. “I went over to my father’s house and watched it on TV.”
She said everyone was upset and couldn’t believe that it had happened.
“Everyone was glued to the TV that day. He was so well liked. Even my father was upset and we both watched with tears in our eyes.”
My grandmother said on Friday JFK was all over the news. She said every year she watches it but this year people were talking about him much more because of the 50th anniversary.
She said it is important to celebrate him because he was such a well liked president.
“That’s why we still want to remember him. He would have done such a great job but he never had a chance to do it because he died so young.”
Although this resonates with my grandmother, it doesn’t resonate with me. I did not live through this. I was, however, in grade three when 9/11 happened and I will never forget that. I think, sometimes you have to live through something to understand the real sadness and celebration of an event or person.
