Published
2 years agoon
By
Joe Pee
At his father’s funeral service, John F. Kennedy, Jr, the son of the shot president, salutes his father’s casket.
I’ve looked at various pictures of the scene and I think he does it on his own.
The whole Kennedy clan is behind him, all pretty much frozen. Jacky looks like she doesn’t even get her son’s gesture. Next to them are John’s brothers, Senator Edward Kennedy, left, and Attorney General Robert Kennedy.
And as always, you see them stoically: “Kennedys don’t cry”. Caroline, John’s “big” sister, also appears almost untouched. But I can see her legs and feet held in a disciplined manner.
Above, you can see members of the military saluting, and I suspect little John is simply imitating that. He turned three years old that day. He’s grabbing his eye with his fingers, but I don’t think he’s crying. At three years old, he doesn’t really understand what’s happening. And the adults seem to be each in their own world, not taking him along.
So I don’t think Jacky has “practiced” this with him.
The little one seems to be doing it because he just doesn’t know what else to do when everyone is standing there like that.
But the picture shows the loneliness of the kids. Both.
The world has interpreted “bravery” into this gesture, which I find almost brutal.
Little John-John died , like many Kennedy clan members, tragically.
He crashed with the plane.