[Riot]

Is Dallas responsible for Oswald's actions? Of course not. But should that type of violent rhetoric be tolerated, be part of the political discourse? Of course not.

If nobody remembers, Kennedy was warned by staff not to go to Dallas, they feared for his safety.

The Warren Commission made several findings in its report. One of its conclusions least remembered by the public today is this: Dallas was not to blame for Kennedy’s assassination or Oswald’s subsequent murder (while in police custody) by Jack Ruby.

Yes, back in 1963-64 the city of Dallas was suspected of somehow sharing responsibility for the killing, at least indirectly, because it fostered hatred for the president. As the report stated: “It has been suggested that one of the motivating influences operating on Lee Oswald was the atmosphere in the City of Dallas, especially an atmosphere of extreme opposition to President Kennedy…”

The Warren Commission examined right-wing extremism in Dallas and found it to be strong and prevalent. The report referred to Dallas’s “reputation of the twenties as ‘the Southwest hate capital of Dixie.’” There had been ugly confrontations when Johnson came to Dallas as a vice-presidential candidate during the 1960 campaign, and again when Adlai Stevenson came to the city in October 1963.

Virulent right-wing leaders in Dallas gave lectures and speeches denouncing the Kennedy Administration. In the days before the presidential motorcade was to parade through Dallas, ads appeared in the city’s newspapers condemning Kennedy, as well as nasty editorials and letters to the editors.

Security officials were especially concerned about a handbill that was circulated and posted in Dallas on Nov. 21, 1963, the day before Kennedy appeared and was assassinated. Beneath two photographs of the president, one from the front and one in profile, was the bold headline: WANTED FOR TREASON. The handbill said: “This man is wanted for treasonous activities against the United States.” It then listed seven charges against Kennedy, including “betraying the Constitution,” “turning the sovereignty of the U.S. over to communist-controlled United Nations,” and giving “support and encouragement to the communist-inspired racial riots.”

The Warren Commission report was released to the public on a Sunday afternoon. The next day, it was front page news for newspapers all across the country. Like everywhere else, the report’s conclusion that Oswald acted alone was on the front page of the Dallas papers. In addition, the city’s leading paper carried two additional front page articles about the report that were of particular interest locally: the exoneration of Dallas.