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About That White Spot...

I finally got around to reading the article on Fair Play entitled: "The Zapruder Film: Evidence of Tampering". I was surprised to see my name mentioned in relation to the discussion of the "white spot". Thank you for that reference. I'm still slightly in awe that anyone would refer to me as a "researcher", but I take it as a compliment.

Your article stated, "Researcher Cecil Jones has suggested that this white spot may be a discarded object, possibly from Mary Moorman's Polaroid camera (see Pictures of the Pain, p. 156, from the series of Bothun photos.)"

Actually this statement is incorrect.

Mantik stated that the "white spot" did not show up in any other photos, only the Z-film. I noted in my summaries of the meeting, posted to the Compuserve JFK Debate Forum and the internet newsgroups alt.conspiracy.jfk. moderated and alt.conspiracy.jfk, that the white spot can be seen in the Bothun photo (identified by Trask in POTP as Bothun #4, but correctly noted by Martin Shackelford as Bothun #5). Todd Wayne Vaughn responded to my post that he thought the white spot was the polaroid paper.

Excerpt from my summary:

Cecil Jones:
10. white spot on grass near location of headshot - it was used [by WC?] to calculate the speed of the limo.
11. but the Nov. 29 issue of Life [black and white] doesn't show the white spot. [note: as already pointed out by Joe Riley, the B/W Life photos have very different contrast. Mantik says that the white spot is not shown on any other photos, only the Z film. However, I have found it very clearly evident in the Bothun #4 photo published on page 156 of Pictures of the Pain.]

Todd Wayne Vaughn's reply:
You've got a keen eye to pick that object up in Bothun #4. Now let me tell you what that "white spot" probably is: the discarded peel-off paper covering from the Mary Moorman photograph that shows the lead motorcycles coming down Elm Street. If you look closely at it in Bothun #4, you can see that it had a squared off shape, with a flap coming off the side to the right: classic Polaroid.

I guess this is no big deal, but it would be a good idea if you could correct your article, just for the sake of accuracy in reporting.

Thanks again for including me in your article.

--Cecil N. Jones

We do indeed strive for accuracy in reporting. We screwed up on this one. Readers who may not have noticed this mistake are advised that for the first few weeks of January, the article contained the error as described above. After we got this email from Mr. Jones, we fixed it.

A Review of Our Review

I heartily thank you for the care with which you read my book and your laudatory remarks which will encourage other readership and discussion [History Will Not Absolve Us, FP #14].

A couple of points which it seems were not sufficiently clear. My thesis is not "that the conspiracy to assassinate JFK was acceptable to the American Establishment because it did not upset our constitutional process" nor was I saying that it was "no real coup d'etat ... because the dead president was replaced according to constitutional law..." What I tried to say is that when it came down to it, the establishment's addiction to the military/intelligence apparatus and the cold war is and was so strong that it was chosen over truth and faith to the constitution. Had the constitution been followed there would have been an open fight. Either the government would have fallen with lots of casualties or the conspirators including those at the highest level would have been arrested and tried. Instead what we had was everyone cooperating including the dead President's brother. I thus see that what we had in JFK was a 'deKlerk without an ANC' isolated and thereby vulnerable.

Your comments on the Castro speech seem to suggest that he had some unusually speedy access to information on Oswald. But Castro was simply quoting from out press. We all had the same information Castro had, because our information agencies immediately filled the airwaves with all this stuff on Oswald's background. But Castro reasoned intelligently for himself and the Cuban people based on this information and what he knew the situation to be in Washington.

Re: the Kennedy Dulles dialogue. Dulles argues that Kennedy assaulted "his democracy" and "the American people's" democracy, i.e. democracy as it is conventionally practiced in this country these days. But on the larger matter what is this "strange" dialogue all about? What I see in it is a disintegration of the distinction between what most American would say they believe in and what Dulles labels as being communist. Thus the American people along with Kennedy become indistinguishable from what they conceive as they conceive as "the enemy". It also reveals how and why Dulles (and everything he represents), the true anti-communist cold warrior (see the political translation of Isaac Don Levine), would feel the necessity to eliminate Kennedy.

Best wishes,

E. Martin Schotz

November in Dallas

The Jan-Feb issue is excellent. Lots and lots of good stuff, especially for people like myself who could not go to Dallas last November.

Thanks.

-Chuck

The Hemming Panel

I have no idea of your background and I know you even know less about Gerald P Hemming Jr. . The reason for this letter is to make some contact and to help you get your facts straight. Your attempt at humor or your making light of this man made me extremely upset. So before I go off the deep end with this letter I shall have to bid you farewell.

Felipe

As I replied to you in a private email, I'm sorry you think I was making light of Mr. Hemming. I don't think I was, although having heard the panel on which he participated in Dallas last November, I stand by my story.

Crime Scene

After all these years, something just jumped out at me concerning Dealey Plaza on the day of the assasination. I was at Dealey Plaza just after dark that day with a couple of college chums and we all were curious as to why there was no tape surrounding the area, with a hugh crew of trained investigators pouring over every inch of the area.

I myself stood in the blood on the street, there on Elm street. It was quiet an emotional moment when I discovered that fact. Maybe we all lived in much more naive circumstances at that time in 1963, but the authorities in charge, surely had to "go through the motions" of doing a thourough investigation, you would think.

Sincerely,

Arley Smith

Geraldo Speaks

In a discussion of Groden's expertise in photo analysis concerning O.J. Simpson's Bruno Magli shoes, Geraldo Rivera took several broad swipes at all JFK researchers. Rivera attacked Groden's previous hypothesis (Was it Groden's theory or elementary physics?) that JFK's head movement proved he had been struck by a bullet fired from the front. Groden's error, according to Geraldo, typified the Warren critics as ill informed and paranoid. My bookstore moved all JFK materials from the crime section to the History section and no longer carries an extensive selection of books. Vincent Bugliosi promises a book which will completely refute the movie JFK. My concern is that younger readers who have not been exposed to critical thought on the assassination will accept the lone gunman theory. Since "responsible" media has continuously ridiculed critics who have no way to respond to the general public, facts obvious within an hour of the killing have been drowned in a sea of ridicule. There must be a way to broaden the forum so media moguls would not be able to take unbridled license without fear of contradiction.

Book Recomendation

Dear Fair Play,

Just thought you guys might be interested in a terrific book about the JFK assassination, it's called "American Tabloid". This could be the definitive look at the dark,evil underbelly of American history. Some of the villains littering this story include, Jimmy Hoffa, Howard Hughes,J. Edgar Hoover, Marcello, CIA, Traficante,Ruby, Hoffa, Giancanna and on and on. "Tabloid" was written by James Ellroy. I would be very interested in your take on this book, a lot of this stuff really rings true. Has anyone at Fair Play read this yet?

Thanks-- Patrick Stephens

PS

I should also mention that "American Tabloid" is a work of "fiction," in other words, Ellroy's speculation as to what may have occured.

Thanks for the recommendation. Editor Kelin is the only one who is always here at Fair Play Central, and he hasn't read this book yet. But you've piqued our interest.

Another Ignatius J. Reilly fan

I originally was just going to write to let you know how much I appreciate the Fair Play web site. It is an obvious labor of love and it is one of the best web sites I've seen. But I also wanted to tell you the link to John Kennedy Toole's site is changed. You may want to update it. Incidentally, they are supposed to be putting up an Ignatius Reilly statue outside the former DH Holmes building on Canal St here in New Orleans. Right under the clock. Neat, huh?

Thanks again for the most informative and unbiased view of the JFK assasination I've found. Please keep it up.

Brad Growden

P.S. My Aunt went to High School with Lee Harvey Oswald. Small world.

Thanks for telling us about the broken link. We have fixed it. Now, those of you out there who have not yet read A Confederacy of Dunces, why...get to it! It's in paperback!

This Web We Weave...

Just wanted to let you know I too find your web site interesting and informative. I have many questions regarding the Kennedy Assassination and thanks this medium, many are being addressed.

Donn Wiley

"Dean" Weisberg

NICE TO SEE SOMEONE ELSE APPRECIATES HAROLD WEISBERG. I'VE BEEN READING ALL THA ASSASSINATION MATERIAL I COULD GET MY HANDS ON FOR OVER 33 YEARS. I PERSONALLY CONSIDER HAROLD "THE DEAN" OF WARREN COMMISSION CRITICS! I'VE BEEN IN TOUCH WITH HIM FOR MANY YEARS. AM STILL INTERESTED IN PURCHASING BOOKS ON SUBJECT. I ALSO HAVE EXTRA COPIES OF SOME OLD STANDARDS. i.e. FORGIVE MY GRIEF Vols. 1-4/WR-GPO/ KENNEDY CONSPIRACY etc etc.

Thanks for writing. Anyone interested in contacting you about the books or anything else can get your email address by writing to us.

Stupid Is as Stupid Does

That the history of the assassination of President Kennedy has become an obsession with so many people is nothing short of incredible. No event in history has been more thoroughly analyzed, debated, re-created and investigated, and yet to this day no theory makes more sense, or is backed by more solid evidence, than the original conclusions of the Warren Report. But I don't suppose the speculation will end until folks find something more titillating to explore, like UFO abductions.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!!

When you said "thoroughly analyzed, debated, re-created..." etc., you left out "obfuscated."

The preceding letter was not signed, but the return email address was on an account gwriter@mindspring.com (Gary Goettling). Thanks for the input, Gary!

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