"A Ripple of Hope": RFK/MLK death documentary on Oz TV

[katisha]

This http://www.abc.net.au/tv/guide/abc1/201 ... f%20Hopeis on the telly here tonight.Just wondering if any of you have seen it and, if so, what did you think?I'm really looking forward to it; Bobby's speech that night was extraordinary; very powerful and extremely moving. I've always understood that it was extemporary; I guess I'll find out for sure when I watch this.

[kenmurray]

Hi Katisha. Great hearing from you. I haven't seen this. Thanks for bringing this to our attention.

[Barney]

Should we not all be a bit suspicious of murder charges in the MLK and then the RFK murder cases, when one accused denied up until his death still in prisonthat he was the victim of a conspiracy by others, and was a patsy. Then along comes the Bobby Kennedy assassination in Los Angeles, where known Mafiaand CIA murderers are seen and even photographed, and the accused assassin cannot recall what happened after drinking a couple of cups of hot coffee inthe kitchen area, while the speeches are winding down and before the shooting starts. Again, we hear of the lady in the polka dot dress serving him hot javaas he is tired and needs to get pepped up a bit after a hot day at the tracks warming up horses, going to the pistol shooting range and firing off a box or twoof terminator .22 cal. bullets for practice. Strange we never found the lady and guy who was with her, who gave Sirhan the hot coffee mix.

[Bob]

Thanks for the head's up Katisha...but I missed it. Did anybody see it? Comments and thoughts?

[Bob]

Barney wrote:Should we not all be a bit suspicious of murder charges in the MLK and then the RFK murder cases, when one accused denied up until his death still in prisonthat he was the victim of a conspiracy by others, and was a patsy. Then along comes the Bobby Kennedy assassination in Los Angeles, where known Mafiaand CIA murderers are seen and even photographed, and the accused assassin cannot recall what happened after drinking a couple of cups of hot coffee inthe kitchen area, while the speeches are winding down and before the shooting starts. Again, we hear of the lady in the polka dot dress serving him hot javaas he is tired and needs to get pepped up a bit after a hot day at the tracks warming up horses, going to the pistol shooting range and firing off a box or twoof terminator .22 cal. bullets for practice. Strange we never found the lady and guy who was with her, who gave Sirhan the hot coffee mix.I can't wait to see what Michael Calder will give us as he continues his investigation into RFK's assassination. I definitely feel Michael is on the right track.

[katisha]

Finally got around to watching this today, after recording it on Thursday night. It was terrific, and very touching. Most of the interviewees; RFK staffers and people who attended the rally, were in tears talking about their memories of that night. (So was I, and I wasn't even there!) Kennedy's speech was as wonderful as I remember it being and several people mentioned that it was, indeed, extemporary. A couple of his staffers had written some notes/draft speeches for him, but he didn't use any of them - he just went up there and spoke from a few notes of his own. I'd only ever heard the speech before; not seen footage of him giving it and the crowd's reactions: it was stunning.What a courageous man RFK was. Both the police and the Mayor of Indianapolis asked for the rally to be cancelled because they thought there would be riots. One of the people who was at the rally said she saw people with knives and guns there, and she was sure Kennedy, and maybe others, would be killed. RFK sent Ethel back to their hotel before he gave the speech, because he knew how potentially dangerous it was.But, according to the interviewees, Bobby Kennedy "settled that city" that night, while riots were breaking out across the country, including in New Orleans, Detroit and Chicago. In the week after MLK was killed, according to this film, there were riots in 76 cities; 46 people were killed; 2,000 people were injured; and 28,000 people were jailed. But in Indianapolis there was "order, peace and tranquility" thanks to Bobby.Very touching and inspiring too is the statue, on the spot where RFK gave the speech, of RFK and MLK reaching out towards each other. Another 'must-see' for my list if I ever get to the US.Anyway, more info about it here:http://www.rippleofhopemovie.com/

[Phil Dragoo]

With a nod to the glaring poetic license Robert Kennedy allowed himself in so limning the coup, let us continue.It was a year of clearing the decks.Though Tet presented as a defeat for the north, Cronkite, useful CIA tool that he was, framed it as the end for us, and Johnson used that as his cover for exiting stage left for his ranch.The Ides of March swept Lyndon from the scene—goodbye to the “mastermind.”April the cruelest month. It wasn't Ray, as Pepper in Orders to Kill so ably illustrated—not when it took FBI schmuck Hoover (aided by Hollow Man) to push King into the Lorraine, and move him to the second-floor balcony room, and place the CIA milint op at his elbow—then send Memphis Sanitation to clear the shrubbery which blocked the shot that never was.Bobby was steered into the Ambassador pantry by the circled man below. Michael Calder reports all survivors who should be able to identify this man, cannot or refuse to do so. Please note this man and contact Michael Calder with any information you may have:The three of us college students sharing the Indianapolis apartment at the time of this Indy speech by Bobby were all robbed by neighborhood residents. Despite this, the following year, upon graduation, one of my friends dedicated his life to helping them. After so many years teaching in Harlem he is now in a care facility with lung cancer.Dr. King and Bobby left the fight yet provide the light, drawing the ships of the sun.

[Barney]

I have often wondered at the sheer devotion and obvious admiration Bobby Kennedy had for his older brother Jack Kennedy. I finally readin an older book perhaps the answer to this question for me, as it far exceeded mere brotherly love. It seems that the heir apparent JosephP Kennedy Jr. was the father's favorite child of the 9 he and Rose Kennedy produced. It seems that he was somewhat of an egotistic youth,who regularly beat the younger siblings or intimidated them when his parents were away or out of town on business trips. It was JosephKennedy's firm desire that his eldest son become President after it became obvious that he himself would never become President due to hisPro-Nazi statements while Ambassador to Great Britian and being relieved of his duties by Roosevelt. In fact, since Kennedy had been a major financial backer of the FDR administration, Kennedy held a weekend meeting with FDR at Hyde Park, NY to discuss his future. It seemthat a very heated argument occurred between the two men meeting in private and FDR ordered Kennedy out of his house. He then orderedhis wife Eleanor to drive Kennedy to the railroad terminal for his trip back home. The two men never met with each other again. In factwhen Joe Kennedy's plane exploded over the English Channel in 1944 or 1945, cant recall which, Kennedy blamed FDR for his sons death bysecretly sabotaging his heavily loaded bomber being used to bomb submarine pens along the French coast turning the bomber into a guidedunmanned bomber as the bomber personnel were to bail out over the channel and the bomber was guided to the target by a followup plane.Going back to the early years, Jack took many beatings meant for Bobby who was the younger child, smaller and weaker than even Jack.After the war, Jack had to have several back surgeries and almost died several times from this, as well as being diagnosed with AddisonsDisease where he had to take massive doses of cortisone steroid hormones, which may account for his more than lusty appetite for sex.Old man Kennedy realizing the poor health of his son, who as senator was poised just right for a run against Nixon, he demanded after theelection that Jack appoint Bobby to look out for Jack, protect him, run interference for him, be his hatchetman when needed. He did thisin spades.