By Jan C. Nielsen on Saturday, September 8, 2001 - 12:54 am:
I think it depends on the person, Bill. I stood in Dealey Plaza, alone and without music, some years ago and felt no catharsis. Others, I've heard, go there and cry, and carry on. The assassination of the president was tragic, and when John Jr. was killed, for whatever reason some of the pathos of that November 1963 time frame actually came back into my head. It was really strange. I didn't cry or anything. But I felt kind of a hopelessness, or deep down sadness and sense of loss. I'm not sure why--but I don't need music to comprehend that story. With the Titanic disaster, however, music helps a lot.
Well Jan, thanks for replying to my letter, I tend to agree with you that it depends on the person when they are at a site of great historical significance, for instance , a co-worker of mine goes to gettysburg every year and we all know what happened there, some points of historical significance touch each our lives differently.......I only used Dallas as a refernce, I could not go there and feel much of anything because the hustle and bustle of everyday life there in that spot leaves concentration very difficult.
But somehow out in the middle of the north atlantic at night in pitch darkness over the sight of the wreck would have a far different effect on me because not one person died here but more than 1500, screaming in the middle of the night and no one to answer their pleas...yes you could probably stand there and hear the voices.....I wish I could go there someday..
Until then, I can only pause in rememberance..... Bill >