Question For Dallas residents

[Yakuza Rich]

This is something I've wondered about for years.

Every time I read or watch something about the city of Dallas or the JFK assassination, there is always reference to how it galvanized and shaped the city of Dallas in a negative fashion. And how the people of Dallas were horrifically embarrassed by the situation and more or less felt like a laughing stock after the assassination (it sounds like this was up until the 80's when the oil boom hit).

I'm curious as to if this is really true or if this is just media sensationalism?

If it is true, why would the citizens of Dallas be embarrassed by the assassination?

It just seems to me that while I would never want a President assassinated, it was not thru any fault of my own or the city's fault.

Just curious if anybody can provide some insight that I may be missing. Thanks in advance.




YR

 

[DallasCowpoke]

I was just over 3 when it happened, so my firsthand recollection is more what I heard from relatives or learned from people like neighbors, teachers etc as I grew up.

I never got the impression this area as a whole, was ever "horrifically embarrassed" or "felt like a laughing stock". More so, the typical shock, sorrow and "how could this happen in our city" feelings, similar to what takes place in an area where something like a horrific school shooting or something of that ilk occurs.

 

[jterrell]

I was born and raised here but after the assassination.

I honestly have never even been to the monument tho I worked downtown blocks away for a few years.
I have driven past a couple hundred times.

It was a tragic event but I don't know Dallas ever felt it "owned" the event.
It was clearly an American tragedy that the country shared.

The Stephen King novel with the date was phenomenal by the way.

 

[Nova]

I'm 27 so I'm not too sure either. From what my parents have told me, it was embarrassing to be known as the city that killed Kennedy. Dallas wasn't really known for much else then. And it seems like that may not have changed even still.

When presidents visit there's always someone mentioning it like it could happen again... And while it could, it's just as likely in any other city, so that's one thing I'm kind of annoyed by.

There's a pretty good book describing the Dallas landscape att the time, but I can't remember the title. If I ever do I'll post here or pm you.

 

[WV Cowboy]

The success and popularity of the Dallas Cowboys helped restore the image of the city of Dallas after the negative stigma attached from the JFK assignation.

 

[BringBackThatOleTimeBoys]

The JFK Assassination was the 1st breaking news event - it was covered 24/7 even when there was nothing to add, they kept talking/speculating. Dallas grew out of being a regional city and into a national city - less Southern, more cosmopolitan. Dallas was and still a right-wing city, so all the anti-Kennedy articles in the Dallas Morning News along with the spit bath of Stevenson stuck.

This was the start of a crazy ten years that would end in Watergate.

If we had cell phones and digital cameras then, maybe there would have been less conspiracy theories - maybe.

It's strange this is half-way between the present and the start of World War I.