All right, today we learned about the Zapruder Film in class and it was highly controversial. We all learned about how he was filming JFK as he was riding down a street in Texas. He also got on the tape the assassination of JFK. We were undecided today in class whether or not the film should have been distributed so that the American people could view it. I personally think that it should have never been shown to anyone other than the police force looking into his death. Why would the American people want to watch as their president’s brains got blown out? So I ask you:
1. Was it a violation of the Kennedy’s privacy? Would his wife and children want to watch it and would they want other people to see it?
2. Was it right of the Zapruder family to sell copies to a television company, in exchange of lots of money, who showed it on air?
3. If you were in Zapruder’s shoes would you keep the tape and just show the FBI or would you unleash it to the public? Why?
A link to the history of the Zapruder film: http://www.jfk.org/Research/Zapruder/Zapruder_Film_Chrono.htm
The film ownership still resides within the National Archives but the Zapruder family was compensated with $16 million dollars by the gov't. for the confiscation of the film.
"After a hard day's work diggin' up the sod, we're ready for chow."
Welcome to our class's blog. We are discussing the latest topics we're studying in American history and literature. This website has been active since December 2005. Selected Excel 10 students will take turns posting their thoughts, and other Excel 10 students will comment on these posts. Parents, staff, and other interested persons are invited to add their comments on our musings. Any inappropriate comments will be deleted.
Thursday, March 30, 2006
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2006
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March
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- Doug's questions about the Zapruder tape
- Zapruder film: historical artifact, exploitation, ...
- Different Views of President Kennedy
- Invasion of Privacy? Not Really.
- Thoughts on "Good Night and Good Luck"
- Changing Ideas about the Hiroshima
- Murrow's quotes applied to today?
- The Legality of Wiretapping
- Thoughts on Intervention in Darfur
- Questions on the Cold War?
- Darfur Awareness Day
- What rights would you give up?
- Hiroshima? Revenge?
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6 comments:
In one way, I fee like the distribution of this tape was a violation of Kennedy's privacy. If you put yourself into the family's position, I personally would not want the murder of a loved one to be mass produced and sold across the country. However, becoming the president comes with a responisiblity and you have to be ready to go public with your life 100%.I guess I don't really know where I stand when trying to answer this. Morallly, I think it's wrong, but if you feel that seeing the death of your president is important, you should be allowed to see it.
Well dougless i think that it is a violation of kennedys privacy. But many people think that even though he is president that people should be allowed to view it. But in my opinion i dont think it is right for people to see the video. I do agree that if his wife and children want to view it they should be able to. No i do not think it was right of the Zapruder family to sell the copies of the tape to the television compnay in exchange for lots of money. If i were in the Zapreuder's shoes I would of probably consulted the family to see if thye would mind and if they didnt i would sell copies to the T.V. companies in exchange for money. And if the family said no then i would not release the tape and just give it to the FBI for evidence.
-Bobby
I think the distrigution of the tape was a violation of the kennedy's privacy, but like maddie said becoming the president means you have to be ready to go public with your life 100%. If people want to know how JFK got killed then they should be able to see it, but that's just my opinion.
-michelle
Well I guess that I will just go in order than-
1. In today’s standards, we show a lot on TV. Every night you can tune in and see someone get killed. At the time, this was not as common, but despite that this tape was still shown to the public. Normally I would say that this is a personal moment, but JFK was the beloved president of the United States. Everything he does is going to be watched and followed, and I am sure people really cared about how he was killed.
2. I don’t think that it was right of the Zapruder's to sell the tape to a company for so much money. The tape is an important artifact of American history and they just auctioned it off to the highest bidder. I feel like they have no respect for the impact that the tape had on so many people.
3.If I was part of the Zapruder family, I would allow the FBI to have the tape and allow it to be admitted into some historical museum (but I would like some family recognition).
-Alyssa
Part of being President comes with all the publicity and the community watching you. I think it should be allowed that the American people can view this video. It was a public assassination therefore the public eye should be able to see it. I do agree that it is not an ideal situation to watch someone’s murder, but if you prefer not to watch it then you have the option not to. With the whole Zapruder question, it just seems so wrong that they were making a lot of money selling this video. Only a small percentage should have been given to them, and the rest to the government.
I think that the distribution of the tape was a violation of privacy, but i also think that the country has a right to know what happens to the president. When you become president, you are pretty much selling youself and your private life to the country, so it is kinda expected that the country would see the tape. But i can see why the Kennedy family wouldnt want people to see the shooting or have it sold in stores.
-Natalie
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