Op-Ed
News
A peaceable assembly in petition for release of
all Kennedy assassination-related records still withheld by the Central
Intelligence Agency will begin on Thursday, May 29, at 12:30 p.m. on public
terraces of the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, 2700 F
St., NW, Washington D.C.
Initiated by Karl Golovin, a retired U.S. Customs special agent, "the right
to peaceably assemble, and petition for redress of grievances may not be
suppressed or prohibited, as 'under color of law' by, for example, imposing
inherently unconstitutional permit and regulatory requirements," says
Golovin.
"In the United States, the government isn't
to make people create an organizational hierarchy, submit plans and ask
permission before publicly assembling to require that the government
immediately change and stop doing something evil.
Of course, the nature of governing authority through most of human
history has been to avoid or manage criticism, to maintain absolute control and
discourage public gatherings large enough to establish undeniable awareness of
a need for change. But in
America, the Constitution says that if we have a grievance, we have the right
to show up," he said. "Those we've placed in governing responsibility
should welcome this process of receiving feedback and requiring their
accountability – and not mischaracterize it as 'protesting' or 'civil
disobedience.'"
Golovin is hoping many will heed this call to
peaceably assemble and prompt the President to require the CIA's immediate
release of the records. "If as many people show up as have expressed
outrage about the government's conduct in this matter over the 50 years since
November 22, 1963, the government will promptly release the records. Peaceably assembling, not just online
blogging and submitting written or electronic petitions, is the means provided
by the Constitution whereby the American people may actually begin regaining
control of our constitutional republic," Golovin said.
"There is no legitimate reason for continued withholding of information
about JFK's assassination," said Golovin.
"In 1985, sworn testimony in a Miami
federal trial – never publicized by mainstream media – implicated E. Howard Hunt, Frank Sturgis, and other CIA personnel in the assassination. Before dying in 2007, Hunt taped his own
confession – thin on details of self-described 'benchwarmer' status in the plot
– yet implicating the involvement of not just Sturgis, but other CIA figures,
including William King Harvey, David Sanchez Morales, and David Atlee Phillips.
"How can the CIA delay releasing
operational or other records of those who have confessed or been so implicated
in President Kennedy's murder?" asks Golovin. " 'National Security?'
No, 'National Security' rather requires genuine unraveling of the lies that 'Oswald acted alone' and 'Ruby acted alone;' Even reining in the
CIA to its original, intelligence-only mandate and terminating its operational
duties, as recommended a month after JFK's murder by the man who signed into
law establishment of the CIA, President Harry
Truman." Golovin notes, "Trying to make the world a better place
by just killing all the right people obviously hasn't worked so well. The founders were wise to agree on the
requirement in the U.S. Constitution that Congress, the peoples' collective
representation – not just a president, or CIA – must declare war prior to unleashing acts of war,
like assassinations and destructive interference in the internal affairs of
other countries. We have moved far
enough in the wrong direction since JFK's assassination; it's time to correct
our direction."
Golovin said that in part due to the
proliferation of social media, the people of the United States have become
complacent and forgotten the power of simply showing up in large numbers.
"The government can't treat assembly as civil disobedience. It is actually
the height of civil obedience to peaceably show up and hold our government
accountable," Golovin stated. "It would be highly uncivil of
authorities to prevent or disrupt it."
Golovin remembers a quote by Kennedy, "One person can make a
difference, and everyone should try." He hopes hundreds, thousands, or more may
heed that call.
There are no plans for speakers during the
assembly. "This is not about people gathering to be entertained, and any
making the effort to be here will no doubt already understand the issues at
stake. We have become far too
comfortable with routinely gathering only online, or just to hear experts speak
and then ourselves go home, buy more books and continue always studying, always
preparing, yet perhaps never taking demonstrable action. This assembly is about experiencing the
importance and power of our collective presence, gathering in expectation that
those in government will promptly initiate a meaningful response; release of
the records," Golovin said.
Following the assembly, the group may disperse
and peaceably reassemble elsewhere, perhaps at the White House or CIA
Headquarters, "to emphasize the immediacy of our grievance," Golovin
said. "In first assembling, we are creating a moment for spontaneity. In that moment and those to follow, none
should instigate or participate in disorderliness or violence - any persons
doing so should be immediately shunned, as likely planted by others to discredit
the assembly; this is a day for peaceably assembling, in petition for redress
of specific grievances."
Golovin recently hosted on March 21st, during
"Sunshine Week," showing of a film, "JFK: A President
Betrayed," at the Goethe Institute in Washington D.C., followed by a video
produced by Golovin and discussion of the potential for what he terms
"Constitutional Activism" in the context of the JFK assassination
records issue.
Concurrent with this press release, Golovin is
placing on YouTube an updated version of the original video on this topic,
which received about 1700 views after initial posting on January 4, 2014. The current video may be viewed by going to
the domain names www.HonorJFK.com or www.CrackTheNut.com, as are forwarded to
the video, or on the link provided at the Facebook Event page for the May 29th
assembly, as is easily reached via: www.JFKvigil.com.
The video released by Golovin and related
Facebook Event page issue a call to action:
"On JFK's birthday, peaceably and
simultaneously assemble in communities across the U.S. and world, but
especially on the public terraces of The Kennedy Center, Washington, D.C.,
petitioning by your presence for: 1) Immediate release, in full, of all still
secret assassination-related records; 2) Reining in of the CIA to its original,
intelligence-only mandate; 3) Establishing a specific date for annual, global
recognition of John Kennedy's life by vigilance in ending the intimidation of
government secrecy and the violence it perpetuates, shining the light of
transparency in governments
everywhere."
Between this press release and May 29th,
Golovin anticipates publicly displaying a sign and distributing flyers calling
for the May 29th assembly:
1. On April 21st, 2014, at both the
John F. Kennedy National Historical Site (JFK Birthplace) and JFK Presidential
Library and Museum, Boston, MA;
2. On the morning of April 22, 2014, during the
broadcast of "Good Morning America," from the Rockefeller Center, New
York, NY.
3. Between April 22, 2014 and May 29th, on
Pennsylvania Avenue, in front of the White House, and other appropriate venues
in and around Washington, D.C.
On May 29th, Golovin anticipates
release of a still further updated video, addressing matters to include E. Howard Hunt's confession and
President George H. W. Bush's
association with the CIA before his appointment as the agency's director in
1976. Of note, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover took pains to carefully
document that on November 23, 1963, "Mr. George Bush of the Central Intelligence Agency"
received an assassination-related FBI briefing, the day after JFK's
murder.
Also on May 29th, if all records
related to JFK's assassination are not released on or before that date, Golovin
anticipates calling for subsequent reassemblies on the public terraces of the
Kennedy Center, on November 22, 2014, the 51st anniversary of JFK's murder, and
thereafter as necessary, including on the date yet to be announced for filming
of the 2014 Kennedy Center Honors.
For more information contact Karl Golovin at
Twitter at @karlgolovin, Phone 305-531-8381,
email address removed; Website www.JFKvigil.com
is currently under construction, but that domain address forwards directly to
the Facebook Event page for the May 29th Constitutional Assembly in Washington.
Copies of all posters/flyers are available for free download via http://www.JFKvigil.info..
No comments:
Post a Comment