I Know This Is A Tad Unfair, But They Brought It Up... A Funeral Train To Remember...

[WillyT]

Link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG4vJxi9Kis

Just in case we forgot such idiot talk has no consequence.

:cry:

[skooooo]

1. my greatgrandmother saw lincoln come through on a train...

(after assassination)

[WillyT]

2. I Remember Watching That Train On The Networks...

It was amazing. And heart-wrenching.

:shrug:

[BlooInBloo]

4. Wow.

[WillyT]

7. The Amazing Wow For Me...

is that part when one of RFK's sons comes to the train's window to check out the crowd...

and you see the flag draped coffin in the background...

I cannot tell which son that is, I only knew David...

and I have no earthly way to ask that question of the family.

:shrug:

[Arugula Latte]

30. Whoa. That is mind-blowing.

It's amazing how few people removed we are from long-ago historic events. :wow:

[JPZenger]

3. 2 million people watched the funeral train

2 million people lined train tracks to pay their respects as the funeral train went by. Many had to trudge through swamps or climb up to the top of tenement roofs to see it. Many held flags, many saluted, many cried.

I was 6 years old, and was waken from a deep sleep to hear the horrible news of what had happened to my hero.

[BlooInBloo]

5. Wow. (I wasn't even alive.)

[AllentownJake]

6. Never Again

Please God :cry:

[Voice for Peace]

19. Not this time.

[K Gardner]

8. Dammit, Willy. I was better with the rage. She's torn a scab off that's left many of us bleeding.

[WillyT]

11. I Know... And I'm Sittin Here With Permanent Tears In My Eyes Over This...

:shrug:

[cyndensco]

22. Yup, this campaign has entered a new dimension for me today.

The possibility has always been there. Today though, because of her statement, however "innocent" it was, the possibility is staring us in the face.

I, too, preferred the rage.

[WillyT]

26. I Know K... I Was Alright With The Normal Rage... Today It Literally Became Outrageous !!!

:mad:

[LittleBlue]

9. Jesus that's depressing

:cry:

[Davis_X_Machina]

10. Still photos here...

...shot from the train by photojournalist Paul Fusco.

My favorite.

Better than Norman Rockwell, because it really happened.

40th anniversary coming up -- good time to buy the book.

[WillyT]

14. ... --- ...

:cry:

[JPZenger]

31. thanks for posting. I'm still crying. nt

[jwirr]

12. RFK

Long lines of mourners,
Long lines of the slain,
Long lines of teletype
Spelling out the pain.

Long lines at the ballot box
Casting votes in vain,
Long lines line the long long track
of another lonesome train. By Len Chandler

[WillyT]

20. Thank You For That...

Peace...

:hi:

[Joe the Revelator]

13. That was powerful....I had never seen that footage before.

[WillyT]

15. Saw It Live... And It Nearly Killed My Parents...

:shrug:

:hi:

[Misskittycat]

16. My father, sister and I watched the train pass through Philadelphia.

We went to a neighborhood in Northeast Philadelphia that backed up to the tracks. We waited there for the train. As far as the eye could see in either direction, ordinary folks were lined up, solemnly waiting for the train.

When it came by, Teddy Kennedy was out on the platform at the rear of the train, acknowledging all of us. It was very sad and moving at the same time.

I can remember it now like it just happened. It is a very vivid memory of my father, and particularly bittersweet. Today is the 38th anniversary of his death in 1970.

[stillcool]

29. It's something how we...

have our own personal painful recollections. I was 11 years old. It was like a death in the family. It still is.

[tpsbmam]

17. Mom & Dad were on the train.....

We grew up in politics and the Kennedys were friends (of theirs -- I barely know any of the younger generation).I don't remember what Dad said about it. Mom was a pretty tough.....OK, very tough woman. She wasn't given to tears and wasn't give to drama or emotional expression.

Her description of that ride was heartbreaking and awe inspiring. She was overwhelmed by the outpouring of grief and love as the thousands upon thousands of people lined the tracks. Everyone on the train was. They had endless experiences to talk about during the course of very full lives -- this was one that she didn't talk about often, but when she did it was clear that her heart welled with emotion each time she brought it up.

[WillyT]

18. That Was The Thing... And Bless You For Sharing...

As I recall, at all of 12 or 13, there was no great protest movement, or organized effort to surround the train with supporters.

This was TOTALLY organic. Those that lived by the train route, and many, many who did not, went their on their own accord to give their respects.

I doubt most knew they would ever end up on film.

Pure, it was.

:shrug:

[CitizenLeft]

24. it must've been incredible... and numbing and heartbreaking...

Thank you for your story. It was hard enough on those of us who could never get closer than the television screen to them as people - I can't even imagine how shattering it was for those who knew them personally.

[mamalone]

21. oh. my. God.

I can't believe we are back here again... Bobby was the first political figure who grasped my attention. I loved him. I was convinced he was going to change the world. His death devastated me... the image of him lying on the floor of that hotel kitchen, one arm outstretched, hand clenched, those beautiful eyes staring... is seared forever in my memory.

Why, why why did she have to bring this up again???

[CitizenLeft]

23. Wow.

The tears are flowing.

I was 8 years old that night. My Mom had been watching coverage of the California primary. It was late, we're in Ohio. She was watching his speech, and I saw it too. Then it happened, and the choas in the hotel... I'll never forget it for as long as I live.

The next few days, our teacher had us follow what was happening - I remember an article we were shown showing the path of the bullet... I question now if that was appropriate for children so young in a classroom... But then again, it was history, horrible era-ending history and she must've thought we had a right to know what was happening - what had just happened, and what we'd all just lost. I'm glad she did.

Those photos are heart-breaking. Especially the ones showing people with their hands over their hearts or saluting.

[WillyT]

25. And THAT Is Why HRC's Words Were So Horrific Today...

It's the old Political adage... they are either stupid, or corrupt.

And either way, you do not let then anywhere near the levers of power.

:shrug:

[CitizenLeft]

36. whatever she meant by it, it was one "misspeak" too many.

I can't believe someone of her intelligence and ... "experience"... would go there, no matter how exhausted or desperate she may be.

My jaw dropped when I heard it.

[gblady]

27. shattering.....

tears flowing here, too.
the faces of the people tell it all.

[stillcool]

28. oh boy...

I believe this Primary season has opened up all the wounds in our nations history.

[Skidmore]

32. Maybe it will give those wounds a chance to heal properly.

Peace.

[SeattleGirl]

33. I just watched that video earlier.

Brought back so much sadness.

That's what angers me about what Hilary said.

I don't necessarily think she wants Obama to be assassinated. I think that she WAS saying that if something happened to him she'd be there to pick up the slack.

But,

it doesn't make it right what she said.

It doesn't make me feel good.

I remember those days, and since Hilary is close to 10 years older than I am I KNOW she remembers them too.

It's not okay that she used this as an example.

There are other examples she could have used.

But she didn't.

And that is the tragedy of her remarks.

Sad.

Just fucking sad.

[RNdaSilva]

34. I remember that...very vividly

and the plane trip from Dalas.

Never again, never again...

[OneBlueSky]

35. I remember that like it was yesterday . . .

I've never seen -- before or since -- such a spontaneous and sincere outpouring of affection and respect for any political figure as I saw on that day . . . hundreds of thousands -- if not millions -- of Americans standing in silent tribute over hundreds of miles of the funeral train's route . . . it was absolutely stunning, and something I will never forget . . .