Now We Just Have to Keep Him Alive

After it became clear on election night that Obama had won, my next thought quickly became, "Now we just have to keep him alive." I don't think anyone has talked a lot about that, but on this 45th anniversary of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, I thought I would bring it up.

Yep, 45 years have passed since that happened. For many of the people who voted for Obama, what happened that long ago seems like ancient history. And, yes, it should, because the speed with which things happen has increased since then. Those 45 years equal about twice that much or more now.

I turned 13 years old just a few days after November 22, 1963, so I remember it all pretty well. I lived in Dallas at the time. I had passed thru Dealy Plaza hundreds of times with my parents, so I felt pretty familiar with where it all took place. The Texas Schoolbook Depository had a time and temperature sign on top that you could see from Stemmons Freeway, and I always looked over there to check it anytime we went by on our way somewhere. The entire drama seemed close to home and far away at the same time. It happened downtown, while I sat in a classroom in the Oak Cliff section of Dallas, so it seemed far away. But, it happened in my home town and that seemed really, really close.

Back then I felt like Dallas got a bad rap. Folks from elsewhere called it an evil, violent, hate-filled place. A few years later, when I hitchhiked around Europe, I hesitated to say that I came from Dallas. Whenever someone asked where I came from, I'd just say "Texas." "Oh, cowboys, horses,..." they would smile and say. If I told them I grew up in Dallas, their whole tone would change, and they'd say, "Oh, bad place." I always felt obligated to defend my city. I'd say, "No, no, really it's not so bad. It's just like anywhere else." I usually didn't succeed in rehabilitating Dallas in anyone's eyes.

I still live in Texas, but I left Dallas about 30 years ago. Not because of it's evil or violence, but because my wife at the time wanted to attend grad school at the University of Texas in Austin. Once I left Dallas, I never wanted to go back. Again, not because of its evil, but because of its hyper-conservative attitude. I never knew how conservative and up-tight until I moved away.

Today marks 45 years since an event happened that put Dallas on the world's map. I don't want to move back there, but I still believe that Dallas has had to unfairly live down a reputation that Memphis, Los Angeles, and Silver Spring never did.

Let's remember our highest ideals, and try to bring them to life. And, let's pray that Mr. Obama stays alive to encourage us to do that.