First Generation Critics of the Warren Report

[Peter McGuire]

Praise of a New Generation: The Assassination of John F. Kennedy and the First Generation Critics of the Warren Report (Hardcover)

by John Kelin (Author)

Amazon Review: November 23, 2007

By Nick Anez

On November 22, 1963, President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Several months later, the Warren Commission Report proclaimed that there was no conspiracy and that Lee Harvey Oswald was the lone assassin. It is probable that this official document, designed to deliberately deceive the American people, would have succeeded in its objectives if not for the efforts of a small group of individuals who detected inconsistencies, improbabilities and unqualified lies in the report.

These individuals eventually succeeded against impossible odds in exposing the most reprehensible hoax ever perpetuated upon the American public, a monumental deception that covered up the true facts about the murder of JFK.

In this impeccably researched book, author John Kelin authenticates this first generation of critics and their unrelenting quest for justice. To discover the truth about the assassination, they waged an extraordinary battle against a gigantic bureacracy that was aided and abetted by the mass media. With courage and commitment, they battled powerful antagonists who had unlimited resources, all of which were used to ridicule and silence them.

But they persevered and as a result of their groundbreaking efforts as well as those of their successors, the only people who still believe the Warren Report are those who are woefully ignorant of the facts that have been disclosed over the past four decades.

But Mr. Kelin does more than record their indefatigable labors and the indisputable results of their investigations. He also delves into their personal lives, allowing readers to intimately know them and subsequently witness their human frailties along with their sacrifices. They emerge as fully three-dimensional people, average persons from different walks of life who shared an astonishing commitment to exposing the lies of the establishment.

Mr. Kelin deserves credit for bringing long-overdue praise to these relatively unknown heroes, many of whom are no longer with us. Now, because of the author's equally admirable commitment to historical truth, they will forever be remembered.

They live on in the present and future generations of critics who are determined to achieve justice for a slain president and to restore this nation's sense of honor.

This is an important book that exposes the worst of America, as represented by the murderous conspirators, and the best of America, as represented by those noble critics whose endeavors symbolize profiles in courage.

Future generations will praise not only these critics but Mr. Kelin as well.

http://tinyurl.com/2mjut7

Documents show that Warren Commission member Congressman Gerald Ford pressed the panel to change its description of the wound and place it higher in Kennedy’s body. Ford wanted the wording changed to: “A bullet had entered the back of his neck slightly to the right of the spine.” The panel’s final version was: “A bullet had entered the base of the back of his neck slightly to the right of the spine.”

The arrow in the photograph below shows where the bullet had to pass through Kennedy in order to conform to the preposterous Single Bullet Theory, when the bullet actually entered Kennedy's back.

Edited December 21, 2007 by Peter McGuire

[Dawn Meredith]

I am about 200 pages into this book and I can't say enough good things about it! Anothe must read, folks.

Dawn

[Michael Hogan]

I am about 200 pages into this book and I can't say enough good things about it! Another must read, folks.

Thanks Dawn. I just ordered it; you convinced me to do it sooner than later. If you say it's a must read, I know I can count on that. And thanks to Peter for the heads-up that Kelin's book was available.

The First Generation Critics as they've come to be known were a small but remarkable group of men and women. Gosh, that seems such a long time ago....

[Cliff Varnell]

I am about 200 pages into this book and I can't say enough good things about it! Another must read, folks.

Thanks Dawn. I just ordered it; you convinced me to do it sooner than later. If you say it's a must read, I know I can count on that. And thanks to Peter for the heads-up that Kelin's book was available.

The First Generation Critics as they've come to be known were a small but remarkable group of men and women. Gosh, that seems such a long time ago....

I checked it out at Amazon.

Vincent Salandria wrote a nice blurb for the book, but I didn't get the

impression that Salandria was in the book.

If that's the case I may not buy it.

[Michael Hogan]

I checked it out at Amazon.

Vincent Salandria wrote a nice blurb for the book, but I didn't get the

impression that Salandria was in the book.

If that's the case I may not buy it.

Cliff, certainly a veteran poker man such as yourself can make the assumption that Salandria is in the book.

He has to be.

[Jack White]

I am about 200 pages into this book and I can't say enough good things about it! Anothe must read, folks.

Dawn

Dawn...is there a list of those covered?

Jack

[Michael Hogan]

Dawn...is there a list of those covered?

Who Were the First-Generation Critics?

Among the critical researchers whose little-known heroic stories are included in Praise from a Future Generation are:

• Mark Lane, the attorney who questioned Oswald's lack of representation before the Warren Commission, twice bested Melvin Belli (Jack Ruby's defense lawyer) in debates, and authored three books: Rush to Judgment, A Citizen's Dissent, and Plausible Denial. Lane's Rush to Judgment, while not the first book about the assassination, became an international best seller that greatly advanced the critics' case.

• Penn Jones, Jr., who investigated the strange deaths of witnesses (in Ramparts) and published four volumes of Forgive My Grief.

• Raymond Marcus, who examined images of the grassy knoll gunman and disproved, to the satisfaction of many, the "Magic Bullet Theory" in The Bastard Bullet.

• Sylvia Meagher, who indexed the Warren Report and wrote the most comprehensive critique of it in Accessories After the Fact. Her final publication was Subject Index to the JFK Assassination Investigations.

• Vincent J. Salandria, author of the first published articles critical of the government's actions and explanations. These were eventually gathered in False Mystery: Essays on the Assassination of President Kennedy.

• Harold Weisberg, whose Whitewash series dissected the Warren Report, wrote about a second-Oswald scenario in Oswald in New Orleans, and was a key witness and researcher in D.A. Jim Garrison's case.

• Other writers and significant researchers discussed include Harold Feldman, Shirley Martin and Maggie Field, all compelling characters whose lives were deeply altered by the social and political events of the 1960s. Martin had befriended Marguerite Oswald and arranged for Lane, Salandria and Harold Feldman to meet the mother of the accused assassin.

• Kelin also discusses the European journalists who published early books: Léo Sauvage, Thomas Buchanan and Joachim Joesten.

http://www.wingspress.com/Titles/PRAISE.html

For Cliff Varnell:

"In 1998 Kelin met Vince Salandria at a conference in Dallas. Salandria gave Kelin complete access to his assassination-related correspondence from the 1960s. This began almost ten years of full-time research, leading to the publication of Praise from a Future Generation."

[Cliff Varnell]

I checked it out at Amazon.

Vincent Salandria wrote a nice blurb for the book, but I didn't get the

impression that Salandria was in the book.

If that's the case I may not buy it.

Cliff, certainly a veteran poker man such as yourself can make the assumption that Salandria is in the book.

He has to be.

That's what I'd figure, but he wasn't mentioned in the Amazon blurb.

Hell, I think Oliver Stone picked the wrong guy for "JFK" -- Salandria would have

made a better subject than Garrison, imo.

[Jack White]

Dawn...is there a list of those covered?

Who Were the First-Generation Critics?

Among the critical researchers whose little-known heroic stories are included in Praise from a Future Generation are:

• Mark Lane, the attorney who questioned Oswald's lack of representation before the Warren Commission, twice bested Melvin Belli (Jack Ruby's defense lawyer) in debates, and authored three books: Rush to Judgment, A Citizen's Dissent, and Plausible Denial. Lane's Rush to Judgment, while not the first book about the assassination, became an international best seller that greatly advanced the critics' case.

• Penn Jones, Jr., who investigated the strange deaths of witnesses (in Ramparts) and published four volumes of Forgive My Grief.

• Raymond Marcus, who examined images of the grassy knoll gunman and disproved, to the satisfaction of many, the "Magic Bullet Theory" in The Bastard Bullet.

• Sylvia Meagher, who indexed the Warren Report and wrote the most comprehensive critique of it in Accessories After the Fact. Her final publication was Subject Index to the JFK Assassination Investigations.

• Vincent J. Salandria, author of the first published articles critical of the government's actions and explanations. These were eventually gathered in False Mystery: Essays on the Assassination of President Kennedy.

• Harold Weisberg, whose Whitewash series dissected the Warren Report, wrote about a second-Oswald scenario in Oswald in New Orleans, and was a key witness and researcher in D.A. Jim Garrison's case.

• Other writers and significant researchers discussed include Harold Feldman, Shirley Martin and Maggie Field, all compelling characters whose lives were deeply altered by the social and political events of the 1960s. Martin had befriended Marguerite Oswald and arranged for Lane, Salandria and Harold Feldman to meet the mother of the accused assassin.

• Kelin also discusses the European journalists who published early books: Léo Sauvage, Thomas Buchanan and Joachim Joesten.

http://www.wingspress.com/Titles/PRAISE.html

For Cliff Varnell:

"In 1998 Kelin met Vince Salandria at a conference in Dallas. Salandria gave Kelin complete access to his assassination-related correspondence from the 1960s. This began almost ten years of full-time research, leading to the publication of Praise from a Future Generation."

A book which omits MARY FERRELL is not complete. I consider Mary the FIRST and foremost of the critics,

and so do many others. There are several other obvious omissions. The above list seems to be most

publicized, not the first. Mary began her research on 11-22-63 at about one p.m. You can't get FIRSTER

than that.

Jack

Edited December 21, 2007 by Jack White

[Dixie Dea]

Praise From A Future Generation, by John Kelin, is a most interesting book to read. I really enjoyed reading it.

Yes, Vincent Salandria is in there, as one of the main First Generation Researchers. Also, his brother in law, Harold Feldman.

They all formed a Researchers Discussion Group and had Get Togethers and also corresponded by phone or letter.

A few of the ones discussed are: Shirley Martin, Mary Ferrell, Joachim Joesten, Maggie Field, Penn Jones Jr., Lillian Castellano, Leo Sauvage, Ray Marcus, Sylvia Meagher, Vincent Salandra, Harold and Irma (Immie) Feldman, Josiah (Tink) Thompson, Harold Weisberg and more.

Quite different and most enjoyable!

________

Dixie

[Michael Hogan]

A book which omits MARY FERRELL is not complete. I consider Mary the FIRST and foremost of the critics,

and so do many others. There are several other obvious omissions. The above list seems to be most

publicized, not the first. Mary began her research on 11-22-63 at about one p.m. You can't get FIRSTER

than that.

The book is 608 pages and obviously well-researched and documented. As I said to Cliff about Salandria, Mary Ferrell HAS to be in that book. Just because she was not listed in the publicity blurb is no reason to believe she could have been omitted.

Thanks to Dixie Dea for confirming that.

[Jack White]

Praise From A Future Generation, by John Kelin, is a most interesting book to read. I really enjoyed reading it.

Yes, Vincent Salandria is in there, as one of the main First Generation Researchers. Also, his brother in law, Harold Feldman.

They all formed a Researchers Discussion Group and had Get Togethers and also corresponded by phone or letter.

A few of the ones discussed are: Shirley Martin, Mary Ferrell, Joachim Joesten, Maggie Field, Penn Jones Jr., Lillian Castellano, Leo Sauvage, Ray Marcus, Sylvia Meagher, Vincent Salandra, Harold and Irma (Immie) Feldman, Josiah (Tink) Thompson, Harold Weisberg and more.

Quite different and most enjoyable!

________

Dixie

Thanks, Dixie. I know David Lifton considers himself "first generation". Robert Groden probably is also.

I think Robert Cutler and Dick Sprague also were among the first. Among the earliest I recall were the

guys who ran the Assassination Information Bureau who made tours of college campuses. I cannot

recall their names. They also had early articles published.

As for me, all the people mentioned were my heroes who inspired me to branch out from being an

avid studier to an original researcher. There is a big difference between PRIMARY and SECONDARY

research. All of the "first genertion" did primary research from the beginning. Some of us started

with secondary research before branching out into primary research. My research started on 11-22-63

by collecting all newspapers and magazines (which I am now donating to UTA). I started primary research

in about 1965...which probably makes me "second generation."

Jack

[Courtney Redd]

This is a very interesting look at the first generation critics of the Warren Report. I'm enjoying it so far, especially learning about the critics and how they got started in their research. There are a couple of people I wasn't aware of--Maggie Field and Shirley Martin--and their contributions shouldn't be overlooked. I'm glad I've had the chance to learn about them.

If I remember correctly, John Kelin did talk to Mary Ferrell briefly but wasn't able to interview her as much as he wanted before she passed away.

I began corresponding with John a month or two ago. Anyone remember his website, Fair Play? That was the first website I found about the assassination when I first started using the internet back in 1999.

Maybe John Simkin could invite John to the forum, if he hasn't already?

[Dixie Dea]

I feel bad about this, but one important name in the book, I neglected to mention was Mark Lane. If I recall,.David Lifton was also in there. There were several others, including, Jim Garrison.

Courtney....I believe it was also in about 1999, I read about The Fair Play online Magazine. I must have read about it in a Fourth Decade Publication, that I had subscribed to. I didn't have a PC at that time, but my daughter did. I ask her to look up that website and she did so, and printed out a copy of the entire Issue for that month. I was thrilled to death to get it. She also did the following month, but then I realized it took a lot of paper plus her ink supply. So, I mostly just let it go. Then, when I finally had a set up, I looked for Fair Play again and couldn't find it. However, in my mind, I was thinking it was called. Foul Play, rather then Fair Play. I did find a JFK Research Index Page that gave a whole lot of websites. Through that, I finally found fair Play again. Of course I started reading all the back issues right away and really did enjoy them.

______________

Dixie

[John Simkin]

Maybe John Simkin could invite John to the forum, if he hasn't already?

I have invited John to discuss his book on the forum.

I have ordered a copy of the book but as it has not yet been published in the UK yet it might take a few weeks to reach me. I am also publicizing the book on the JFK index page:

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKindex.htm

I am also currently working on a online biography of John. His Fair Play journal has already contributed a great deal to research on the JFK assassination.

You will find the Fair Play archive here:

http://spot.acorn.net/jfkplace/09/fp.back_...backissues.html