from "Vilify": Part IX

from "Vilify": Part IX


While reading a book about Robert E. Kennedy's
assassination, I learned that some conspiracy
theorists believe that a certain former CIA
agent participated in the killing. That former
CIA agent was half Apache. That just boggles
my mind. One never thinks of Indians being the
star participant in epic twentieth century
events; we're usually just the extras, the
brown folks at the edges of the screen. And
who would have ever thought of an Apache being
a CIA agent? But then again, considering the
Apache's long and violent history--and their
aptitude for camouflage and killing--perhaps
it was natural for one of them to become
a CIA agent. That got me to thinking about
Lee Harvey Oswald, who was either a "patsy"
in the assassination of John F. Kennedy or
was the lone gunman. Oswald was born in
New Orleans--the epicenter of American
cross-cultural and cross-racial love and
lust--so I'm wondering if Oswald had an
Indian grandmother or grandfather. Maybe
Oswald's rage was already imbedded in
his DNA. Maybe the plot to kill JFK began
when a Cherokee woman--too weak to walk--
fell down on the Trail of Tears to die.
Maybe that woman's grandson--Lee Harvey
Oswald's indigenous ancestor--saw her
fall and die, and maybe he vowed to
someday take revenge on the people who
murdered her. Damn, now that is a
conspiracy theory.


Sherman Alexie

from his book FACE.