How’s everyone’s weekend going? Thanks for spending a portion of it with the Six.
Over the holidays, I finished a re-watch of the 1991 movie “JFK.”
The Oliver Stone-directed film is probably 30 minutes too long but a still-riveting piece of filmmaking. Stone is firmly in the camp of how our former president, John F. Kennedy, was murdered in a government-led conspiracy. Oswald did not act alone.
As often happens after viewing a non-fiction film, the internet provides an endless sea of companion content to consume. Much of it draws the same conclusion: that the planning and execution of JFK’s killing was a group effort. If true, the assassination of JFK is the most remarkable cover up in the history of our nation.
Interest over the event in the general culture ebbs and flows. One thing remains constant –– in the 60 years since the murder, thousands of conversations have begun with the question, “do you think Oswald acted alone or was there another shooter?”
(This dinner party chatter likely peaked pre-internet just after the film. In 1991, rabbit holes were limited to shelves in local libraries. No one could gin up conspiracy theories on Reddit or private Facebook groups.)
It got me thinking – I feel like you can learn a lot about a person by asking the Oswald question.
A government-knows-best person is likely a Warren Commission abolitionist.
A free market capitalist probably thinks there was a second or third shooter.
Those who don’t question the dogma of our political or educational institutions are likely to believe Oswald acted alone. Accepting that it is possible the Kennedy case has survived a six-decades long cover up are the type of folks who are truth-seekers, whether that be about local schools, medical systems and other institutions. Or the Kennedy assassination.
I’m projecting here, obviously. But probably not all that much.
A suggestion: try the Oswald Rorschach-like test at your next social gathering. See what answers it rouses.
The reality is we’ll never know the absolute truth about JFK. And that’s a bummer.
Let’s proceed with the Six.
1. Illinois Sheriffs Say They Won’t Enforce Gun Law.
Not only is Illinois Governor JB Pritzker the most sued governor in the country, his laws are the most objectionable amongst law enforcement. Remember the county sheriffs who refused to enforce his unlawful Covid-related lockdowns? A large number of sheriffs said this week they will not enforce the gun ban. Pritzker went on cable news and insulted the elected officials, calling their potential actions, ‘political grandstanding.’ Typical tit-for-tat governing in Illinois, instigated by bully boy leadership from the top down. If there was a drinking game for the number of times the Illinois governor did something strictly for self-indulgent, egocentric reasons I’d be dead 2,173 times over of alcohol poisoning. The downstate Pantagraph newspaper has the details.
2. Idaho Murders: The Eyes of A Killer.
I’m not typically a true crime guy, but once in awhile a story is so gruesomely captivating, I get caught up. That’s the case with the November murders of four Idaho college students. A suspect is in custody and it appears authorities have a compelling case. But how did local Idaho cops respond to the gruesome scene of the quadruple murders? And how did they eventually catch the killer? This reporter from Air Mail recounts the torrid details, with a narrative flair, in the first half of a two-parter on the case.
3. Michigan Bans Term ‘Field Worker’ Citing Racist Subtext.
This month the state of Michigan’s Department of Health and Human Services decided to ban the term “field worker” (as did the University of Southern California). The Michigan agency cited racism as the cause of the ban, saying how in its view there is "implication for descendants of enslaved Black and Brown individuals." USC admins wrote, "phrases such as ‘going into the field’ or ‘field work’ may have connotations for descendants of slavery and immigrant workers that are not benign.” This is what happens within progressive bubbles, so removed from the reality of what actually happens in rural America that it literally believes the word “field” is racist. Do they know baseball is played and food is grown in the ‘field?’ When was the last time anyone associated the word ‘field’ with white supremacy? “Gone With the Wind” maybe? These reformist nut jobs need to get out of the city and go pick some wild onion grass.
4. Taylor Swift Queen of Vinyl Album Sales.
Leave it to Taylor Swift to drive music commerce, no matter the form or function. Last year saw yet another banner year for the vinyl record revival, and one person, Swift, can take a uniquely large amount of the responsibility for that. The superstar sold 1.695 million vinyl LPs in 2022, which is literally about four percent of all vinyl LPs sold in the United States in 2022. That’s surprising to me is I associate vinyl listening to artists from the 60’s and 70’s when turntables reigned supreme. If I had a vinyl home set up (I don’t…give me a CD all day, every day) I’d drop the needle for Led Zeppelin or The Doors, not Swift. But in 2022, the “Midnights” singer sold more vinyl than the next two sellers — Harry Styles (719,000 LPs) and The Beatles (553,000 LPs) — combined. Stereogum has the details.
5. Mystery Man Found Washed up on English Beach.
Three months ago, a guy washes up on an English beach. He claims he has no memory of who he is or how he got there. British authorities have nothing to go on apart from a guess, based on his accent, that he’s Latvian. Of course he might have foreign accent syndrome, which is an actual thing. This same circumstance happened in a Jason Bourne novel, but safe to say any hair-raising adventure won’t be happening with this mope. Likely a fraudster looking for a friend.
6. TikTok Influencer Draws Male Fans to Meet, Internet Goes Crazy.
Admittedly, before this article, I had maybe tangential knowledge of Olivia Dunne. Apparently she’s a popular social media influencer who moonlights as a gymnastics athlete for LSU. Last week, Dunne and her Tiger teammates traveled to Utah for a meet. Having covered a few gymnastics events in my days as a reporter, they can be relatively low key affairs with sprinkles of loud whoops when a performer hits their mark. But this particular meet, presumably due to Dunne’s participation, drew an abnormally large number of male fans who were not shy in expressing their enthusiasm for Dunne. This made athletic officials nervous, and one of the coaches said a larger security presence would be needed next time. After watching some of the photos and videos, I don’t get the uproar. This strikes me as another example of the internet’s assault on white males, who due to their identity, aren’t allowed to be expressive in public, lest they be labeled “rowdy” and “cringey,” as referenced in media reports. I’m waiting for the obligatory NY Times or NPR piece admonishing the dangerous behavior of teenage boys and how they should spend their time doing more productive things like feeding blind homeless trans puppies or handing out all-female M&M’s at school parties.
Thanks for reading everybody and enjoy the rest of your weekend.
Have a suggestion for The Sunday Six? Send email to jonjkerr@gmail.com.