By Jady Ojeda

Staff Writer

Last July, President Donald Trump reintroduced the rumor that Rafael Cruz, the father of his former presidential campaign rival, Ted Cruz, was an accomplice in the assassination of John F. Kennedy.

This rumor originated when Rafael Cruz was pictured in an image with Lee Harvey Oswald. Oswald was a supporter of Cuban Communism, triggering his resentment towards Kennedy who was determined to take down Fidel Castro with his authorization of Operation Zapata and the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

On Nov. 22, 1963, Kennedy was shot by Oswald. According to the National Archives, he fired two shots prior to the third that fatally struck Kennedy.

For over 50 years, countless theories regarding the motives of the assassination of former President John F. Kennedy have remained up in the air.

The conspiracies that began so long ago, and continue to remain in question today, stem from the disbelief that Oswald could have acted on his own in Kennedy’s assassination.

He may have received influence, assistance, and encouragement from others who were against the President’s intentions or beliefs. I believe that Oswald could have been very politically frustrated over the plans that the Kennedy may have been envisioning. After all, Kennedy’s actions towards Castro had developed with such determination that some considered it to be an obsession.

Kennedy is also known for being the first and only Catholic president. I’ll never forget learning that detail about him because I took it to heart.

During the 1960s, an anti-Catholic movement began and many people did not respect the President’s religious affiliation. This may have been another factor for the involvement of others, such as religious zealots, in his assassination. It is unfortunate that being Catholic could have led to his downfall, but it’s not new for religion to play a role in a tragic end.

Distrust in government actions, events, and figures will continue through history and we will continue to over-analyze every event and tragedy taken place inside and just beyond the gates of the White House.

Fortunately, the interest in our country’s history should steer us away from repeating the errors that have hurt us in the past.