60 years after Kennedy assassination: Biden pays tribute to ex-president
On the 60th anniversary of the assassination of former US President John F. Kennedy, the current incumbent Joe Biden has paid tribute to his legacy. The Democrat had "set a clear direction for America on many of the most important issues of the 20th century - from civil rights to voting rights to equal pay for women", said Biden. With "calm determination", Kennedy had led "through the most dangerous moments of the Cold War", brought the USA to the moon and inspired people to see public service as a vocation.
Kennedy was shot dead in Dallas, Texas, on November 22, 1963. On the same day, investigators arrested the suspected gunman Lee Harvey Oswald - just two days later, Oswald himself was shot dead while being transferred to a prison. This circumstance, as well as unclear evidence, contradictory statements and errors in the investigation, cast doubt on the official account that Oswald was the sole perpetrator. The first conspiracy theories soon began to circulate, which continue to this day. Last year, the US government published more than 13,000 documents relating to the assassination that had previously been kept secret.
Kennedy, who was also the first Catholic president of the USA, was only 46 years old. A few months before his death, on June 26, 1963, during a visit to divided Berlin, he said the famous sentence in front of Schöneberg City Hall: "Ich bin ein Berliner." For his audience in West Berlin, the speech was an important signal of solidarity less than two years after the Wall was built. The sentence, which Kennedy recited in German, sparked cheers and went around the world.
Kennedy had changed the way America saw itself, Biden continued. "He called on us to take history into our own hands and never give up on building an America that lives up to its highest ideals." Kennedy's legacy should be seen as an "enduring call" for "each of us to do our utmost for our country".
The Government's recent release of over 13,000 previously classified documents related to Kennedy's assassination has fueled ongoing conspiracy theories. During his presidency, John F. Kennedy, despite facing numerous challenges and controversies, managed to inspire a generation with his ideals and vision for America.
Source: www.dpa.com
