Where were you when you heard the news?

Some six decades ago, the United States was stunned, horrified and deeply saddened by the assassination of a young president who wanted to lead the nation into a new era, one of acceptance, compassion, tolerance and understanding. Sadly, an assassin’s bullet shattered the dreams of a “New Camelot.”

And to this day, people ask: “Where were you when you heard the news?”

Indeed, the assassination of our 35th president, John F. Kennedy, on Nov. 22, 1963, had a profound impact on the United States. The nation was in shock and mourning, and the event had a significant effect on American politics and society.

Granted, immediately after the assassination, relatively little had changed. President Lyndon Johnson addressed Congress after the funeral and said, “Let us continue.”

However, in the long term, the impact to the nation has been extremely significant.

Unlike Lincoln and FDR, who were taken from the national stage just as they were completing their historic undertakings — specifically, the Civil War and World War II — JFK met his untimely fate while he and his administration were right smack in the middle of their agenda.

The tax cuts he had proposed in February 1963 and the civil rights bill he had endorsed that year had been long delayed in Congress. Those initiatives were well on their way to being passed when JFK died. Nationally, JFK was extremely popular and running way ahead of any Republican contender for the Oval Office by margins larger than those enjoyed by Franklin Roosevelt.

The assassination also had a transformative effect on American politics. New York Times columnist James Reston, the dean of American journalism, said Kennedy’s assassination was a symptom of a sick society. The distinguished historian Arthur Schlesinger Jr., an aide in the Kennedy White House, said that the assassination of JFK was evidence that America was an overly violent society.

The 1960s, after the assassination of John F. Kennedy, saw major changes in the United States. There was a growing degradation of trust in the government. The way that the older generation viewed the youth of America changed, and the limits of our Constitutional freedom of expression were severely tested.

Before his death, Kennedy had proposed civil rights legislation that would outlaw discrimination based on race, religion, sex or national origin. For its time, that legislation was controversial, and, consequently, it had stalled in Congress before the death of JFK. Suffice it to say, the assassination changed the political dynamics of the civil rights movement.

The nation remained in mourning for a very long time — until four lads from Liverpool helped a grieving nation when they appeared on “The Ed Sullivan Show” on Feb. 9, 1964. And then, as they say, the rest was history.

John Di Genio and Albert J. Cupo, Jersey City

Sherrill for governor

I urge all New Jersey residents to support Mikie Sherrill for governor. As someone from a long line of Navy veterans — my great-grandfather served during World War I, and my grandfather survived a Nazi submarine attack in World War II — I was raised to stand up for what I believe in. That’s why I’m proud to support Mikie Sherrill for New Jersey’s highest office.

Mikie is a proven leader. A trailblazer in the U.S. Navy, she graduated from the Naval Academy and commanded a combat helicopter squadron at a time when few women had that opportunity.

Her service paved the way for future generations of women aviators, breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated field. As a federal prosecutor and in Congress, Mikie championed victims of domestic violence. Her commitment to fighting for women’s rights is unwavering, and she will continue to defend reproductive rights in New Jersey, ensuring that every woman can make her own healthcare decisions.

In Congress, Mikie worked side by side with veteran advocates like me, fighting to ensure veterans have the resources they need to succeed in civilian life. Mikie’s dedication to veterans comes from a place of deep understanding — she is a veteran herself, and she knows what it means to serve.

With veterans’ benefits increasingly under attack in Washington, New Jersey will need strong leadership to protect and expand support for those who served our nation. Mikie Sherrill is that leader. She is committed to making New Jersey a beacon for veterans and for all residents, fighting for a future where everyone can thrive.

Visit Mikie’s campaign website to learn more and get involved. Together, let’s pave a brighter and more affordable future for our veterans and all New Jerseyans.

Michael Embrich, Veteran, Former New Jersey State Commander, Veterans Service Organization, Former Policy Advisor to the U.S. Secretary of Veterans Affairs

Reinstate red light cameras

Joan Quigley’s recent article (”Traffic, bike lanes: Two of the reasons for general discontent among Hudson voters,” Nov. 19) bemoaned the lack of traffic enforcement, particularly in cities. She is correct that police departments don’t have the staff to really concentrate on that; imagine doubling the size of a “$100,000+ per year” police force to give out $100 tickets fought by $500-per-hour lawyers.

However, New Jersey once did have an effective alternative: the Red Light Camera (RLC) program.

True, it had some glitches. One, the length of the yellow interval, was easily corrected (but does anyone really think that the 85th percentile speed on Kennedy Boulevard is 25 mph?). The other was how Right Turn on Red (RTOR) was enforced. Issuing summonses based on the speed of a vehicle turning right may have been the only way that a camera-based enforcement program could identify violations, but that methodology is nowhere described in the state Motor Vehicle Statutes (Title 39).

I ignore the accusation that they increased other crashes, particularly same-direction; no NJ motorist ever “slams on the brakes” when they see a yellow interval, or a pedestrian for that matter!

Declan O’Scanlon (New Jersey state senator, R, Monmouth County) notwithstanding, the RLC program was highly effective in curbing red light running and associated crashes. The mandatory six-month summary reports that towns submitted to the NJ Department of Transportation showed that the incidence of susceptible crashes (right angle) were reduced not only at the monitored intersection but also at the non-monitored “control” intersection (one was required for each monitored location).

But based on the “drumbeat” of criticism from a vocal minority, rather than fine-tuning the program as is usually done — elimination of RTOR enforcement entirely, settling for NTOR and Red Light violations — the Legislature abruptly cancelled the program without even requiring a final report. Probably because they were afraid of the positive results.

The alleged grumbling in Hudson County once again proves Mark Twain’s prescient observation: “Everybody talks about the weather, but nobody does anything about it!”

Ken Newman, PE (Ret), FITE (Ret), Sarasota, Florida (until recently Pompton Plains)

Lame excuses from Boggiano

The Pompidou Museum definitely is a source of controversy.

Of course, the Ward C councilman, Rich Boggiano, finds himself right smack in the middle of this contentious issue. His recent comments that he didn’t know about the “special assessment” that will be used to resource the art museum makes us question Mr. Boggiano’s ability to represent Ward C. Lame excuses like “no one told me about this” or “I didn’t know about this” simply will not do.

As an elected official, it is Mr. Boggiano’s duty and responsibility to stay informed. He owes that much to his constituents.

If Mr. Boggiano is unable stay current with issues occurring within his ward, then Mr. Boggiano should resign his seat on the council.

Yet, when we think about what has happened with the Pompidou x Jersey City museum, we believe that the mayor and the council president had sent Mr. Boggiano a clear message when they went to Paris a while ago to discuss the museum and left Rich Boggiano behind, even though the museum was going to be within his ward. Ironically, we also remember during the 2021 election debate how Mr. Boggiano defended the Pompidou as being something positive for the community.

At this point, Mr. Boggiano finds himself at odds with his Team Fulop colleagues regarding the Pompidou museum and the recreation centers. It is readily apparent that Team Fulop no longer finds Boggiano to be an asset or, at the very least, an ally. Truthfully speaking,considering the Paris trip, we doubt that Team Fulop ever considered Mr. Boggiano to be a viable and valuable member of the team.

At this point, we can honestly say that the people of Ward C have lost confidence in Mr. Boggiano’s ability to represent them on the council. Mr. Boggiano’s lame excuses and lip service are no longer enough to secure the trust of his constituents.

It is time for the people of Ward C to elect a representative who will stay on top of things within Ward C. Team Fulop has moved on from Rich Boggiano, and so should the constituents of Ward C.

Jack and Joseph D’Elia, Jersey City

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