jpholding
July 29th 2003, 02:26 PM
This article was a fun one written "tongue in cheek" from the perspective of a man 2000 or so years in the future. It is a satire on methods used by the like of Randel Helms and Dennis MacDonald to claim that resemblances to OT events in NT stories proves that the stories are fictional.
******
Hello. Welcome again to the year 3740. This is Teachminder Phonias J. Futz, and since my revolutionary conclusion that Abraham Lincoln was a myth my students have been scouring literature left from prior to the catastrophe for more evidence to support this thesis. And we have indeed been fortunate, though in ways unexpected. We have uncovered two biographies of one of 20th-century Usa's most popular leaders, J. Fitzgerald Kennedy: John F. Kennedy by Mills, and Jack: A Life Like No Other by Perret. The biographies are in poor condition, but we have gleaned enough information for at least one report which has led us to a new thesis: That many alleged events in the life of Lincoln, as reported in the 20th century, relied on written antecedents recording the life of Kennedy, who lived prior to the time that the most detailed biographies of Lincoln were written.
As I read these Kennedy bios, I noticed echoes of the life of Lincoln, especially in the detailed bio of Lincoln by Donald -- parallels between the two men, then between their wives, then between their surrounding characters and persons. Both Lincoln and Kennedy demonstrated a fascination with civil rights, defense of the nation, and came to a similar end. Sometimes the similarities in accounts obtain even at the level of word choice and minor plot elements. I have come to conclude that writers of Lincoln bios wanted their readers to detect their use of Kennedy -- directly, if not subliminally. But the Lincoln biographers did not steal from these Kennedy biographers or from Kennedy's life; they also transvalued them by making Lincoln look more virtuous and more powerful than Kennedy. However, their imitation was not servile; they used disguises such as altering the vocabulary, varying the order, length, and structure of sentences, improving the content, and generating a series of formal transformations. They were experienced authors who borrowed from many sources (not just Kennedy bios), blending the works as a buzzstripe gathers nectar. And interestingly, it appears that readers in the 20th century were blind to this important aspect of the Lincoln biographers' project.
We will have many examples of this to present as our research continues, but for now we will use as an exemplar the most significant -- the parallels between Lincoln and Kennedy in their deaths. We believe that we will show without a doubt that Lincoln's life, as recorded and reworked in the 20th century, was built upon the foundation of Kennedy. We will begin by explaining a few of the parallels in detail and their significance, and then compile all of the parallels in columns.
Warnings Against Their Travel. On the day of his assassination, several of Lincoln's advisers "urged him not to go to the theater. Before going on a mission to Richmond, Lincoln's regular bodyguard, Lamon, begged him, "Promise me you will not go out at night while I am gone, particularly to the theater." Lamon issued such warnings so often, however, that he merely replied that he would "do the best" he could. Stanton, one of Lincoln's aides, "repeatedly warned Lincoln against mingling with promiscuous crowds at the theater." This night was regarded as most dangerous becase of rumors that General Grant, the hated military leader under Lincoln, would be joining Lincoln.
In the time before his assassination, Kennedy received several warnings not to visit the place of his demise -- Dallas, Texas. Mills: "The president has been warned over and over again to stay away from Dallas." Representaive Hale Boggs thought Kennedy would be going into "a hornet's nest." Senator William Fulbright warned: "Dallas is a very dangerous place." An editor of a Texas newspaper said that Kennedy would "not get through this without something happening to him." Governor Connally recommended that Kennedy not visit Dallas.
It should be noted that the timing of these events is significant. Kennedy made his visit shortly before the holiday known as Thanksgiving, a celebration of the founding of Usa. Lincoln biographers copied and transvalued this event by having Lincoln killed on the Good Friday holiday, just prior to Easter. Kennedy died just before a holiday commemorating the birth of the nation, but Lincoln was to be associated with a holiday linked to the death of Jesus Christ -- the only way one could conceivably transvalue such timing.
Ironic loss of protection. Lincoln asked several people to come with him. One of these was Thomas Eckert, a man so strong that he broke several cast-iron pokers by striking them across his left arm. But Eckert was needed elsewhere and declined the invitation. Kennedy meanwhile refused a bulletproof top for his car.
Seating arrangements. At the Ford Theater a special arrangement had been made for Lincoln's party. Lincoln and his party sat in a presidential box, a balcony seat. The box was actually two boxes, but a partition had been removed to make way for Lincoln's full party. Lincoln preferred a rocking chair to the normal seating and the brother of the theater owner provided one. The box was so high that most of the audience could not see the President.
Kennedy rode in a vehicle called a Lincoln, manufactured by Ford. It was a custom vehicle, longer than most such models, and had two jump seats. The rear seat rose 10 1/2 inches at the flick of a switch. Also significantly, whereas Kennedy was adored by well-wishers hanging from windows above him, Lincoln was the one above the crowd in his box.
Assassins. The character of the assassins of these men bears some striking similiarities and the stories show signs of editing by Lincoln proponents. Oswald was a ne'er-do-well; it could hardly do to have Lincoln killed by such a humble person, and so Booth was created out of Oswald as a more celebrated version of that nobody. A tip of the hat to Booth's fictional origins can be found in that Oswald hid in a theater after his deed.
It also happens that the assassins injured more than their intended targets. Their weapons were obviously different, owing to the times; Oswald's high-powered rifle would not have been around in Lincoln's time and so was replaced with Booth's derringer and knife, more appropriate weapons for the era. Booth also hailed from the rebellious South, recently put down by Lincoln's Union forces. The atmosphere in the South is highly reminiscent of the atmosphere in Dallas at Kennedy's period, in which racism was prominent and Kennedy's name was booed in classrooms. A handbill distributed in Dallas had a picture of Kennedy and the words WANTED FOR TREASON. Significantly Booth reportedly yelled, "Thus always to tyrants" after shooting Lincoln -- a natural adjustment given that Lincoln had been depicted as being on the "winning" side of a civil war. Finally the danger is made greater for Lincoln as it is shown that there was a greater plot to assassinate others at the same time. The place of John Connally, also wounded when Kennedy was fired upon, is taken in part by Major Rathbone and in part by Lincoln's Secretary of State William Seward, who was nearly killed by one of Booth's co-conspirators.
Miscellaenous. In various ways Lincoln was made to look superior to Kennedy and appear to be a greater hero. Lincoln survived his wound by many hours; Kennedy survived only a short period. Donald is careful to note the opinion of Lincoln's doctors that "the average man could not survive the injury Lincoln had received for more than two hours..." It is also notable that while both men are carried to their place after being shot (Kennedy of course to a hospital, Lincoln not so, owing to the limitations of the time) special note is made that Lincoln was too big for the bed he was placed on.
We will now add impact to our case by placing the parallels in order. Note that the parallels are dense and sequential:
Life of Kennedy/Life of Lincoln
Kennedy was actively seeking re-election
Lincoln had just achieved re-election
Kennedy received warnings not to visit Dallas
Lincoln received warnings not to visit the theater
Dallas was a rebellious, racist and hostile place
Lincoln's assassin hailed from a rebellious, racist and hostile area
Kennedy was aware of the danger and proceeded with his trip Lincoln was aware of the danger and proceeded with his trip
Kennedy visited Dallas just prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, on a Friday
Lincoln visited the theater just prior to the Easter holiday, on a Friday
Kennedy was offered a bulletproof car top, but declined
Lincoln offered to take a strong bodyguard to the theater, who declined
Kennedy rode in a Ford vehicle
Lincoln went to Ford's Theater
Kennedy's vehicle was equipped with special seating
Lincoln's theater box was equipped with special seating
Kennedy was accompanied by his wife and another couple, the Connallys
Lincoln was accompanied by his wife and another couple, the Rathbones
Kennedy was cheered and applauded by citizens in the windows above him
Lincoln was cheered and applauded by citizens in the theater below him
It was a sunny day in Dallas
It was dark inside the theater
An assassin acted alone
An assassin acted with two others
Oswald was a nobody, a former military man, member of an opposition group hostile to the nation
Booth was a celebrated actor, handsome, member of an opposition group hostile to the Union
Oswald entered the school book depsitory without incident
Booth entered the presidential box without incident
Oswald was an employee of the school book depository
Booth was employed in theaters like Ford's theater
Oswald shot Kennedy in the back of the head
Booth shot Lincoln in the back of the head
Oswald also injured John Connally, who survived
Booth also injured Major Rathbone, who survived
Kennedy's opponents in Dallas accused him of treason
Lincoln's opponent Booth accused him or tyranny
Those along the street were at first unsure of what had happened
Those in the theater were at first unsure of what had happened
The first reporter to see Kennedy, Merriman Smith, thought Kennedy had been fatally wounded
The first doctor to reach the box, Charles Leale, thought Lincoln had been fatally wounded
Kennedy slumped toward his wife, who wept bitterly
Lincoln was held upright in his chair by his wife, who wept bitterly
Kennedy's wife shouted: "They've killed him!"
Lincoln's wife shouted: "They have shot the President!"
Kennedy was carried on a stretcher into a hospital
Lincoln was carried across the street to a house
Kennedy's wife, over the protests of a nurse, went in to be in her husband's presence
Lincoln's wife, because of her constant protests, had to be removed from her husband's presence
Kennedy died after a half hour
Lincoln died after nine hours
Kennedy's assassin was shot by an follower of Kennedy
Lincoln's assassin was shot by follower of Lincoln
Kennedy's Vice-President, Lyndon Johnson, was confined for fear that there was a plot to assassinate America's leaders
Lincoln's Vice-President, Andrew Johnson, was also targeted as part of a plot to assassinate America's leaders
The results of our study are obvious. Lincoln's death was molded upon, yet designed to supersede, the death of Kennedy.
******
Welcome back to the 21st century.
If many of these parallels between Lincoln and Kennedy seem forced or of no relevance, it is because they are -- just as most of the parallels drawn by Dennis MacDonald in The Homeric Epics and the Gospel of Mark are forced. By collapsing down language (i.e., "a follower of Kennedy/Lincoln") in ways that ignore differences; by using commonplace events that are inevitable contextual elements, and by other such illicit tactics, it is possible to create any sort of connection. At the same time, we have also shown how easy it might be for a writer (like Mark) to imitate another writer without compromising true history.
******
Hello. Welcome again to the year 3740. This is Teachminder Phonias J. Futz, and since my revolutionary conclusion that Abraham Lincoln was a myth my students have been scouring literature left from prior to the catastrophe for more evidence to support this thesis. And we have indeed been fortunate, though in ways unexpected. We have uncovered two biographies of one of 20th-century Usa's most popular leaders, J. Fitzgerald Kennedy: John F. Kennedy by Mills, and Jack: A Life Like No Other by Perret. The biographies are in poor condition, but we have gleaned enough information for at least one report which has led us to a new thesis: That many alleged events in the life of Lincoln, as reported in the 20th century, relied on written antecedents recording the life of Kennedy, who lived prior to the time that the most detailed biographies of Lincoln were written.
As I read these Kennedy bios, I noticed echoes of the life of Lincoln, especially in the detailed bio of Lincoln by Donald -- parallels between the two men, then between their wives, then between their surrounding characters and persons. Both Lincoln and Kennedy demonstrated a fascination with civil rights, defense of the nation, and came to a similar end. Sometimes the similarities in accounts obtain even at the level of word choice and minor plot elements. I have come to conclude that writers of Lincoln bios wanted their readers to detect their use of Kennedy -- directly, if not subliminally. But the Lincoln biographers did not steal from these Kennedy biographers or from Kennedy's life; they also transvalued them by making Lincoln look more virtuous and more powerful than Kennedy. However, their imitation was not servile; they used disguises such as altering the vocabulary, varying the order, length, and structure of sentences, improving the content, and generating a series of formal transformations. They were experienced authors who borrowed from many sources (not just Kennedy bios), blending the works as a buzzstripe gathers nectar. And interestingly, it appears that readers in the 20th century were blind to this important aspect of the Lincoln biographers' project.
We will have many examples of this to present as our research continues, but for now we will use as an exemplar the most significant -- the parallels between Lincoln and Kennedy in their deaths. We believe that we will show without a doubt that Lincoln's life, as recorded and reworked in the 20th century, was built upon the foundation of Kennedy. We will begin by explaining a few of the parallels in detail and their significance, and then compile all of the parallels in columns.
Warnings Against Their Travel. On the day of his assassination, several of Lincoln's advisers "urged him not to go to the theater. Before going on a mission to Richmond, Lincoln's regular bodyguard, Lamon, begged him, "Promise me you will not go out at night while I am gone, particularly to the theater." Lamon issued such warnings so often, however, that he merely replied that he would "do the best" he could. Stanton, one of Lincoln's aides, "repeatedly warned Lincoln against mingling with promiscuous crowds at the theater." This night was regarded as most dangerous becase of rumors that General Grant, the hated military leader under Lincoln, would be joining Lincoln.
In the time before his assassination, Kennedy received several warnings not to visit the place of his demise -- Dallas, Texas. Mills: "The president has been warned over and over again to stay away from Dallas." Representaive Hale Boggs thought Kennedy would be going into "a hornet's nest." Senator William Fulbright warned: "Dallas is a very dangerous place." An editor of a Texas newspaper said that Kennedy would "not get through this without something happening to him." Governor Connally recommended that Kennedy not visit Dallas.
It should be noted that the timing of these events is significant. Kennedy made his visit shortly before the holiday known as Thanksgiving, a celebration of the founding of Usa. Lincoln biographers copied and transvalued this event by having Lincoln killed on the Good Friday holiday, just prior to Easter. Kennedy died just before a holiday commemorating the birth of the nation, but Lincoln was to be associated with a holiday linked to the death of Jesus Christ -- the only way one could conceivably transvalue such timing.
Ironic loss of protection. Lincoln asked several people to come with him. One of these was Thomas Eckert, a man so strong that he broke several cast-iron pokers by striking them across his left arm. But Eckert was needed elsewhere and declined the invitation. Kennedy meanwhile refused a bulletproof top for his car.
Seating arrangements. At the Ford Theater a special arrangement had been made for Lincoln's party. Lincoln and his party sat in a presidential box, a balcony seat. The box was actually two boxes, but a partition had been removed to make way for Lincoln's full party. Lincoln preferred a rocking chair to the normal seating and the brother of the theater owner provided one. The box was so high that most of the audience could not see the President.
Kennedy rode in a vehicle called a Lincoln, manufactured by Ford. It was a custom vehicle, longer than most such models, and had two jump seats. The rear seat rose 10 1/2 inches at the flick of a switch. Also significantly, whereas Kennedy was adored by well-wishers hanging from windows above him, Lincoln was the one above the crowd in his box.
Assassins. The character of the assassins of these men bears some striking similiarities and the stories show signs of editing by Lincoln proponents. Oswald was a ne'er-do-well; it could hardly do to have Lincoln killed by such a humble person, and so Booth was created out of Oswald as a more celebrated version of that nobody. A tip of the hat to Booth's fictional origins can be found in that Oswald hid in a theater after his deed.
It also happens that the assassins injured more than their intended targets. Their weapons were obviously different, owing to the times; Oswald's high-powered rifle would not have been around in Lincoln's time and so was replaced with Booth's derringer and knife, more appropriate weapons for the era. Booth also hailed from the rebellious South, recently put down by Lincoln's Union forces. The atmosphere in the South is highly reminiscent of the atmosphere in Dallas at Kennedy's period, in which racism was prominent and Kennedy's name was booed in classrooms. A handbill distributed in Dallas had a picture of Kennedy and the words WANTED FOR TREASON. Significantly Booth reportedly yelled, "Thus always to tyrants" after shooting Lincoln -- a natural adjustment given that Lincoln had been depicted as being on the "winning" side of a civil war. Finally the danger is made greater for Lincoln as it is shown that there was a greater plot to assassinate others at the same time. The place of John Connally, also wounded when Kennedy was fired upon, is taken in part by Major Rathbone and in part by Lincoln's Secretary of State William Seward, who was nearly killed by one of Booth's co-conspirators.
Miscellaenous. In various ways Lincoln was made to look superior to Kennedy and appear to be a greater hero. Lincoln survived his wound by many hours; Kennedy survived only a short period. Donald is careful to note the opinion of Lincoln's doctors that "the average man could not survive the injury Lincoln had received for more than two hours..." It is also notable that while both men are carried to their place after being shot (Kennedy of course to a hospital, Lincoln not so, owing to the limitations of the time) special note is made that Lincoln was too big for the bed he was placed on.
We will now add impact to our case by placing the parallels in order. Note that the parallels are dense and sequential:
Life of Kennedy/Life of Lincoln
Kennedy was actively seeking re-election
Lincoln had just achieved re-election
Kennedy received warnings not to visit Dallas
Lincoln received warnings not to visit the theater
Dallas was a rebellious, racist and hostile place
Lincoln's assassin hailed from a rebellious, racist and hostile area
Kennedy was aware of the danger and proceeded with his trip Lincoln was aware of the danger and proceeded with his trip
Kennedy visited Dallas just prior to the Thanksgiving holiday, on a Friday
Lincoln visited the theater just prior to the Easter holiday, on a Friday
Kennedy was offered a bulletproof car top, but declined
Lincoln offered to take a strong bodyguard to the theater, who declined
Kennedy rode in a Ford vehicle
Lincoln went to Ford's Theater
Kennedy's vehicle was equipped with special seating
Lincoln's theater box was equipped with special seating
Kennedy was accompanied by his wife and another couple, the Connallys
Lincoln was accompanied by his wife and another couple, the Rathbones
Kennedy was cheered and applauded by citizens in the windows above him
Lincoln was cheered and applauded by citizens in the theater below him
It was a sunny day in Dallas
It was dark inside the theater
An assassin acted alone
An assassin acted with two others
Oswald was a nobody, a former military man, member of an opposition group hostile to the nation
Booth was a celebrated actor, handsome, member of an opposition group hostile to the Union
Oswald entered the school book depsitory without incident
Booth entered the presidential box without incident
Oswald was an employee of the school book depository
Booth was employed in theaters like Ford's theater
Oswald shot Kennedy in the back of the head
Booth shot Lincoln in the back of the head
Oswald also injured John Connally, who survived
Booth also injured Major Rathbone, who survived
Kennedy's opponents in Dallas accused him of treason
Lincoln's opponent Booth accused him or tyranny
Those along the street were at first unsure of what had happened
Those in the theater were at first unsure of what had happened
The first reporter to see Kennedy, Merriman Smith, thought Kennedy had been fatally wounded
The first doctor to reach the box, Charles Leale, thought Lincoln had been fatally wounded
Kennedy slumped toward his wife, who wept bitterly
Lincoln was held upright in his chair by his wife, who wept bitterly
Kennedy's wife shouted: "They've killed him!"
Lincoln's wife shouted: "They have shot the President!"
Kennedy was carried on a stretcher into a hospital
Lincoln was carried across the street to a house
Kennedy's wife, over the protests of a nurse, went in to be in her husband's presence
Lincoln's wife, because of her constant protests, had to be removed from her husband's presence
Kennedy died after a half hour
Lincoln died after nine hours
Kennedy's assassin was shot by an follower of Kennedy
Lincoln's assassin was shot by follower of Lincoln
Kennedy's Vice-President, Lyndon Johnson, was confined for fear that there was a plot to assassinate America's leaders
Lincoln's Vice-President, Andrew Johnson, was also targeted as part of a plot to assassinate America's leaders
The results of our study are obvious. Lincoln's death was molded upon, yet designed to supersede, the death of Kennedy.
******
Welcome back to the 21st century.
If many of these parallels between Lincoln and Kennedy seem forced or of no relevance, it is because they are -- just as most of the parallels drawn by Dennis MacDonald in The Homeric Epics and the Gospel of Mark are forced. By collapsing down language (i.e., "a follower of Kennedy/Lincoln") in ways that ignore differences; by using commonplace events that are inevitable contextual elements, and by other such illicit tactics, it is possible to create any sort of connection. At the same time, we have also shown how easy it might be for a writer (like Mark) to imitate another writer without compromising true history.